This event for advanced-level accounting and finance professionals offers the latest information on trends and best practices in financial accounting and reporting, managerial analysis, and leadership issues for all types of institutions.
The program features plenary speakers as well as smaller sessions to address special topics. Roundtable exchanges—broken out by managerial and technical topics of interest to all types of institutions— allow participants to share ideas. This forum serves as both an annual update and future outlook where participants hear and engage in discussions on timely subjects impacting the higher education community.
The 2022 Higher Education Forum is set to return to an in-person format. If you are unable to join us in Seattle, we will be broadcasting select sessions. Sessions marked as "hybrid" in the schedule are available in-person and online. Don't miss the opportunity to hear directly from panelists and ask your most pressing questions from your home, office, or mobile device.
Register for the in-person or online event.
AccountingWorkshopWebcast
CPE Information
There are no CPEs offered for this event.
CPE credit is not available for On-Demand programs at this time.
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.
How are institutions coping with known trends and emerging risks? During this session, speakers will address workforce changes, supply chain pressures, ESG expectations (environmental, social, and governance), DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), cryptocurrency, foreign influence, and NIL policies (name, image, and likeness) through an enterprise risk management perspective. Panelists will provide their observations using campus examples and integrate budgetary, compliance, financial, regulatory, and operating considerations into the discussion.
This session will be recorded and made available on-demand as part of online attendance registration.
2:15 PM
Evolution of the Cyber Threat Landscape: FBI’s Perspective
This session will provide key insights based on case studies and analysis of current and emerging cyber threats to higher education institutions and the financial sector from motivated nation state and criminal adversaries. SSA Patel will discuss FBI cyber strategy, the cyber threat landscape, feasibility and motivation for cyber adversaries, and what you can do to protect yourself.
3:15 PM
Networking Break
3:45 PM
Roundtable: Strategies Employed With HEERF Funding
Extensive federal relief was designed to assist students and help institutions respond to hopefully a once in a generation crisis. Share how your institution used Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. Also bring suggestions for demonstrating and documenting program compliance.
3:45 PM
Roundtable: Institutions With Resource Challenges: Minority Serving and Similar Institutions
Whether you’re from a minority serving, HBCU, smaller institution, or community college – this interactive facilitated session will address financial and operational realities as well as student needs and related services. Come prepared to share stories, ideas, challenges and possible solutions.
3:45 PM
Authorizing Wire Transfers and Authentication of Electronic Payments
When institutions began conducting programs and business remotely, various operational and vendor challenges surfaced. Explore the new normal of transaction authentication and processing.
As we learn to live in a post-pandemic world, has our workforce forever changed? Join a discussion and share your observations on common work and staffing models and challenges campuses may be facing in recruiting and retaining talent.
Colleges and
universities are facing challenges as never before, brought on by changes to
funding models, student demographics, staff recruiting and retention, and
public perception. Digital transformation can help institutions gather data to
better understand these changes and create new opportunities to address them.
This session will highlight mental models and adaptations to help your
institution fully capture the benefits of innovation and transformation in
higher education.
Session Duration: 60 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 8:15 - 9:15am PST.)
9:35 AM
What’s the Deal with All These Right-to-Use Assets?
GASB has issued a lot of recent guidance about accounting for agreements where one party pays another for use of an asset. This list includes leases, P3 arrangements, and software subscriptions, among others. Learn more about GASB’s thinking about right-to-use assets, and the differences and similarities among the various types of agreements.
Accreditation is an extensive quality assurance process designed to ensure that an institution’s programs and operations meet applicable standards. In recent history, and especially post-pandemic, institutions must demonstrate fiscal efficacy to ensure operational and academic sustainability. Hear how to stay ahead of financial expectations and how to respond to concerns.
Session Duration: 60 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 9:30 - 10:35am PST.)
10:35 AM
Networking Break
10:50 AM
GASB Update (HYBRID SESSION)
Presenter(s):
Alan Skelton, Governmental Accounting Standards Board
GASB’s director of research and technical activities explores standards that will be implemented soon and active projects such as financial reporting, compensated absences, financial statement disclosures, revenue and expense recognition, practice issues and more.
Session Duration: 100 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 10:50am - 12:30pm PST.)
Hear the latest developments in U.S. GAAP affecting NFPs, including newly effective standards (ASUs) and FASB projects in process. The presentation will focus on areas of interest to colleges and universities such as grants, contributions, and implementation issues brought to FASB’s attention on reporting, revenue recognition, leases, and more.
Session Duration: 100 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 10:50am - 12:30pm PST.)
12:30 PM
Networking Lunch
1:30 PM
Tax Update
Learn what’s new in tax developments that impact higher education, including legislative developments and IRS enforcement measures. The panel will also review a myriad of fundamental topics such as unrelated business taxable income (UBTI), compensation, fringe benefits, federal COVID assistance, the endowment tax, charitable contributions, and reporting requirements.
1:30 PM
Higher Education Financial Reporting (FASB): Looking Back and Looking Forward (HYBRID SESSION)
Over the last 10–15 years we have seen the implementation of several major (and some minor) accounting standards that impacted the financial reporting of colleges and universities that follow FASB standards. Panelists will reflect on the impact of these standards and share their thoughts on the current state of financial reporting, including hindsight analysis of changes over the last decade or so. They will also share thoughts on standards yet to be implemented, potential future topics in the GAAP pipeline, and ways to provide clarity to readers of financial statements.
Session Duration: 75 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 1:30 - 2:45pm PST.)
1:30 PM
The Times are Changing: Mergers, Transfers of Operations, and New Standards (HYBRID SESSION)
Michigan State University has undergone several reporting entity changes in recent years. The University has established a cell captive insurance company, executed a merger with a law college, transferred the operations of its health care clinics, and entered its two noteworthy public-private partnership arrangements. This presentation will explore the strategies surrounding these reporting entity changes, describe the accounting implications and related preparation, and talk through the financial reporting conclusions for these transactions.
Session Duration: 75 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 1:30 - 2:45pm PST.)
2:55 PM
Chart of Accounts ERP Planning: Case Comparisons of Workday, Banner and PeopleSoft
Are you considering a new ERP or a cloud migration—or just want to streamline financial reporting? Examining chart of accounts (COA) and financial reporting needs with a system agnostic mindset can help design a financial structure that delivers impact and efficiency. Because COAs can change as campuses evolve, panelists will explore the possibilities of a multi-dimensional COA structure and will compare popular systems used in higher education. Speakers will explore how COA structure can meet a variety of reporting requirements (i.e., recharge elimination, depreciation, scholarship discounting, bond segment, NCAA reporting) while satisfying organization needs.
2:55 PM
Economic Outlook for C&U: Planning Your Institution’s Future
This session will address the latest techniques in higher education resource management. Special attention will be given to assessing financial reserves, integrated benchmarking and performance metrics, capital planning, maximizing resources for student success, and other key criteria that can impact an institution’s future. Speakers will also address how to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives with organizational financial performance.
2:55 PM
How the CFI Methodology Can Predict Strategic Financial Performance
Drill
down into the details behind the Composite Financial Index (CFI), a balanced
indicator that combines and weights key ratios to assess financial health. Then
hear how the details – or drivers – behind the ratios impact financial
projections and well-being. Panelists illustrate how various “what-if” changes
from an institutions’ audited financial statements impact key CFI related
ratios, subsidiary ratios, and the overall CFI score. Finally, actions institutions
can take to improve or sustain their financial condition will be shared with
the audience
4:10 PM
Networking Break
4:30 PM
Strategic Financial Planning: Aligning the Strategic Plan with the Financial Plan
This session explores enabling data-informed decision-making in financial planning and management processes. Tarleton State University has been working on a transformational approach that aligns financial planning and budgeting processes with funding priorities and strategic plan goals and objectives. Their approach helps leaders across campus baseline their spending to address commitments, staffing, and operational priorities that align with the institution’s mission, goals, and objectives.
4:30 PM
How to Communicate Your Institution’s Financial Story Through Financial Statements
This session will review how to best convey your institution’s financial story. A national, campus, and GAAP perspective will review observations, insights, and recommendations for effectively communicating financial information via audited financial statements. Topics will include governing board designations, streamlined disclosures, operating performance, liquidity, restrictions, availability and use of resources, and investment and endowment information.
Explore the current state of play in the nation’s capital. Understand what the current administration means for colleges and universities, what the Department of Education is working on, and whether lawmakers might consider reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Session Duration: 60 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 8:00 - 9:00am PST.)
9:15 AM
Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Achieving Enlightenment (HYBRID SESSION)
Blockchain and cryptocurrency are becoming more mainstream terms. The crypto-aware and the crypto-wealthy are growing. Even Super Bowl LVI was dubbed the ‘crypto bowl’. More and more higher education institutions are being asked if they will accept crypto for donations. What does all of this mean to you? What is the blockchain? What is cryptocurrency? Is it a currency, a commodity, a security, or its own asset class? Once these foundational questions are addressed, let’s talk about what else accounting and finance professionals in higher education need to know on these topics in order to best serve your institution.
Session Duration: 60 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 9:15 - 10:15am PST.)
10:15 AM
Networking Break
10:45 AM
Serving Students: Achieving Financial and Student Success (HYBRID SESSION)
This session will explore trends impacting students, including enrollment; new challenges for first generation students; diversity, equity, inclusion; belonging, trust and relevance; and ROI from a student perspective. You’ll also learn the latest on institutional risks, what the future might look like from a credential and degree perspective, the importance of strategically financing equitable student outcomes, and how to integrate these trends into an institution’s strategic plan.
Session Duration: 75 minutes
(Session will take place live and air from 10:45am - 12:00pm PST.)
Rates guaranteed until:3/27/2022 (subject to availability)
One of downtown Seattle's most dynamic destinations, The Westin Seattle offers stunning views of the Seattle skyline. Seattle's famed Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Washington State Convention Center and Lumen Field are nearby, offering ample opportunities for adventure and exploration.
The COVID-19 situation in the United States is fluid, and we continue to monitor developments that may impact attendees for our 2022 Higher Education Accounting Forum. As such, we will continue to update the safety precautions outlined below as appropriate to minimize risks to conference attendees and staff. In order to stay current, check this page periodically leading up to the forum.
NACUBO is requiring all registrants to be fully vaccinated* prior to participating in the in-person forum. We are working with a third-party organization regarding the process and logistics for vaccination documentation. More information will be made available shortly.
This requirement is consistent with a growing trend for conferences and other events/activities.
*Fully vaccinated status is defined as having received all the required doses of an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine (2 doses of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) at least 2 weeks before the start date of the forum (April 10, 2022).
We do recommend that attendees wear masks while traveling to and from the event and follow COVID-safe practices in the weeks leading up to the event. Masks will be available on-site if you need one, and if it's your preference to wear one.
If you've engaged in activities or behaviors that put at high risk for COVID-19, we kindly ask that you join us for the online NACUBO 2022 Higher Education Accounting Forum.
Upcoming
2022 Endowment Leadership Forum
April 26–27, 2022 | Westin Seattle | Seattle
NACUBO 2022 Annual Meeting
July 16–19, 2022 | Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center | Denver and Online
