Higher Ed 101: College Budgets Explained

As colleges navigate increasing financial pressure, many struggle to balance mission with sustainability. In this  episode, Jeff and Michael welcome Rick Staisloff, founder of rpk GROUP, for a crash course in how college budgets really work. From centralized vs. decentralized models to the challenges of tuition discounting, Rick breaks down the major drivers of revenue and expense in higher ed. He also highlights why better business intelligence, clearer accountability, and a shift toward ROI thinking are essential for financial sustainability. Whether you're a board member or just curious, this episode offers practical insight into what’s working—and what’s not—in college budgeting. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Gates Foundation.Chapters0:00 - Intro03:45 - How colleges put together their budgets9:05 - Implementation challenges and best practices15:04 - Non-tuition revenue sources26:21 - Cost drivers29:41 - Solving the “Financial Bucket Problem”35:41 - Deferred maintenance38:11 - Shifting to an ROI mindset41:04 - The levers to pull43:14 - On the margins46:44 - College cash sources49:03 - Our most promising strategies Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Sign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedIn Connect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.