How higher education’s core planning problems disrupt financial plans

Amid rising costs, declining enrollments, and volatile government funding, higher education institutions need effective planning processes to remain financially sustainable. However, higher education’s planning culture prioritizes comfort, optimism, and caution over realism and timely action.

In financial planning, that tendency can delay difficult budget decisions and undermine institutions’ abilities to sustain strategic priorities over time. Below, you’ll find concrete ways that planning problems manifest in financial planning, potential consequences, and solutions based on real partner experiences.

Three ways to use this infographic:

• Identify the planning challenges that are most acute on your campus and how they can jeopardize important decisions.
• Use the suggested alternatives to identify next steps for leadership to work together more effectively.
• Educate stakeholders on shared barriers, their impacts, and opportunities to better steward the institution’s financial health.