Confidence in the value of a four-year university degree has reached a historic low in the United States, with only about a third of Americans now believing it justifies the expense. In response, more than 60 institutions — including Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the University of Minnesota Rochester — have introduced accelerated three-year bachelor's degree programmes, trimming tuition costs by roughly a year's worth of fees, which can run around $45,000 annually. The shift reflects a deepening structural crisis in higher education: enrolments are falling, more than 300 colleges have closed since 2008, and universities are under growing pressure to demonstrate a clear return on investment for students and families.