I don’t know exactly when the move toward creating strategic plans began. I’m thinking it was higher education’s response to the quality emphasis that industry had embraced in the late eighties and early nineties. At any rate, a process was created and certain outcomes expected. A series of long meetings were held, resulting in thick […]

As I travel about, it is fascinating the variety of successes that each institution enjoys. There are likely a number of reasons for success and I am hoping to break down some of them in future submissions. Today, I want to talk about alumni. My undergraduate work was at Houghton (NY), a small, church related […]

I find a number of my clients are working on some sort of cost accounting process for various programs.  What they are discovering is that there are precious few processes in place anywhere that address this need.  So with many of those that I either work with or talk to engaged in projects of this […]

Welcome to my next installment.  As I meander around various institutions of higher education, I find certain themes to be consistent.  One relates to the processing of student refunds.  For many non-traditional programs, Pell recipients who also borrow the maximum allowed from the Stafford loan program receive more in federal and state aid than they […]

A new tax reform proposal is circulating about, with a number of provisions designed to impact higher education.  As one might expect, any assault of even the tiniest nature against the industry results in the typical claim that these provisions will adversely impact the ability of families to pay for an education.  On closer examination, I […]

For many of us in the higher education world, returning from the Christmas break is not always welcomed.  For residential campuses, the second semester is typically less populated than the first.  If the change is too large, the financial plan can be in trouble.  Then, there is the influence on next year’s budget, brought on […]

The junior senator from Massachusetts is proposing that the use of credit reports be eliminated in connection with job applications.  The only exception she is willing to consider is for government employees seeking a security clearance. There does seem to be an incongruity in the ubiquitous use of credit ratings in connection with the hiring decision.  After […]

When I was in the corporate world, it was common for one of the top sales people to make the most of anyone in the organization.  Sometimes, the heavy hitters, festooned with gray hair an a rolodex full of “friends” made more than the CEO.  The reason is simple; without sales, the organization fails.  Without good margins on those sales, […]

Some of the institutions I am visiting confront what I will call a challenging demand scenario. That is, what used to be a lock for, say, 400 new students is now in the low 300s.  The reasons for this drop-off are many and vary with diverse institutional profiles.  In this installment, I want to share […]

Stocks can have a lot of overhead So you are entrusted with investing an endowment and are looking at the various options thinking there has to be a better way.  After all, the overhead in stock investing is quite significant.  Think about how much boards are willing to bestow on their CEO in the form […]