Rider University, a private university in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, is struggling financially as its debt sits at $130 million, with lenders refusing to extend them credit. 

Loyack said in an interview with Rider News, “We’ve borrowed all of the money we can borrow to the point where no bank would give us additional funding… Talk about the cupboard being bare, there is like nowhere to go.” 

The university has been struggling for quite some time and its struggles have intensified ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before 2020, Rider was not meeting their enrollment goals and had been facing a decline in net tuition revenue. However, the pandemic further reduced enrollment and the university was forced to rely on loans. 

On October 30, 2025, the school enacted the “March to Sustainability Plan,” involving the termination of 40 faculty members, a pay decrease of 14%, suspension of faculty retirement contributions, and additional cuts to employee benefits. 

Rider has been facing financial difficulties for years, but the situation has become more critical as of late. The university has announced that it will remain open and make it through the year. However, unless Rider can turn things around, the future will remain uncertain.