Library

How to Run a College: A Practical Guide for Trustees, Faculty, Administrators and Policymakers

Experienced as trustees, administrators, and faculty, Mitchell and King write that colleges must update practices, monetize assets, and focus on core educational strategies in order to build strong institutions.

Key Challenges in Higher Education: An Economic Models Perspective

Leaders of NACUBO’s Economic Models Project, Jacalyn Askin and Bob Shea, describe the purpose of the project and initial findings.

What is the Current State of Economic Sustainability of Higher Education in the United States, ...

NACUBO White Paper traces the evolution of the contemporary economic models of higher education and identifies key characteristics.

Tuition Reductions Presentation

Framework used by College of St. Mary to assess tuition reduction strategies and impact

College and University Budgeting, A Guide for Academics and Other Stakeholders

Demonstrates the inherent link between planning and budgeting and the critical factors to the success of both.

The Economics of Online Postsecondary Education: MOOCs, Nonselective Education, and Highly Sele ...

Considers how online postsecondary education, including MOOCs, might fit into economically sustainable models of postsecondary education.

Surviving to Thriving: A Planning Framework for Leaders of Private Colleges and Universities

Outlines the pathway that consulting firm Credo uses with clients to advance their sustainability.

Rightsizing Revenue

Denison University balanced financial resources with competing priorities by creating a strategic plan focused on outstanding education, strong infrastructure and steady asset growth.

Focus on the Future: Making Difficult Decisions

Six college presidents discuss the skills and courage required to make difficult decisions and implement change.

The future(s) of public higher education

Authors discuss five possible models for public colleges and universities that can improve student outcomes while realigning institutional structures and resources.

Funding Ways to Grow

P3s can help historically black colleges and universities finance their capital projects and, in turn, support increasing enrollments.

Understanding Faculty Productivity: Standards and Benchmarks for Colleges and Universities

Develops a quantitative and qualitative framework for assessing and communicating dimensions of faculty productivity.

The Financial Resilience of Independent Colleges and Universities

This CIC report examines 14 years of data to answer questions about the financial health of small and mid-sized private colleges and what characteristics influence their resilience.

Future Trends in Technology and Education

Futurist blog highlights key current trends in and impacting higher education.

Strategic Financial Analysis for Higher Education: Identifying, Measuring & Reporting Fina ...

In response to changes in the higher education enterprise, the authors propose revisions to the methods and tools utilized to assess financial viability and sustainability.

An Open Budget Book

The University of Massachusetts leveraged its multiyear budget forecasts to engage campus leaders and facilitate understanding of risks, opportunities, and long-term financial health.

Keep Pace with Space

Dealing with underused or inefficient classrooms, offices, or residential buildings? Here’s how to rework facilities to be more flexible and efficient.

2019 NACUBO Study of Analytics

The Study, based on survey responses from 334 NACUBO-member institutions, examines the use of analytics in higher education from the business officer perspective.

Financial Ratio Analysis Project Final Report

Recommendation to U.S. Dept. of Education on measures to assess five dimensions of institutional financial health: viability, profitability, liquidity, debt capacity and capital resources.

Analytics Can Save Higher Education. Really.

AIR, EDUCAUSE, and NACUBO stand together with a strong sense of urgency to reaffirm higher education’s commitment to the use of data and analytics to make better strategic decisions.

Data Propulsion

Three institutions navigate their analytics strategies while finding ways to meet challenges and move forward the goals and values of their campuses.

Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services: Reallocating Resources to Achieve Strategic Balanc ...

Provides a vision and guide for institutional academic reform.

Podcast: CBO Encourages Open Minds When Embarking on a Shared Services Journey

Augsburg College CFO Beth Reissenweber shares her experience creating and implementing shared services at her institution.

A Matter of Priorities

A data-driven, comprehensive analysis of your institution’s programs could identify new opportunities, find efficiencies, and marry your institution’s budget and mission.

Podcast: Introducing the Economic Models Project

NACUBO’s Bob Shea and Jackie Askin introduce us to the Economic Models Project, and give us a clear picture of why NACUBO has chosen take a leadership role.

10 Facilitation Techniques that Will Make Your Meetings Sing

Facilitate engaged, thoughtful meeting participation to secure desired outcomes.

Turnaround: Leading Stressed Colleges and Universities to Excellence

Identifies sources of stress for colleges and universities and possible strategies for addressing them.

Striking a (Local) Grand Bargain: How Cities and Anchor Institutions Can Work Together to Drive ...

Ford Foundation study to examine how cities and colleges/universities (and other anchor institutions) are working on synergy rather than just coexistence.

Four Tough Things Universities Should Do to Rein in Costs

Examines strategies for cost savings.

Digital Disruption

Transformational change is pushing higher education leaders to rethink the traditional organizational model in ways that align with the digital age.

Developing Spreadsheet-Based Decision Support Systems

Demonstrates the use of Excel for a range of mathematical modeling and analysis techniques.

Rethinking Revenue

Universities continue to re-envision revenues in light of declines in and challenges to traditional revenue streams.

Mergers in Higher Education: A proactive strategy to a better future?

Delineates the operational planning and implementation necessary to successful mergers of colleges and universities.

Targeted Partnerships

Strategic collaborations between institutions enable mutual opportunities to grow.

Discussing the Undiscussable: A Guide to Overcoming Defensive Routines in the Workplace

Overcome defensive tactics and strategically engage differences to effect change.

Dealing With the Future Now: Principles for Creating a Vital Campus in a Climate of Restricted ...

Discusses the work of the Project on the Future of Higher Education, making recommendations for restructuring of colleges and universities, particularly for undergraduate education.

Mutual Benefits

Institutions that collaborate on services have lots to gain, from financial benefits to improved student services.

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the ...

Adaptive leadership offers an alternative framework for addressing the problems and challenges that defy traditional approaches that rely on known structures, procedures and ways of doing things.

Making Sense of Higher Education’s Future: An Economics and Operations Perspective

This paper applies lessons from decades of research into the economics and effective design and management of service organizations to propose models for changing the university.

The Comeback Campus

A major focus on the way the budget links to planning, assessment, and decision making jump-started an institutional turnaround at Edinboro University.

The Public Good, Productivity and Purpose: New Economic Models for Higher by Education

Authors assert that assessment of academic productivity must incorporate the institution’s civic responsibility as a public good.

2018 Survey of College and University Business Officers

Reports on the 2018 survey of college and university business officers conducted annually by Inside Higher Ed and Gallup.

Managing Productivity in An Academic Institution: Rethinking the Whom, Which, What, and Whose o ...

The author develops alternative paradigms for examining and managing academic productivity.

Checklist for Change: Making American Higher Education a Sustainable Enterprise

Diagnoses the financial challenges facing colleges and universities and prescribes the changes necessary.

The Agenda Mover: When Your Good Idea Is Not Enough

Strategies to engender support for an idea and successfully develop it through the organization to implementation.

Big data and analytics in higher education: Opportunities and challenges

This paper examines the potential for big data to help higher education institutions address the myriad of challenges facing them.

Winning Combinations: A Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions in Higher Education

This book taps into the experience of higher ed leaders who have initiated, observed, facilitated, participated in, contributed to, and analyzed mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations.

Strategic Change and Innovation in Independent Colleges

This CIC report profiles nine independent institutions that undertook changes to adapt and ensure future financial health and viability.

Consolidating Colleges and Merging Universities: New Strategies for Higher Education Leaders

Examines the opportunities and risks of various collaborative types and degrees of collaboration being undertaken by higher education institutions.

Cost Structure of Post‐Secondary Education: Guide to Making Activity‐Based Costing Meaningf ...

This white paper seeks to provide post‐secondary education leaders a framework and guide to categorize their institutions’ costs to better inform decision making.

Multipurpose Data

Campus leaders are studying data in numerous ways to reveal, for example, the secrets for student success and enhanced experience at their institutions.

Data Strategy: How to Profit from a World of Big Data, Analytics and the Internet of Things

Provides an overview of breadth of issues related to analytics and applying data to organizational operations

Current State of Financial Health for Private Masters and BACC Institutions

Using their proprietary database, the authors assess the financial health of 800 private colleges and universities. They conclude that the majority are under severe financial stress.

Designing the New American University

Through innovation, universities realize unique and differentiated identities, which maximize their potential to impact quality of life, standard of living, and economic competitiveness.

Podcast: Transforming Administration to Support the Academic Mission

The University of Washington's Ruth Johnston introduces TAP, a program designed to improve service delivery, enhance service to the campus, reduce waste, and reduce costs.

Economics in Motion

Four university presidents, two thought leaders from the Pew Charitable Trusts and American Enterprise Institute, and a faculty member discuss strategies for change in higher ed.

Performance Measurement Toolkit

Toolkit developed to assist institutions in developing goals and related metrics.

Rating Methodology: U.S. Not-for-Profit Private and Public Higher Education

Explains the measures used to assess credit ratings of higher education institutions.

Innovation and the Independent College: Examples from the Sector

This CIC report presents an overview of the major points of discussion held during a series of workshops focused on the future of independent colleges. The report references hundreds of examples of mission-driven innovations shared by the colleges.

The New Education: How to Revolutionize the University to Prepare Students for a World in Flux

Explores how innovation in curriculum, pedagogy and organization can benefit both students and institutional sustainability.

Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education

Using his Higher Education Demand Index (HEDI), the author explores the demographics of college attendance and the types of colleges attended through the next decade.

Making Reform Work: The Case for Transforming American Higher Education

Zemsky reviews the writings and initiatives of higher education scholars and leaders to distill key parameters for successful reform of American higher education. He concludes that there must be system-wide innovation focused on student learning, educational attainment and money.

Mission-Driven Innovation

This CIC report explores change efforts at independent colleges related to cost containment and reduction, as well as revenue enhancement and diversification.

Mission as Muse

A decade ago, Elon University envisioned innovative approaches to learning and engagement.

Moody’s 2018 Higher Education Outlook

Moody's Investors Services changes higher education outlook to negative as revenue growth moderates.

Agenda Activators

A high-potential leadership program identifies four competencies critical in helping higher education leaders move past turf battles and implement change.

The Financially Sustainable University

Discusses possible strategies for the reinvention of higher education.

Change Takes Flight

The University of Kansas launches sweeping transformation in 11 core areas—all at the same time.

The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization

To be competitive, institutions must become learning organizations.

An Inquiry into the Rising Cost of Higher Education: Summary of Responses from Seventy College ...

Presidents of 70 institutions identify strategies to respond to the rising cost of higher education.

Reengineering the University: How to Be Mission Centered, Market Smart, and Margin Conscious

Using economic principles and computer models, the author addresses educational performance and cost analysis and suggests ways to change institutional business models.

Podcast: Trends, Innovation, and Hope for Higher Ed of Tomorrow

Futurist, researcher, and writer Bryan Alexander discusses trends shaking the worldview of those leading today’s institutions.

Possible Futures for Higher Education’s Economic Model

NACUBO White Paper describes the range of innovative approaches and strategies higher education institutions are undertaking to assure continued financial viability.

Podcast: Sustainable Performance Improvement at UC Irvine

Wendell Brase and his leadership team at UC Irvine, built a management and leadership model designed to measure performance and guide effective management behavior.

Working Effectively with Faculty: Guidebook for Higher Education Staff and Managers

Understand the culture and systems that have developed around the role of faculty.

Movers of Rocks: Becoming a Leader of Change

Discussion of the complex skills required to facilitate change.

Getting Past No: Negotiating in Difficult Situations

Use common interests to educate nay-sayers and transform opponents to develop lasting solutions.

Course-Level Activity-Based Costing as an Academic and Financial Tool

Describes the reasons for adopting activity-based costing and the information it can provide to assist in understanding and decision-making about the academic enterprise.

The Future of Higher Education: Will Higher Education Seize the Future of Fall Victim to It?

A current view of the issues challenging higher education institutions' sustainability and some potential strategies to address.

Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers

Handbook for adaptation of business models

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Combining the rational with the emotional mind can enable transformation.

Ratio Analysis in Higher Education: New Insights for Leaders of Public Higher Education

Presents financial ratios to assist in understanding and interpreting financial statements.

Big-Picture Rewards

Universities are completing ambitious revitalization projects, turning dilapidated spaces into mixed-use, live-work-play neighborhoods.

Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much

Examines the rising cost of college, asserting the primary cause is falling productivity. Proposed solutions include for-profit institutions, online programs, and privatizing public institutions.

The Higher Education Innovation Challenge Toolkit

Identifies indicators that may assist institutions in assessing challenges and opportunities to their financial sustainability.

The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

Coaches leaders to master critical practices to achieve greater organizational impact.

Between Collaboration and Merger: Expanding Alliances in Higher Education

Exploration of the range of cooperative relationships colleges and universities can undertake.

What Could Higher Education Look Like in 2025?

Four possible scenarios for higher education institutions may face in the next decade.

Alternative Revenues: Can institutions of higher education balance mission and financial goals ...

Practical perspectives in the search for alternative resources

Locus of Authority: The Evolution of Faculty Roles in the Governance of Higher Education

Explores the role of shared governance in college and university issues and solutions.

The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization

Offers strategies and tools for transforming organizations.

Bridging the Stewardship Gap: Toward Effective Finance Committees

Designed as a tool for board leaders to use to help assure effective financial performance and oversight and alignment of resources with mission.