NACUBO 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting

Overview

As we gear up to celebrate NACUBO’s 50th annual meeting, we have made as much of our originally scheduled annual meeting content available as possible and updated it to reflect the best practices we all need right now.

Benefit from this cutting-edge knowledge that will be available at your fingertips! The program is packed with interactive sessions, and the knowledge sharing will span five days (three hours each day).

The virtual annual meeting features—

Three general sessions to inspire and bring us together
21 concurrent sessions for you to customize your learning
Moderated roundtables each day focusing on rotating topics

Our opening keynote speaker will be education evangelist Jaime Casap. He will discuss the potential of the web to create powerful learning models. He’ll share ideas for building innovation into our education practices and for improving learning by enabling technology.

Let this meeting work for your busy schedule. Attend as many (or as few) sessions as you would like. You can earn up to 14 CPE credits for attending the live sessions and will have access to recordings of many sessions to watch later on-demand. All times are Eastern and all sessions are 60 minutes unless otherwise noted.

Day Passes Available

Looking for a way to customize your experience? You can purchase access to a single day's worth of content from the links below. If you'd like to purchase multiple days, simply add the first day to your cart and then return to this page to add other days before you check out.

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CPE Information

Estimated 14 CPE Credits

Check back in the Schedule for details on Fields of Study (note: each person must register individually to earn CPEs)

NACUBO is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website www.nasbaregistry.org.

Rates

Registration assistance: 877.797.7698 or support@nacubo.org

Cancellation Policies

$349

$599

Premier Supporters

Classic Supporters

Schedule

Day 1

11:00 AM

Welcome From Susan Whealler Johnston, President and CEO, NACUBO

11:15 AM

Opening Session: Jaime Casap, Education Evangelist

The Problem-Solving Generation

As the world gets more digitalized, it also gets more complex. We now operate on a global scale and our job in higher education is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities they will need to thrive in this new digitalization environment. Higher education can prepare them to solve problems we haven’t defined yet, using technology that hasn’t been invented, in roles that continue to shift, or do not even exist today. To thrive in this new era, colleges and universities need to help learners master critical skills like problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking, and the ability to continuously learn. In this talk, we will discuss the critical role of higher education and the value proposition colleges and universities bring to the problem solving generation.

Jaime Casap served as the Chief Education Evangelist at Google for more than 14 years and was the second member of the Google for Education team. In that time, Jaime launched Google’s GSuite tools into higher education and K12. He also launched Chromebooks into education and was the creator of the Google for Education Transformation Framework, a holistic approach to education transformation.

Now Jaime is partnering and collaborating with higher education institutions, school systems, and businesses around the world, helping them build transformational policies and practices to elevate education and bring equity, diversity, and inclusion into their policies and practices.

Jaime serves as an advisor to dozens of organizations focused on learning, skill development, and the future of work. He is the coauthor of “Our First Talk About Poverty,” as a way to talk to children about poverty. He is currently working on his next book, which will focus on his journey from the ghetto to Google, and what it takes to be successful.

He speaks on education, digitalization, diversity and inclusion, generation z, and the future of work at events around the world. You can follow and reach him on Twitter at @jcasap and watch his YouTube career advice videos atwww.youtube.com/jaimecasap.

1:30 PM

From Dashboards to Decisions: Empowering Leaders With Analytics

Presenter(s):

David Sullivan, Arizona State University

Carrie Robinson, Arizona State University

Michal-Anne Miller, Arizona State University

All colleges and universities have data. But how can they turn that asset into insights for decision making, particularly when resources are limited? Using one college as an example, the presenters will show how making a small investment in analytics and data visualizations can add value and efficiency. Dashboards make data accessible, allow for easy user consumption, create transparency and trust, and empower decision making at all levels of leadership.

Learning Objectives

Examine how leadership can use analytics across functional areas.
Articulate the value of investing in data visualizations to improve decision making for academics, student success, and business operations.
Translate data displayed in dashboards into actionable insights.

1:30 PM

Impact Events and Managing the Message in the Social Media Age

Presenter(s):

Melody Bianchetto, University of Virginia

Andy Fuller, University of Notre Dame

James Lock, J.P. Morgan Trust Company, NA

Matthew Ward, California Lutheran University

There is no shortage of ways colleges and universities can end up on the front page of the newspaper. In the age of social media, the communications impact of unexpected incidents is not only lightning-quick, but also ranges far beyond the confines of the campus. The administration’s response to these incidents is crucial in maintaining trust and accountability in the eyes of an institution’s stakeholders. The panelists will examine how various colleges have responded to extraordinary incidents and proactively managed the message, while creating a space for dialogue among students, faculty, and community members.

Learning Objectives

Examine institutional communications, both internal and external, in response to extraordinary incidents.
Structure lines of communication within a campus administration.
Estimate resources needed to prepare for and respond to the unexpected.

1:30 PM

What Makes a Good Cash-On-Hand Policy?

Presenter(s):

Christopher Cowen, BofA Securities, Inc

Mary Peloquin-Dodd, North Carolina State University

Charmel Maynard, University of Miami

William Jarvis, Bank of America

Since the financial crisis in 2008, liquidity has become a tantamount concern to college and university ratings agencies and other stakeholders, who want better information about how institutions manage their cash on hand. In this session, learn about the new techniques business offices can use to track information about an institution’s liquidity and overall financial picture, plus discover how to effectively communicate liquidity and other financial information to boards of directors and other constituencies.

Learning Objectives

Discover the necessity of having a comprehensive cash-on-hand policy.
Understand how leading institutions manage their cash reserves.
Establish procedures for better cash visibility.

3:00 PM

Community College Business Officers Roundtable: Planning for Fall 2020 and Beyond

Presenter(s):

Jeffrey West, Salt Lake Community College

Janet Wormack, Houston Community College System

Academic year 2019-2020 was unlike any we have seen. What will the next year hold? Connect with community college colleagues to discuss business and financial management issues. Share your thoughts about today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss challenges and solutions with peers.
Discover diverse solutions to handling issues at community colleges
Solve problems germane to community colleges

3:00 PM

HBCU Business Officers Roundtable: Planning for Fall 2020 and Beyond

Presenter(s):

Willie Hughey, Fisk University

The events our nation is grappling with—the coronavirus pandemic, a recession, and national unrest about racism—will have a lasting impact on higher education. Though all colleges and universities will be impacted, HBCUs, which have a mission to serve student populations most affected by these national crises, will be acutely impacted. At this roundtable, connect with HBCU colleagues to discuss how they are navigating financial challenges, planning in a time of social distancing, and meeting the needs of their students.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss challenges and solutions with peers.
Discover diverse solutions to handling issues at HBCUs
Solve problems germane to HBCUs

This session is supported by Segal

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Endowment Stewardship in a COVID-19 Economy

Presenter(s):

Liz Clark, NACUBO

Ken Redd, NACUBO

Dimitri Stathopoulos, Nuveen Investments

NACUBO recently surveyed the 2019 NACUBO-TIAA Study of Endowments institutional participants to learn more about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on endowment values and investment and spending strategies. NACUBO found that during the first quarter of 2020, colleges and universities experienced an average loss of 13.4 percent in endowment values and, on average, 20 percent of endowment funds were underwater. During this roundtable, explore actions taken by institutions to reduce expenses related to the endowment or foundation and steps taken to respond to current pressing needs of students and institutions.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss challenges and solutions with peers.
Identify diverse approaches to prudent management of endowments
Compare how colleges are thinking about spending policies in a time of uncertainty

This session is supported by TIAA

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Leases, Long-term Debt and Financial Responsibility Composite Scores

Presenter(s):

Jessica Swingle, Wilkes University

Sue Menditto, NACUBO

Mary Wheeler, NACUBO Consultants and Speakers

New financial responsibility rules are effective July 1 for independent not-for-profit institutions. The new rules bring new reporting and tracking requirements for leases and long-term debt. Business decisions will bring reporting, documentation, and analytical challenges. Join your colleagues in a roundtable that explains Department of Education rules related to lease grand-gathering, construction-in-process, renegotiations, and refinancings. Participate in conversation on these and related issues.

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the relationship between business decisions and financial responsibility scores
Demonstrate a understanding of how to reflect leases and borrowings in uniform guidance financial statements
Analyze grandfathering requirements for leases

3:00 PM

System Business Officers Roundtable: Planning for Fall 2020 and Beyond

Presenter(s):

J. Michael Gower, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick Campus

Academic year 2019-2020 was unlike any we have seen. What will the next year hold? Connect with system business office colleagues to discuss business and financial management issues. Share your thoughts about today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss challenges and solutions common in college and university systems with peers
Compare and contrast state budget challenges and solutions to declines in government support
Diagnose the difficulty in developing a system-wide response to problems like the COVID-19 pandemic, or race, justice, and campus security concerns, when campuses within the system often have differing needs based on geography, student population, campus tone, and more

This session is supported by Nelnet

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Reopening the Student Accounts Office in a Time of Social Distancing

Presenter(s):

Alisa Abadinsky, University of Maryland

Bryan Dickson, NACUBO

Loretta Chrzan-Williams, Monroe Community College

While many student account transactions take place online, there is still a need for face-to-face interaction at bursar offices at colleges and universities. COVID-19, including its social distancing restriction, will clearly need to be addressed. What changes will need to take place at your bursar’s office in order to protect your students and staff? How quickly will you bring back your staff? In addition to physical changes—such as office layouts, protective barriers, face coverings, and queuing and cleaning procedures—institutions will need to consider changes to student account policies, as well. Registration hold thresholds, late fees, in-person payments, and collections practices are all on the table. Share ideas with colleagues and learn how best to communicate these changes to your students and staff.

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate specific physical changes your student bursar’s office will have to undergo in order to reopen this fall.
Demonstrate an understanding of which student account policies might need to be revised in response to the COVID-19 outbreak

4:00 PM

End Day 1

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Day 2

11:00 AM

Energy Asset Monetization: Transforming Utility Cost Centers Into Strategic Assets

Presenter(s):

Sameer Qureshi, Clearway Energy

Russ Grunebach, Duquesne University

Stephen Auton-Smith, Ernst & Young LLP

Duquesne University recently monetized its energy assets under a public-private partnership and entered into a 40-year energy services agreement with Clearway Energy. Using this transaction as an example, the speakers will explore the relative merits of utility system outsourcing and monetization in both unlocking economic value and helping institutions achieve operational resilience, sustainability, and modernization of infrastructure. They’ll discuss transaction practicalities and considerations, stakeholder engagement, key challenges, and success factors for forging a long-term partnership.

Learning Objectives

Define energy asset monetization and key value drivers.
Investigate key transaction practicalities, challenges, and success factors from both the university and private partner perspectives.
Apply transferable lessons learned to other institutions contemplating similar transactions.

11:00 AM

How Student Financial Services Can Lead Collaboration to Support Student Success

Presenter(s):

Chris Foster, University of North Texas

Joey Saxon, University of North Texas

Learn about the Start Green, Stay Green program launched in 2019 by the University of North Texas to improve student success. A key component: Student financial services worked beyond boundaries to serve as the catalyst for collaborative change. The speakers will demonstrate the dashboards designed to highlight students with balances, which are shared with various departments to increase communication and target outreach.

Learning Objectives

Establish student financial services as a partner in retention and enrollment initiatives.
Improve transparency, communication, and service to students, parents, and other departments.
Apply ideas from other institutions to to enhance the perception of student financial services.

11:00 AM

The Power of Financial Modeling

Presenter(s):

Alice Turbiville, Swarthmore College

Kelli Shomaker, Auburn University

Michael Nicolescu, PFM Group

Financial models can serve as the basis for telling the story of long-term changes at your institution and help identify potential problems before adverse effects occur. Hear about the benefits two institutions derived from implementing an integrated, comprehensive financial model , including the expansion of leadership’s understanding of variables pertaining to financial risk and volatility. The speakers will also discuss how a multi-year financial plan contributes to strong, robust financial management.

Learning Objectives

Enhance financial forecast to better engage senior leaders and other key stakeholders.
Describe best practices in strategic financial planning.
Explain the benefits and challenges of implementing a multi-year financial plan on campus.

1:30 PM

Driving Innovation With a Managed Services Technology Provider

Presenter(s):

Robert Cominsky, Ellucian

Nicole Trufant, University of New England

The University of New England is growing, and with that growth come the challenges of scale. To support this growth, business processes must evolve, student experiences must improve, and technology must play a role in it all. In this session, learn how strategic partners can help transform IT into a driver of efficiency and innovation that positively impacts the bottom line and how UNE is providing itself the agility and flexibility needed to both prepare for and help shape the future landscape of higher education.

Learning Objectives

Understand how a managed services provider can help your institution achieve maximum return on technology investments.
Review key attributes to look for in a managed services technology provider.
Identify how next-generation analytics are helping higher education CFOs make smarter decisions, drive innovation, and direct resources where they have the greatest positive impact.

1:30 PM

Hot Legal Topics: Liability Issues in the Age of COVID-19 and Update on Foreign Influence/Foreign Gift and Contract Reporting

Presenter(s):

Stephanie Gold, Hogan Lovells US LLP

James Keller, Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, LLP

Join higher education legal experts for a discussion of current issues and challenges in the areas of liability issues in an era of COVID-19, and foreign influence matters/foreign gift and contract reporting. The session will provide the latest information about the range of liability issues that have arisen as institutions consider a return to campus in the future; and the latest news about foreign influence and gift reporting as colleges and universities navigate this Department of Education directive.

Learning Objectives

Examine liability issues that have emerged as campuses experienced numerous changes and challenges due to the coronavirus.
Explore legal and regulatory issues related to foreign influence concerns and the impact on campuses of required foreign gift and contract reporting.
Understand the significant impact of these new requirements on the business operations of colleges and universities.

1:30 PM

Once Upon a Financial Statement….Telling Your Institution’s Financial Story

Presenter(s):

Leslie Brunelli, University of Denver

Mandy Kibler, University of South Carolina Columbia

Jean Bushong, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

As we move forward in higher education, telling our financial story must evolve! Considering Coronavirus, it is especially important that our stakeholders understand financial position and its impact on future decisions of the institution. Panelists from public and private institutions will address how financial stories can be illustrated through audited financial statements. Special attention will be devoted to Management’s Discussion and Analysis, understanding financial reporting audiences, what rating agencies needs to know, principles of benchmarking and the importance of KPIs, functional expenses, and explaining operating results.

Learning Objectives

List different ways to use audited financial statements to tell the financial story of your institution.
How to use benchmarks and metrics to chart the financial direction of your institution.
Contribute to the reporting transparency so that stakeholders better understand the financial decisions of your institution.

3:00 PM

Business Officers of Color Roundtable

Presenter(s):

Liz Clark, NACUBO

Tadu Yimam, NACUBO

J. Carlos Hernandez, Sam Houston State University

NACUBO's Strategic Blueprint includes a commitment to developing an initiative to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in the higher education business community. How should business officers evaluate practices and policies and examine the extent to which advancing diversity and inclusion and identifying and closing equity gaps is in the fabric of who we are and what we do? How should NACUBO and the higher education business office community better reflect the diversity of our nation in membership and in action? What is the role of business officers, as part of the president’s cabinet, to be involved in the critical conversations about race and diversity that affect the campus as a whole?

Learning Objectives:

Examine the extent to which advancing diversity and inclusion and identifying and closing equity gaps is in the fabric of a college business office.
Plan for conversations about race and diversity on campus.
Identify programming that can better focus on principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

3:00 PM

New to Higher Education Roundtable

Presenter(s):

Mary LaGrange, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Randy Roberson, NACUBO

Administrators new to higher education face numerous challenges. If you have worked in higher education for fewer than three years, join us at this interactives session to connect with colleagues and discuss the complexities and nuances of navigating the college or university environment.

Learning objectives:

Understanding of higher education lingo and culture
Explore concepts such as tenure and shared governance
Increase campus engagement through departmental or campus-wide activities

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Exploring the Regulatory Hurdles of Expanding Online Education to International Students

As the COVID-19 pandemic forces all colleges and universities to increase their online offerings, and cope with declining national enrollment, many schools will look to expand their online educational offerings overseas to reach new students and address revenue shortfalls. This roundtable offers the chance to discuss the complexities of complying with both U.S. and international regulatory requirements when operating abroad and assess the potential for strengthening an institution’s bottom line while providing quality education to a new group of students.

Learning Objectives:

Assess the financial, reporting, and human resource implications of operating in different countries
Demonstrate an understanding of issues presented by institutions with long-running international programs

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Managing Athletics at Smaller Public and Private Colleges

Presenter(s):

Susan Maddux, Furman University

Although the general public may not associate athletics with smaller and mid-sized colleges and universities, insider experts understand their importance. Whether to watch or play, athletics are valuable amenities that attract students. Participate in a discussion that addresses enrollment, social distancing, safety, fiscal, and other overarching concerns and operational challenges athletics may pose in academic year 2020-21.

Learning Objectives:

Explore the real cost of athletics
Discuss opportunity costs and student expectations around athletics
Evaluate alternatives for students who want to play and view athletic competition

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Modeling to Understand and Evaluate Academic Costs

Presenter(s):

Dennis Morrone, Grant Thornton LLP

Matt Unterman, Grant Thornton LLP

The pandemic and recession will have lasting implications for colleges’ and universities’ budgets. As institutional leaders navigate this complex situation, it will be important for them to understand cost drivers of educating students. What approaches are institutions taking to understand and evaluate academic costs? How can data and analytics support decisions?

Learning Objectives:

Discuss how peer institutions are analyzing academic costs
Plan for the academic budgeting cycle
Identify trends in academic costs related to in-person instruction and distance learning

This session is supported by Grant Thornton

3:00 PM

Roundtable: RCM in the COVID-19 Environment

Presenter(s):

Amir Rahnamay-Azar, Syracuse University

Aimee Heeter, Indiana University

Steffon Gray, NACUBO

With many colleges and universities projecting enrollment declines and budget shortfalls as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, prudent and flexible resource allocation is paramount. Can RCM offer university leaders the flexibility necessary to overcome these challenges? This roundtable will discuss RCM strategies that can guide current and future resource-allocation decision making. Participants will discuss budget retrenchment policies, funding formula adjustments, and the impact of funding on academic planning.

Learning Objectives:

Explore RCM budget strategies in the wake of projected financial challenges
Compare various budget scenarios
Implement policies that incentivize flexibility in budgeting and academic planning

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Safeguarding Higher Education through Technology Strategic Planning

Presenter(s):

Jim Hundrieser, NACUBO

David Hinson, Drury University

Rajiv Shenoy, Apogee

Higher education, and life, will now be forever seen through the eyes of “before COVID-19 and after.” Students-first leaders must face this crisis with unflinching agility and resolve. There is no accidental success. Every institution needs to know and document what separates them from other universities – the physical, programmatic, technological, diversity, and other attributes that make their institution and its mission so unique – and imagine what the next year or two would ideally look like.

Apogee has studied 491 strategic plans from colleges and universities around the country. This roundtable will explore three stunning insights and findings from this study. Technology underpins many of the strategic initiatives such as Student Outcomes, Pedagogy, Student Life, and Planning and Governance, yet many smaller institutions aren’t investing in technology intentionally or strategically. Technology initiatives have not kept pace with pedagogical initiatives, which Apogee found may have resulted in opportunity costs that have likely impacted them during the Covid-19 crisis.

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the actions higher ed leaders can take now to shore up their strategic plans to safeguard their institution during and after the crisis.
Connect with colleagues to share and emulate sound planning efforts.

This session is supported by Apogee

4:00 PM

End of Day 2

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Day 3

11:00 AM

Looking Back at the Past Year With Lynn Valenter, NACUBO Board Chair, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, Washington State University, Vancouver

11:15 AM

Washington Update

Presenter(s):

Emmanual Guillory, United Negro College Fund, Inc.

Steven Bloom, American Council On Education

Megan Schneider, NACUBO

Explore the current state of play in the nation’s capital. Panelists will discuss major legislative and regulatory actions that have impacted colleges and universities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding and regulatory requirements, and the potential for additional higher education relief provisions in future COVID-19 legislation. We’ll also explore other legislative and regulatory issues of importance to colleges and universities including the DACA Supreme Court decision, changes to Title IX regulations, the creation of new foreign gift reporting requirements, and more.

Learn about federal appropriations impacting higher education, what they mean for your campus, and why Congress funds the way it does.
Examine what could lie ahead for colleges and universities following the 2020 federal elections.
Gain an understanding of the latest legislative, regulatory and judicial developments impacting higher education and hear what influences lawmakers to legislate in particular ways.
Discover how you can be a better advocate for your campus with federal policymakers.

1:30 PM

Cost Standardization: Key Considerations to Enable Advanced Analytics

Presenter(s):

Adam Raab, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott

Mark Lemon, Grant Thornton LLP

Anthony Pember, Grant Thornton LLP

Steven LaNasa, Johnson County Community College

Cost and revenue analytics help institutions to better understand their financial position, identify key management challenges, and design and deploy effective solutions. When developing such a model, leaders must consider factors such as institutional characteristics, capacity for change, and management questions being asked as each will impact the model’s complexity and precision. Panelists will outline considerations for developing a cost and revenue management model, discuss common challenges, and offer a decision matrix for designing a model that aligns with higher education cost management principles.

Learning Objectives

Appreciate the reasons an institution would develop a cost and revenue management model.
Understand common cost elements across the higher education sector.
Define key terms essential to the development of a cost and revenue analytics solution.

1:30 PM

Return on Mission: The University of Colorado-Boulder Financial Futures Initiative

Presenter(s):

Carla Ho-a, University of Colorado Boulder

Ann Schmiesing, University of Colorado Boulder

Launched in 2018, the Financial Futures initiative at the University of Colorado–-Boulder has generated more than 600 new ideas for revenue generation, cost savings, and cost avoidance with an estimated $90 million—and growing—in recurring annual impact. Hear how the initiative has yielded stronger collaborations among academic and financial officers, provided a new model for evaluating strategic investments of resources, improved financial resilience, and transformed the university’s culture of resource decision making. Speakers will also discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is influencing priorities and next steps for this initiative.

Learning Objectives

Identify mechanisms to effect cultural change by engaging faculty, staff, and students.
Employ a data-informed approach to resource decision making and accountability.
Develop strategies for new revenue generation, cost savings, and cost avoidance.

1:30 PM

Successful System and Member Institutions Relationships

Presenter(s):

William Huang, University of Texas System Administration

Aaron LeMay, University of Texas Medical Branch

Vanessa Kenon, The University of Texas at San Antonio

The future of public higher education depends on finding a balance between leveraging central services provided by a system office and maintaining the member institutions’ local autonomy for decision making. Speakers will discuss initiatives the University of Texas System has implemented to reduce administrative burden, including collaborative support for technological innovation.

Learning Objectives

Review how system-wide operations can support the diverse academic, research, and health care missions of member institutions.
Identify methods for avoiding the potential pitfalls of system-wide operations.
Enhance future operations through greater collaboration or innovation.

3:00 PM

Academic Unit Business Officers Roundtable

Presenter(s):

Eric Leal, American University

Kimberly Goodwin-Slater, George Mason University

Academic year 2019-2020 was unlike any we have seen. What will the next year hold? Connect with fellow academic unit business officers to discuss business and financial management issues such as the expanding role of data analytics, demonstrating a commitment to diversity and inclusion within your unit, or managing the challenges of a new IT system. Share your thoughts on topics that are most important to you.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss challenges and solutions in academic units with peers.
Discover new ideas that will enable you to meet the priorities of your unit.

3:00 PM

Primary Representatives Meeting

Invitation-only

*No CPEs for this session*

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Challenges in Financial Reporting Post-COVID-19 (Public Institutions)

Presenter(s):

Robert Kuehler, University of Colorado System Office

Anita Kovacs, Florida State College at Jacksonville

Tom Ewing, The Ohio State University

A global pandemic, national emergency, campus closures, new federal programs and funding have created planning, resource allocation and operational questions. COVID-19 will also impact financial reporting. Audited financial statements belong to the institution and can be an important communication vehicle. There are disclosure, presentation, and MD&A options that colleges and universities can and should consider. Participate in a thought-provoking dialogue on a topic that can be more interesting then it appears on the surface.

Learning Objectives:

Explore MD&A reporting options
Discuss how to change functional expense disclosures
Debate new pandemic related notes

3:00 PM

Young Professionals Roundtable: Career Advice for Success in Higher Education

Presenter(s):

Jamie Loftin, University of Arkansas

Mark Saine, TIAA

Jeremy DiGorio, Rollins College

As seasoned higher education professionals ascend in their careers or near retirement, there is an ongoing need for young professionals to fill the talent gap. Are you ready to step up? Join this roundtable to learn from peers and seasoned leaders how to hone the skillset needed to advance your career.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss strategies for building relationships that will help you succeed in higher education
Identify your network of colleagues who are similarly placed in their careers
Demonstrate an understanding of challenges to expect as you advance in your career

This session is supported by TIAA

4:00 PM

End of Day 3

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Day 4

11:00 AM

Investing in Veterans’ Education

Presenter(s):

Amir Rahnamay-Azar, Syracuse University

Mary Anne Ocampo, Sasaki Associates, Inc.

Julia Carlton Mackay, Sasaki Associates, Inc.

J. Michael Haynie, Syracuse University

Through a case study, hear how one institution has strengthened its commitment to veterans by delivering unique programs in career, vocations, and entrepreneurship education to “serve those who have served.” Syracuse University developed its Campus Framework to guide strategic planning initiatives that support post-traditional students and their unique needs. One initiative is the National Veterans Resource Center, a capital project that houses the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, which undertakes academic research and actionable programming to advance the social, economic, and wellness concerns of veterans and their families.

Learning Objectives

Connect mission-driven enrollment goals to external revenue streams in order to mitigate the financial impact of matriculating new types of students.
Craft campus planning initiatives that support non-traditional students.
Recognize the unique needs of non-traditional students and potential opportunities or barriers on your campus.

11:00 AM

Lessons Learned: FASB Revenue Recognition and Grants

Presenter(s):

Jason Schroeder, University of Notre Dame

Karen Sodoma, University of Rochester

Rick Cole, BKD CPAs and Advisors

William Sibert, Cornell University

Now that colleges and universities FASB’s revenue recognition and grants and contributions accounting standards, it’s time for a de-brief. Hear how others across higher education are mitigating the most difficult obstacles and understand how guidance applies to CARES Act grants and programs. Speakers will revisit significant requirements and decision making on the adaption of the standards, share lessons learned, and talk about considerations for 2020 and beyond.

Learning Objectives

Describe the implementation challenges for both accounting standards.
Define new revenue recognition and grants accounting and reporting requirements.
Apply lessons learned to accounting process and reporting considerations.

11:00 AM

State Budget Outlook

Presenter(s):

Michael Leachman, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Liz Clark, NACUBO

Emily Brock, Government Finance Officers Association

State budgets will be squeezed by the adverse economic forces resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The outlook is grim and a deep economic downturn is likely to have sizeable consequences for state funding for education and other services. This session will explore the extent to which unemployment and declines in state income and sales taxes are expected to open and deepen state budget gaps. Is additional federal relief on the way and how might federal legislative and regulatory activities impact state and local governments as they try to respond to the economic fallout?

Learning Objectives:

Understand the current outlook for state budgets
Analyze the unprecedented fiscal impact of COVID-19
Evaluate options the federal government is considering for relief
Consider advocacy priorities that can deliver effective solutions

1:30 PM

An Innovative Way to Redesign a Retirement Investment Menu

Presenter(s):

Hugh Penney, Yale University

Laura Sines, TIAA

Retirement plan sponsors are grappling with new participant demographics, which call for an evolution in investment menu design to meet the dynamic needs of aging baby boomers, mid-career employees, and millennials. From rethinking existing options to considering new products, this session will focus on redesigning plans for future participants’ needs. Learn how Yale University recently redesigned its retirement plan’s investment default to maximize benefits, and review the plan’s metrics before and after Yale made the change.

Learning Objectives

Improve retirement plan investment design to include lifetime income for all employee demographics.
Explore default strategies that can maximize the value of employer and employee contributions.
Transform your institution’s plan with new investment design approaches and products.

1:30 PM

Rip Off the Band Aid: Simultaneously Deploying New Budgeting and Organizational Models

Presenter(s):

William Nunez, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

James Volkmer, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Taylor Jantz, Huron Consulting Group

One institution’s case study can serve as another institution’s blueprint for transformative change. Presenters will explore ways institutions can simultaneously combine incentive-based budgeting and organizational redesign to accelerate change. This interactive session will focus on how leaders can rally stakeholders to rip off the band-aid and tackle expansive change head on. Panelists will l describe how to implement the two models in quick succession, discuss key ingredients needed for dynamic change, and offer solutions to potential roadblocks. Audience member will hear lessons learned, benefits achieved, additional efforts needed to sustain success, and be encouraged to participate in candid conversations that assess the pros and cons of this approach.

Learning Objectives

Determine whether your campus is ready for transformative operational and organizational change.
Describe the key ingredients needed to gain large scale change buy-in including the identification of potential pitfalls.
Identify the outcomes and impacts from implementing a new budget model and organizational design structure.

1:30 PM

Is it Time to Rethink our Approach to Mitigating Cybersecurity Risk?

Presenter(s):

David Swartz, American University

Douglas Kudravetz, American University

Cole Clark, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Richard Rudnicki, Deloitte & Touche

Cathy Hubbs, American University

The scope, scale, and pace of change in the cybersecurity area pose a nearly unwinnable “arms race” for higher education. In this session, speakers will share results from a recent initiative to assess the totality of the enterprise resources applied to cybersecurity and explore possible alternative approaches. They will also highlight opportunities to strategically augment cybersecurity services and, through analytics, leverage economies of scale to reduce the time from awareness to mitigation.

Learning Objectives

Discuss growing needs for cybersecurity to enable strategic initiatives and protect existing assets.
Address challenges to developing and maintaining cybersecurity talent and services.
Examine the range of alternative approaches to de-risking the cybersecurity area.

3:00 PM

LGBTQ Roundtable

How do business officers who are members of the LGBTQ navigate today’s higher education culture? How could allies better support the growth, development, and acceptance of more LGBTQ business officers to advance in our field? Discuss these questions from multiple angles, including: the impact on career paths, navigating collegial relationships, and serving as an advocate for other staff and/or students who also are members of the LGBTQ community.

Learning Objectives:

Exchange ideas with fellow business officers who identify as LGBTQ
Explore strategies for making institutions more LGBTQ-friendly
Discuss ways to build community or other networking opportunities within or through NACUBO

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Adapting the Physical Campus to Impact the Student Experience in Response to COVID-19

Presenter(s):

André LeDuc, University of Oregon

Noel Knille, California College of the Arts

Social distancing in response to COVID-19 will change the dynamics of how campuses look and feel. How do business officers encourage a friendly atmosphere and keep social distance? What are some of the nitty-gritty items that need to be evaluated and addressed? From scheduling of classes to minimize the size of groups to adopting new cleaning protocols, business officers have many challenges to face.

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate options for social distancing; physical, schedule, behavior modification
Consider the importance of knowledge sharing on social distancing
Advance and get buy-in from students and staff on creative scenarios

This session is supported by Sodexo

3:00 PM

Roundtable: Challenges in Financial Reporting Post-COVID-19 (Private Institutions)

Presenter(s):

Sue Menditto, NACUBO

Mary Wheeler, NACUBO Consultants and Speakers

A global pandemic, national emergency, campus closures, new federal programs and funding have created planning, resource allocation and operational questions. COVID-19 will also impact financial reporting. Audited financial statements belong to the institution and can be an important communication vehicle. There are disclosure and presentation options that colleges and universities can and should consider. Participate in a thought-provoking dialogue on a topic that can be more interesting then it appears on the surface.

Learning Objectives:

Explore operating and non-operating presentation options
Discuss how to change functional expense disclosures
Debate new pandemic related notes

This session is supported by Nelnet

3:00 PM

Women Chief Business Officers Roundtable

Presenter(s):

Lynn Valenter, Washington State University

Andy Brantley, CUPA-HR

Learn more about women’s representation on Chief Business Officer (CBO) teams and in CBO Pipeline positions from CUPA-HR’s 2019 Administrators in Higher Education Survey. Discuss some of the hurdles to addressing gender disparity within campus leadership teams while connecting with your female peers to learn how others have tackled professional challenges.

Learning Objectives:

Better understand staffing and HR trends for women and minority women in CBO and CBO pipeline positions
Discuss professional challenges CBOs face on campus with peers
Identify strategies to address issues facing women in CBO and CBO pipeline positions

4:00 PM

End of Day 4

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Day 5

11:00 AM

Looking Ahead With Robert Moore, Incoming NACUBO Board Chair, Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration and Treasurer, Colorado College

11:15 AM

Guided by Equity, Informed by Data

Presenter(s):

Lorelle Espinosa, American Council On Education

Students of color, low-income students, and those first in their family to attend college face a multitude of barriers when it comes to college enrollment and completion. Findings from the American Council on Education project, "Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education," confirm a cause for concern. Yet as sobering as such data can be, they offer opportunities for change, reasons to practice shared- and equity-minded leadership, and benchmarks to measure transformation--Actions that are especially critical given the COVID-19 pandemic and the national racial crisis. This session will provide an overview of the ACE data, and will highlight the important role that college and university leaders, including business officers, have in using data to make decisions that strengthen mission-critical efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

1:30 PM

Connecting Strategy and Data for Actionable Change: A Case Study in Ohio

Presenter(s):

Paul Friga, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mark Polatajko, Kent State University

Ohio, like many other states, is facing declining enrollments, lower levels of state support, rising costs, and increased regulation and reporting requirements. In 2015 Governor John Kasich embarked on a state-wide experiment to make a college education more efficient and less expensive for students while maintaining or increasing quality. Results, tracked annually, point to Ohio universities recently reporting savings of more than $320 million. The presenters will reconstruct this journey toward significant savings and describe how the initiative led to positive change on their respective campuses.

Learning Objectives

Enumerate the challenges within higher education and the impact of state-wide leadership and efforts for improvement.
Connect strategic goals to initiatives and to data in order to boost institutional efficiency and effectiveness.
Confidently introduce new ways to cut costs and tuition on your campus while still improving student services and outcomes.

1:30 PM

Lessons Learned From NECHE’s Pilot Program for Financial Monitoring

Presenter(s):

Roger Goodman, The Yuba Group, LLC

Paula Harbecke, New England Commission of Higher Education, Inc.

Scrutiny of financially challenged colleges and universities continues to increase. Since the abrupt closure of Mount Ida College in 2018, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) has strengthened its review of financially fragile institutions. Speakers will review a financial screening tool used for the enhanced monitoring higher education institutions’ financial health. As concerns about financially challenged institutions grow, the lessons learned from New England may prove helpful for other regions.

Learning Objectives

Understand the circumstances that require enhanced financial monitoring of private colleges.
Review components of the pilot financial monitoring program, including financial ratio screening and elements of governance training.
Identify strategies that governing boards and finance departments might employ in response to increased pressure for regulatory financial health oversight.

1:30 PM

Student Expectations for Fall 2020 and Implications for Higher Education

Presenter(s):

Pam Eddinger, Bunker Hill Community College

Kasia Lundy, Ernst & Young LLP

Daniel Greenstein, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

EY-Parthenon conducted a national survey of approximately 2,000 college students that captured how student expectations for higher education participation are evolving due to COVID-19. What implications will these student expectations and behaviors have on institutional finances? How will institutions need to adjust in the short-term and in the longer-term? Our panel of higher education leaders will reflect on these broad questions and on their institutions’ individual contexts, discuss initial responses to expected enrollment impacts, and consider longer-term strategies to ensure institutional sustainability.

Learning Objectives

Evaluate factors driving students’ decisions to return to campus in the fall vs. transferring elsewhere, and understand the potential impact of these decisions on institutions.
Examine leaders’ perspectives on various return to campus scenarios, the ways institutions are engaging with their students to maximize engagement and minimize melt, and levers to address related financial challenges.
Recognize best practices for collaboration among college and university stakeholders to support changes to “traditional way of doing things” and revising financial plans.

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Upcoming

Short-Term and Long-Term Planning While Considering Operating and Capital Tradeoffs

July 27, 2020 | 1-2pm ET

Technology Investment Enables School to Successfully Navigate Pandemic

July 29, 2020 | 1-2pm ET

NACUBO 2020 New Business Officers (NBO) Virtual Program

Each Friday in August 2020 | See Schedule for Session Times