In this issue, we look at the critical themes discussed at the recent National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) conference. From there, we’ll explore the latest developments with the FAFSA before pivoting to unravel the complexities of tuition pricing. Join us as we explore these critical topics and their implications for your institutions.  

After reading today’s issue, use the comments section to let us know your thoughts about the call to move the FAFSA release to December 1. 

NACUBO Conference Themes 

From The view from this year’s college business officers’ meeting | Inside Higher Ed   

At the annual National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) conference, two major themes emerged: decreasing public confidence and future political uncertainty.   

Our Thoughts 

Between the CrowdStrike outage and President Biden’s announcement, the attendees must have had an interesting experience at the NACUBO conference. The two themes drawn from discussions and sessions are unsurprising. This is a difficult time for higher education institutions, but I have always found that conferences provide wonderfully collaborative environments that help attendees face the challenges ahead.   

The discussions at NACUBO are both timely and essential. They provided attendees with a reality check on pressing issues and helped them get out of the media hype cycle related to higher education. Additionally, attendees could learn from the successes other institutions have had navigating today’s complex higher education landscape. Reading an overview of the discussions from NACUBO should equip professionals with the insights needed to tackle these multifaceted challenges effectively. 

Associations Want Working FAFSA 

From Better Late Than Broken: Associations Say ‘Fully Functional’ FAFSA Is Paramount for the Fall | The Chronicle of Higher Education  

Higher education associations push the Department of Education to delay the release of the FAFSA until December 1 to ensure it is fully functional and reliable.  

Our Thoughts  

This is a bold move for those associations, but one I respect and agree with. I know we have reported on this year’s FAFSA fiasco a lot (maybe as much as we’ve highlighted articles related to AI), but it’s vitally important to higher education. The ongoing challenges with the FAFSA’s functionality and the potential delays in its release are not just administrative issues; they directly affect students’ access to financial aid, their enrollment decisions, and institutional planning. It is certainly more important to have a fully functional and reliable system for the upcoming academic year than to merely meet a deadline.  

So, while you may be tired of reading about the FAFSA, it’s important that you remain informed about these developments. Doing so enables you to better support your students, advocate for necessary changes, and prepare for potential disruptions. The stability and reliability of the FAFSA system are paramount for ensuring equitable access to higher education and future institutional sustainability.  

How To Understand Tuition Pricing 

From Sticker shock: A look at the complicated world of tuition pricing | Higher Ed Dive   

Ben Unglesbee unpacks how tuition pricing and tuition discounting work in higher education.   

Our Thoughts 

If there’s one piece of advice to take from this article, it is to ignore the sticker price for almost all institutions. Tuition pricing is a complex practice for most institutions, often bundled into the art and science of enrollment management. In fact, Inside Higher Ed recently featured competing articles describing the negative and positive aspects of enrollment management for higher education.   

Unfortunately, tuition discounting is a Gordian knot for higher education—one that will be nearly impossible to untangle without running afoul of antitrust laws. If you seek to understand this process more, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current challenges and complexities of college pricing, particularly the practice of tuition discounting. As we seek to address the challenges facing higher education, it is crucial that we develop more transparent, equitable pricing strategies that better serve both students and institutions.