American colleges and universities have sent their students home and nearly all face a much-constrained future. That sounds dire. But what if the current crisis leads to greater efficiency and sounder practices?

Professor Robert Wright argues in today’s Martin Center article that the higher-education establishment, grown too fat and happy, could make changes that will lower costs for students and put themselves on a stronger financial footing. He writes:

Many colleges and universities will evidently have to tighten their belts for some time. Counterintuitively, it would be the lack of resources rather than a surfeit of them that could spur positive change among our very costly but not very effective schools.

The last thing we need, on the other hand, is a big federal bailout that lets college leaders escape without having to trim unnecessary bloat.

Wright also suggests that donors can help by targeting their money towards science and health programs that might provide some lasting benefits, as opposed to general giving that will help keep afloat lots of educational junk and make-work administrative jobs.

Americans are learning some good new habits regarding hygiene as a result of this crisis. Let’s hope they also learn some good lessons about higher ed.