April 2, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM (Eastern)
Many faculty in Ivy+ universities have enjoyed the freedom to teach, conduct research, and serve their departments without concern for the broad forces shaping their universities’ resources and financial strategies. Recent events, however, have exposed the precarious nature of institutional finances amid growing challenges and rapid change. What are the major sources of institutional funding and costs, and how have universities reflected their goals and values through their financial decisions? How have trends changed in recent years, and what do those changes mean for our future? What should faculty know about university finances to engage effectively in discussions about how institutions contend with their economic realities while still advancing their missions?
Our next interactive session will engage participants with:
A good sense of universities’ major revenue and expenditure drivers
The distinct trends and challenges for selective private institutions
Frameworks for thinking about the constantly evolving context and future
This virtual colloquium will be led by Bridget Long, Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor and Saris Professor of Education and Economics in the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Long's research as an economist brings to Ivy+ FAN a scholarly perspective on higher education finance; her practical expertise on the subject has been earned as dean of HGSE (2018-24), board member and advisor to numerous organizations, and experience working with governmental bodies.
ARRIVE TO ENGAGE
What puzzles you most about your university's resources and financial decisions?
What might your president’s, provost’s, or CFO’s latest communications to the academic community referencing the institution’s financial picture tell you about the university’s (or its current stakeholders’) values? Comparing statements from various presidents can be particularly illuminating. (For example, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton.)
PRE-SESSION READINGS RECOMMENDED BY THE COLLOQUIUM LEADER
“Higher Ed Is at a Turning Point. 11 Scholars Predict What’s Next,” Chronicle of Higher Education, The Trends Report 2026 (February 27, 2026).
“Actually, College Is Getting Cheaper,” by Phillip Levine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Review (March 10, 2026).
“The Cost of Excess: Why Colleges and Universities Must Control Runaway Spending,” American Council of Trustees and Alumni (August 17, 2021).
OTHER RESOURCES
Colloquium Leader
BRIDGET TERRY LONG
Bridget Long, Ph.D. is the Saris Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Long is an economist whose work focuses on postsecondary access and success. A member of the HGSE faculty since 2000, Long served as dean from 2018 to 2024, leading the school through a major academic redesign, the COVID pandemic, and the creation of its first online degree. She is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Ivy+ FAN Virtual Colloquium:
Policy & Finance
Dialogues for Ivy+ faculty who want to understand how their universities work and the roles faculty can play in helping them work better.