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DEARBORN COUNTY, Ind. (WKRC) – Two medical helicopters responded following a crash on Monday.

It happened at around 11:30 p.m. on Indiana SR-350, just west of Aurora.

Authorities said two medical helicopters responded to the scene after a two-vehicle crash. The current conditions of those involved remain unclear.

The roadway was closed for a period of time but has since reopened.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — Forbes handed out grades to private colleges across the country, but some are saying the report card got it wrong.

“The C grade, quite frankly, is not reflective of our current strength,” said Todd Olson, Mount Mercy University president. “I approach the Forbes rating with interest, with respect, but not with a sense that it is the final correct answer on every school. I think that it’s one way of looking.”

Olson leads an institution in transition. Mount Mercy is merging with St. Ambrose University, a move Olson said has been in the works for three years.

Before the merger, Mount Mercy had a $43 million endowment, had operated at a deficit for two of the last 10 years and had cut staff and programming.

Merger aims to strengthen financial position

“We were setting up a responsible, but frankly, fairly challenging road ahead that was constrained in a variety of ways,” Olson said. “We had made moves to make sure we were on a track that was sustainable, but frankly, this track we’re on now with St. Ambrose enables us to be much more innovative and forward-looking.”

Olson said the financial aspect of the merger with St. Ambrose is complete and is expected to become final with U.S. Department of Education approval this fall.

With a combined endowment exceeding $300 million, Olson said the merger makes Mount Mercy stronger than Forbes’ C grade indicates.

“This is a very viable and, in fact, very promising option for many private universities to consider, and the fact is the economics of operating a private university are much easier as you build scale,” Olson said.

Olson said two factors facing all private institutions are lower birth rates and more people questioning the value of a college degree.

Top-rated school emphasizes affordability

Reflecting on its A+ grade, University of Dubuque President Travis Frampton credited alumni generosity, leadership’s vision and the university’s $430 million endowment.

Frampton also looked ahead to the future, saying private institutions need to continually prove their value to the community.

“For so long across the country, the public has been concerned about that with the high cost of higher education. I think presidents and administrations need to be mindful and listen to that public cry, and find ways of making costs more affordable,” Frampton said.

Frampton said the University of Dubuque could have put its proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine at its main campus, but instead, put the school on Main Street.

“By locating the medical school in downtown Dubuque, to me, that demonstrated how it would benefit the business community, generate growth, work on brain drain in Iowa,” Frampton said. “That helps diversify and get out of just sort of this tuition dependency and more in building a community through university.”

Frampton said Forbes awarding the University of Dubuque top marks for its financial situation affirmed his belief that diversifying an institution’s assets makes it stronger, citing the proposed medical school and expansions to its aviation program, moves that took the university years to develop.

“Your financial picture is not done in one snapshot,” Frampton said. “Previous administration, the board leadership, alumni giving to the university have all contributed significantly to our current position.”

Both presidents said a university is worth more than a single grade. It’s about trust built over years, proving why its tuition is worth it.

Coe College received a D grade from Forbes. The magazine did not give F grades and said 27% of private colleges in the U.S. also received a D.

You can find your private institution’s grade on the business magazine’s website.

Coe College told TV9 in a statement:

“We are aware of the Forbes article and recognize the challenges and headwinds that colleges and universities are facing nationwide and Coe is not immune to those challenges. The scope of the methodology behind the Forbes grading scale is narrow. Having the willingness and capability to realign approach is essential for colleges and universities as the rate of change across industries accelerates. At Coe, we have successfully embraced that evolution by putting workforce-aligned strategic initiatives into action.

As just one example, Coe is experiencing great momentum and student interest through the addition of an aviation studies and flight operations program which provides the training necessary to become a commercial pilot or pursue a professional aviation career. This program, among others, has brought interest in the college from new students and constituents.

We’re seeing similar momentum with the addition of an engineering physics program as well as other areas of study. We are at the beginning phase of offering our first online degree program with more to come in the future. Our athletic programs have expanded to include women’s wrestling which will compete for the first time during the 2026-2027 academic year.

In addition, the college has benefited from a number of large gifts from a nationwide donor base to support current operations and growth of our new programs.

The college is continually evaluating and evolving as we see the opportunity to do so to match our educational experience to industry demands. With these additions and assessments, the college is positioned for stability in the present and growth in the future.”

Watch TV9’s interview with University of Dubuque President Travis Frampton: