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In the June issue of Business Officer magazine, discover what college and university leaders are discussing today. With more than 27,000 decision-makers in a $400 billion higher education Business Officer magazine remains a required read for business and finance leaders in higher education.

Water Issues for Institutions. Although specific water concerns for colleges and universities vary with geography, all institutions face certain universal challenges and increasing expectations from campus stakeholders regarding such things as water conservation and water quality management. At the very least, from a cost-savings standpoint, water conservation and efficiency have a direct bearing on energy costs. This article provides an overview of water-related issues as the next big sustainability challenge for campuses, along with opportunities for greater efficiency efforts, campus water management policies, innovative research, and related education-and jobs-for students.

Analysis of NACUBO Tuition Discount Study. Boosting enrollment by discounting the institution's sticker price continues to be a popular practice. The 2012 NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study indicates current trends and how they are working for independent colleges. Finding the right pricing formula that attracts and retains the desired number of students-while maintaining sufficient net tuition revenue-is a complicated balance of price, actual enrollment, and the tuition discount rate, as described in this analysis of the study results.

Cost Reporting and the Problem of Coding. When LaGuardia Community College launched a new ERP system, an inconsistent coding structure didn't allow for the rollups required for some reports-at the same time that the institution had greater need for evidence-based decision making. To remove roadblocks, the college developed recommendations that address various dimensions of hierarchical codes, code identical things identically across all systems, and allow alternate rollups for different reporting needs. With a more accurate cost reporting system, the college could support decision making for strategic planning, evaluation of change efforts, student retention, tuition levels, and investment opportunities.

Total Cost of Ownership Model. With the limited supply of physical space on campus and the competing demands for its use, institutions are looking for a more precise answer to the question about the cost for building and maintaining facilities over their life cycle. One solution is the total cost of ownership model (TCO), which focuses on disciplined management of three categories of costs: (1) planning, design, and construction (typically accounting for 27 percent of overall costs); (2) maintenance and operations (40 percent); and (3) renovation or recapitalization (33 percent). Facilities staff at several institutions share their experience working with the TCO model.

On Balance: Jamie Merisotis. The mission of the private Lumina Foundation is straightforward: to increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality college degrees, certificates, and credentials to 60 percent by 2025-a big jump from the 38 percent national attainment rate in 2010. Jamie Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation, speaks about the foundation's degree attainment initiatives and the role of business officers in supporting the effort.

The final deadline to reserve your advertising space in the June issue is Friday, May 10, as long as space remains available. Materials are due no later than May 17. You can find our 2013 media kit.