“Invest in a broad array of stocks and bonds and hold them for the long term.”  Those who held General Motors stock and/or bonds in 2006 might disagree.  Same goes for WorldComm, Enron, Kodak, AT&T, Adelphia Cable, RIM/Blackberry, JCPenney and a...

If I used the title “retirement account” my following might go up about ten-fold.  All of us are a little nervous as markets reach historic highs and the future seems anything but rosy.  I write this as the government is shutting down its non-essential...

For a variety of reasons, the advancement / development / fundraising operations of an institution tend to operate in ways that drive CFOs nuts.  Since no rebuttals are accommodated on this blogsite, you may be expecting me to unload on those back-slapping...

One of the areas where a good deal of conversation has occurred of late is on the topic of program evaluation.  Specifically, leaders are wanting to understand how to review a program financially to determine whether it should be shuttered, maintained or invested...

Attention now turns from revenues to costs.  And, I turn from preachin’ to meddln’ Many of the institutions I interface with have been confronting an unreliable revenue stream.  That’s a fancy way of saying that enrollment has been heading southward while...

To say that the sticker price for higher ed is eye-popping is an understatement.  NACUBO reports that the average cost of tuition, room, board, fees and books is around $38,000 for a private institution.  To earn a net pay of that amount requires a gross...

This is based on some interaction I have had with a few of you after my latest posting about cutting prices.  Consider these six questions and answers: What are the potential issues for future years? For starters, your price increases will be based on a lower...

One of the more disturbing letters a President may receive comes from the Department of Education, indicating that the institution has failed to meet the minimum standards for financial responsibility.  Out of a possible score of 3.0, the letters are sent out to...

As I visit various institutions there is a typical sequence of conversation.  Introductions are made, backgrounds are shared and then the question is asked, “How are things going?” I wish I had a video of the reaction.  Eyes peer downward during a short...