America’s private nonprofit colleges and universities are facing serious financial and demographic challenges. How they respond can affect students for years to come.
Financial Sustainability
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New strategies, models and technologies
While the cost of providing higher education continues to increase, traditional sources of revenue—such as state funding, tuition, and endowments—are decreasing, forcing leaders in higher ed to find new ways to remain viable. By employing new strategies, business models and technologies, and finding smarter ways to use available data, these leaders are fostering a climate of creativity and innovation, reshaping the way colleges and universities can sustain themselves.
Want to learn more about our higher education insights? Download our 2018 TIAA Institute Higher Education Thought Leadership Annotated Bibliography.
TIAA Institute Reports
Original research produced by the TIAA Institute—both independently and in collaboration with noted scholars—examines topics of interest to the academic, nonprofit and public sectors. The reports combine statistical findings with thoughtful, data-driven observations and conclusions to provide in-depth analyses that are informative and appropriate for both technical and general audiences.
November 2020
COVID-19 has exacerbated systemic and institutional impediments that underlie equity disparities on campus, and higher education institutions are taking steps to support incoming and current students.
October 2020
With the 2020–21 academic year underway, the American Council on Education (ACE) is examining how institutions are responding to the pandemic.
October 2020
Looking beyond the pandemic, higher education institutions are evaluating what may need to change in their operating models.
March 2019
In an era of declining public funding, private philanthropy has played an increasingly vital role for both public and private institutions.
April 2018
The financial sustainability of private residential higher education is under siege, as revenue growth slows and costs continue to rise.
December 2017
Higher education leaders are continually urged to innovate as they guide their institutions into the future. This compendium of research and best practices explains how successful institutions have translated this call to action into tangible results.
September 2017
The decision to consolidate or merge higher education institutions is never easy, and the process is nearly always painful and costly. But given the potential benefits, and current fiscal realities, leaders need to consider mergers in their long-term strategic plans.
August 2017
Each time a liberal arts college closes its doors, commentators predict the imminent demise of small private institutions. But does the data back up this belief?