As colleges navigate increasing financial pressure, many struggle to balance mission with sustainability. In this episode, Jeff and Michael welcome Rick Staisloff, founder of rpk GROUP, for a crash course in how college budgets really work. From centralized vs. decentralized models to the challenges of tuition discounting, Rick breaks down the major drivers of revenue and expense in higher ed. He also highlights why better business intelligence, clearer accountability, and a shift toward ROI thinking are essential for financial sustainability. Whether you're a board member or just curious, this episode offers practical insight into what’s working—and what’s not—in college budgeting. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Gates Foundation.
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
03:45 - How colleges put together their budgets
9:05 - Implementation challenges and best practices
15:04 - Non-tuition revenue sources
26:21 - Cost drivers
29:41 - Solving the “Financial Bucket Problem”
35:41 - Deferred maintenance
38:11 - Shifting to an ROI mindset
41:04 - The levers to pull
43:14 - On the margins
46:44 - College cash sources
49:03 - Our most promising strategies
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