45. Pressure Points: Navigating Price, Value, and Viability in Higher Education Pt. 1

In this two-part conversation, co-hostsShanderson and Pillar are joined by Rebeka Mazzone, Principal at FuturEdFinance, a firm focused on helping colleges and universities navigatelong-term viability in an increasingly competitive market. Rebeka discusses the financial challenges faced by higher education institutions, particularlysmaller ones, and with her extensive experience in financial strategy, she shares insights on how institutions can navigate these challenges effectively.In Part One, Rebeka unpacks the intensifying pricing pressuresfacing small colleges and the structural challenges that threaten financialsustainability. In Part Two, we shift focus to the race to the bottom—atroubling trend in tuition discounting and value perception—and discuss howshort-term decision-making may compromise institutional longevity.If you're a college president, trustee, or accreditation leader grapplingwith strategy and sustainability, this conversation is essential listening.