There’s no shortage of news about the U.S. Department of Education these days—from an executive order proposing to eliminate the agency, to new proposals on Capitol Hill that could reshape federal aid programs, to upcoming regulatory changes. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ Karen McCarthy joins NACUBO’s Liz Clark and Bryan Dickson to explore what these developments mean for higher education institutions and staff working in financial aid and business offices. They also discuss how NASFAA and NACUBO are supporting their members through advocacy and engagement.   Additional Resources:

• Read the latest NACUBO news
• Follow NASFAA on LinkedIn
• Connect with Liz Clark on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan Dickson on LinkedIn
• Check out NACUBO’s other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

April 30 marked the first 100 days President Trump’s second term in the White House. Executive orders and federal agency upheavals have created new challenges and much uncertainty for colleges and universities. On Capitol Hill, House budget and tax proposals include a number of policy ideas that are adding to concerns. NACUBO’s Liz Clark and Ashley Jackson discuss these issues and advocacy efforts NACUBO has taken on behalf of its members.   Additional Resources:

• Read the latest NACUBO news
• Register for the next NACUBO Washington Update
• Connect with Ashley Jackson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Liz Clark on LinkedIn

The fifth edition of the National Profile of Higher Education Chief Business Officers, released last year, offers crucial insights into the career paths, responsibilities, and aspirations of CBOs across the country. In this special crossover episode between CBO Speaks and NACUBO in Brief, host Donna Schiele and NACUBO's Bryan Dickson explore the Profile's findings with Nicole Long, chief financial officer and vice president of finance and administration at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and Peter Elliott, vice president for administrative services at South Florida State College in Avon Park, Florida.   The Profile examines key demographic trends in higher education leadership, revealing significant progress in diversity while highlighting areas still needing improvement. Long and Elliott provide valuable context around the study's findings on career pathways, succession planning, and evolving skill requirements. Their discussion emphasizes how the CBO role continues to expand beyond traditional financial oversight, with increasing focus on data analytics, new business models, and strategic planning - areas that require intentional development of future leaders.   Join us for an insightful discussion about:

• Key findings from the 2024 CBO Profile, including demographic shifts and emerging trends
• Essential skills for modern CBOs, including strategic planning and change management
• The importance of succession planning and developing future leaders
• How the role of CBO continues to evolve and expand beyond traditional financial responsibilities
• Strategies for attracting diverse talent to CBO positions

The 2024 National Profile of Higher Education Chief Business Officers provides crucial insights into the changing nature of the profession, revealing how the role continues to expand beyond traditional financial oversight to encompass strategic planning, data analytics, and comprehensive institutional leadership. This discussion brings these findings to life through the experiences of current CBOs, offering valuable perspective for institutions and leaders working to develop the next generation of higher education business officers.   Links

• Learn more about the National Profile of Higher Education Chief Business Officers
• Connect with Peter on LinkedIn
• Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Check out NACUBO’s other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

Executive orders and memos issued during President Trump’s first weeks back in the White House have elevated risk and uncertainty for colleges and universities. A leaked list of House budget and tax proposals includes a number of alarming policy ideas, and it is unclear how, or if, the Congress will be able to fund the federal government after March 14. NACUBO’s Liz Clark and Ashley Jackson discuss these issues and advocacy efforts NACUBO has taken on behalf of its members.   Links & Notes

• NACUBO Letter to Congress on 2025 Priorities (January 31, 2025)
• NACUBO Statement on Federal Funding Freeze
• Catch up on news from NACUBO
• Register for NACUBO’s February 11, 2025 Washington Update
• Connect with Ashley Jackson on LinkedIn
• Connect with Liz Clark on LinkedIn

Check out NACUBO’s other podcasts!

• Career Conversations
• CBO Speaks

Dr. Ruth Johnston, vice president of NACUBO Consulting joins Liz Clark to talk about NACUBO Consulting. Ruth talks about the expertise, experience, and leadership abilities NACUBO consultants bring to each engagement. She also discusses some of the top issues for which institutions are seeking solutions. Ruth also explains how NACUBO Consultants are integrating tools available from NACUBO such as the Student Success Hub, resources developed by NACUBO’s analytics team, and more.   Links & Notes

• Learn more about NACUBO Consulting
• Connect with Ruth Johnston on LinkedIn
• Access the NACUBO Student Success Hub
• Explore additional analytics resources from NACUBO
• Discover Higher Education’s Top 5 Business Issues of 2024

La Toya Hart, Ph.D., assistant vice president, institutional research, planning and effectiveness, at Jackson State University and Lindsay Wayt, Ph.D., senior director, analytics, at NACUBO join Liz Clark to talk about the new Change With Analytics Playbook, a comprehensive resource designed to support institutions in creating a culture and capacity for strategic data use. The free resource contains 16 “plays” for data leaders to follow in order to make significant progress on their institution’s analytics goals.   Links & Notes

• Access the Change with Analytics Playbook
• Connect with La Toya on LinkedIn
• Connect with Lindsay on Linked In
• Explore additional analytics resources from NACUBO

Demographic and economic swings are a reality for colleges and universities, but thoughtful campus leaders can create proactive, rather than reactive, approaches to program development and connect those with employers’ workforce needs. Ivy Tech Community College’s Dominick Chase, senior vice president and chief financial officer, and Molly Dodge, senior vice president of workforce and careers sit down with NACUBO’s Bryan Dickson, director of student financial services and educational programs, to discuss how the institution cultivated corporate partnerships and legislative support for a dynamic, skills-oriented curriculum that has increasingly transformed student outcomes.   Additional Resources:  

• Connect with Dominick on LinkedIn
• Connect with Molly on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Check out NACUBO’s other podcasts!
• • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

Student retention is a top priority for every campus and is affected by numerous factors. Everything from accessibility to payment instructions, course registration and billing due dates, payment methods and options could influence student retention. Join Becky Copper-Glenz, Fitchburg State University’s dean for the school of graduate, online, and continuing education, and Bryan Dickson, NACUBO’s director of student financial services and educational programs as they discuss research findings from the university. They’ll explore which billing practices have impacted enrollment and retention, how practices are being applied to different student groups, and whether their payment processes are aligned with today’s environment.     Additional Resources:

• Learn more about Fitchburg State’s work
• Connect with Becky on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn

Anne Ollen, Managing Director at the TIAA Institute, a think-tank within TIAA, develops and executes the TIAA Institute's higher education program. In conversation with NACUBO’s vice president for policy and research, Liz Clark, Anne shares highlights from a recent TIAA Institute research initiative to deepen understanding of potential and current employees' job choices and what people expect to gain in return for the work they do at colleges and universities. She describes a tool institutional leaders can consider—an employee value proposition (EVP)—to convey the benefits of working in higher education. Anne shares insights on the tangible and intangible benefits of an EVP. Additional Resources

• Explore the research from the TIAA Institute
• Learn more about Anne Ollen
• Connect with Anne on LinkedIn
• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn

Brent O’Guin, artificial intelligence strategist and architect at the Georgia Institute of Technology speaks with Neil Gavigan, policy and advocacy manager at NACUBO about his work leading generative AI integration across the institution. Stating “you don’t have to wait to start getting value from AI,” Brent shares his experiences helping staff build a working understanding of readily available tools while applying them to various administrative functions. Links & Notes

• Read about Georgia Tech’s Responsible Adoption of AI
• Connect with Brent on LinkedIn
• Connect with Neil on LinkedIn