Benchmarks for efficiency and sustainability: A research study on the cost of delivery
With rising tuition costs under scrutiny, colleges are minimizing annual tuition increases while boosting financial aid packages, straining an already fragile business model.
Higher education is facing a change in demographics, resistance to tuition increases and escalating expenses. This study set out to identify whether there is a common set of core strategies leading to financial sustainability at campuses that belong to the New American Colleges and Universities (NACU), a consortium of more than 20 small to mid-sized independent institutions. The researchers document several examples of NACU institutions that consistently increased their annual return on investment.
The researchers used IPEDS data from 2008 to 2018 to develop and analyze benchmarking dashboards. They also interviewed leaders at campuses with high return-on-investment ratios.
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