NACUBO In Brief

How can colleges and universities build greater resilience before extreme weather strikes? Juan Azcarate, senior managing director at Dallas College, and Beth Kidwell, risk management consultant at United Educators, join NACUBO's Liz Clark to discuss how institutions can move from reacting to weather-related risks to proactively preparing for them. They explore how cross-campus collaboration, business continuity planning, and investing in prevention and training can help institutions prepare for unexpected disruptions and maintain operations when a crisis hits. While business officers play a critical role in building resilience, the conversation highlights that it takes a campus-wide effort to protect people, operations, and resources. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Learn about University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA)
• Check outURMIA's Annual Conference, Oct 10-14

Why are some higher education institutions struggling to improve persistence and completion despite widespread investment in student success efforts? Kristin Brooks, strategy director at Complete College America, and NACUBO's Kelli Rainey, senior director for student success initiatives, join Bryan Dickson to explore how strategic finance is an often overlooked yet important part of the student success equation. They discuss cross-campus collaboration that brings business officers to the table as strategic partners to connect budgets and strategic priorities to student outcomes. The conversation also highlights how NACUBO's Student Success Hub and Complete College America are working together to help campuses turn these connections into action—and build approaches they can sustain and strengthen over time. Additional Resources

• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kelli on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kristin on LinkedIn
• Check out NACUBO's Student Success Hub
• Learn about Complete College America's Accelerator initiative
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

How do strong partnerships between campus chief academic and business officers result in better decisions? Southern Connecticut State University's Julia Irwin, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Lillian Wanjagi, vice president for finance and administration and CFO, join NACUBO's Bryan Dickson to explore the increasingly important relationship between provosts and CBOs. They discuss building trust and transparency, bringing complementary perspectives, and focusing on shared institutional goals when navigating complex decisions. From balancing academic priorities and financial realities to managing change, the conversation highlights how collaboration can strengthen institutions and ultimately better support students. Tune in for the first episode of the season! Additional Resources

• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Julia on LinkedIn
• Connect with Lillian on LinkedIn
• Read more about partnerships between campus academic and business officers:
  • How strong is the relationship between your CFO and provost?
  • Essential Partners: Chief Academic Officers and Chief Financial Officers

What challenges are higher education business officers facing right now—and where are institutions seeking help? NACUBO's Liz Clark is joined by Ruth Johnston, vice president for consulting, to discuss the growing operational, financial, and strategic pressures campuses are navigating. From budget model changes and procurement reviews to process improvement, athletics, and deferred maintenance, they explore how chief business officers are involved in nearly every aspect of campus operations as institutions grapple with financial pressure, uncertainty, and change. The conversation also highlights how NACUBO Consulting helps campuses strengthen decision-making and turn good ideas into actionable strategies. Tune in for the final episode of the season before NACUBO In Brief returns this September. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn
• Learn more about NACUBO's Consulting
• Check out the State of Higher Education: Top 5 Business Issues of 2025
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

Holistic advising brings together academic, financial, and personal support to improve student outcomes and retention. NACUBO's Bryan Dickson is joined by Kelli Rainey, senior director for student success initiatives, and Suzanne Lyons, senior consultant at Phase Two Advisory, to explore the critical role business officers play in supporting these efforts strategically. They discuss the cross-functional design behind these practices and how institutions are moving beyond siloed services to scale student-centered models sustainably. The conversation also highlights NACUBO's Student Success Hub, which offers practical tools to help business officers use data to strengthen student success initiatives. Additional Resources

• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kelli on LinkedIn
• Connect with Suzanne on LinkedIn
• Check out NACUBO's Student Success Hub
• Learn about Phase Two Advisory
• Read about NACUBO's student success work alongside Phase Two Advisory and Sova
• Read about CUNY ASAP (City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs)
• Learn more about TRIO programs through the Council for Opportunity in Education
• Check out this Practice Guide on Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students from the Institute of Education Sciences
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

Some institutions are reducing the all-too-familiar "runaround" by bringing together traditionally separate services like financial aid, student accounts, and the registrar into a single point of contact. Myles Lawhorn (Community College of Philadelphia), Wendy Pursell (Kutztown University), and Jay Stefanelli (Rutgers University–New Brunswick) join NACUBO's Bryan Dickson to discuss these "one-stop" service models. From fully integrated to hybrid approaches, they explore how their institutions are working to remove barriers and create a more connected student-centered experience. The conversation also highlights the importance of buy-in, staff training, and adaptability—along with emerging considerations like AI. Additional Resources

• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Myles on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Connect with Jay on LinkedIn
• Learn more about implementing one-stop models:
  • One Stop Student Services: Why Combining Services Boosts Student Success
  • One-stop centers: Invaluable tools for community colleges and the students we serve
  • Integrating for a Successful One-Stop-Shop for Student Services
  • Why Your 'One-Stop' Is Worth More Than You Think
• Read research on the impacts of one-stop models:
  • Exploring the Impact of an Integrated Student Services ("One Stop") Model for Graduate Students(full download available)
  • Exploring the Impact of an Integrated Student Services ("One Stop") Model on Access, Affordability, and Student Retention (full download available)
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

"We like to say we're not boring people, but we get excited about boring things," reflects NACUBO's Sue Menditto, senior director for accounting policy. In this episode, she joins Liz Clark, vice president for policy and research, to discuss higher education accounting, Sue's decades-long career contributing to accounting policy standards, and the evolution of the Higher Education Accounting Forum. From AI and workforce trends to financial reporting and policy shifts, they explore how the field has expanded beyond transactions to strategic decision-making. The conversation highlights the critical role of accounting professionals as translators, advisors, and leaders—and why this community continues to come together year after year. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Connect with Sue on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the 2026 Higher Education Accounting Forum
• Explore NACUBO's accounting resources
• Meet the Accounting Principles Council
• Check out NACUBO's endowment management resources
• Read recent NACUBO coverage on FASB/GASB updates:
  • GASB Issues Implementation Guide Exposure Draft
  • NACUBO Accounting Principles Council Meets With FASB on Technical Improvements
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

What's happening in Washington, DC, and what does it mean for higher education? Join NACUBO's Liz Clark, vice president for policy and research, and Bryan Dickson, director, education policy, as they unpack what's moving in Washington—and what's still pending. They discuss federal funding updates, the outlook for student aid and research, and what to watch from the White House, including the FY27 budget request and potential changes to Uniform Guidance. The conversation also highlights fast-developing Department of Education regulations and other emerging issues, offering a timely snapshot of the higher education policy landscape. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Financial Accountability In Research (FAIR) Model on NACUBO's Sponsored Research page
• Join us for the next Washington Update webinar on April 6 at 1 pm ET
• Register for the webinar, How and When to Make Perkins Loan Liquidation Decisions, on April 8
• Learn about NACUBO's Board of Directors' Advocacy Day
• Read NACUBO's news coverage:
  • Congress Passes Budget Legislation That Funds Student Aid and Blocks Indirect Cost Rate Caps
  • ED Proposes New Repayment Plans, Loan Limits
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

NACUBO's Bryan Dickson, director, education policy, and Kat Masterson, assistant director for research and policy analysis, join Liz Clark, vice president for policy and research, to discuss the Student Financial Services Benchmarking Report—one of the most practical tools offered by NACUBO's research team. From operational performance and financial risk to staffing trends, the study collects and standardizes data from institutions nationwide, enabling participants to benchmark against peers and track their own progress over time. The conversation highlights how these quantitative insights help campuses evaluate the efficiency of student account operations and strengthen service to students and families. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Connect with Katon LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Student Financial Services Benchmarking Report
• Check out the Student Financial Services Policies and Procedures Report
• Data collection begins March 12, if you do not receive an invitation but expected one, please email: [email protected]
• Check out the 2026 Bursar Fundamentals online learning session recordings
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks

How are college and university endowments performing? NACUBO's Ken Redd, senior director for research and policy analysis, and Liz Clark, vice president for policy and research, explore findings from the 2025 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments, including investment returns, spending trends, charitable gifts, and student-managed funds. Beyond the numbers, they also discuss the study's core purpose: educating policymakers, the public, business partners, and NACUBO members about how endowments work, how funds are stewarded, and the practices that guide long-term management and governance in support of student success. Additional Resources

• Connect with Liz on LinkedIn
• Connect with Ken on LinkedIn
• Access the NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments
• Explore more Endowment Management Resources from NACUBO
• Register for the Endowment Leadership Series (February 17 – March 12, 2026)
• Learn more about CASE Insights on Voluntary Support of Education
• Check out NACUBO's other podcasts!
  • Career Conversations
  • CBO Speaks