NACUBO In Brief

How can colleges and universities build greater resilience before extreme weather strikes? Juan Azcarate, senior managing director at Dallas College, and Beth Kidwell, risk management consultant at United Educators, join NACUBO's Liz Clark to discuss how institutions can move from reacting to weather-related risks to proactively preparing for them. They explore how cross-campus collaboration, business continuity planning, and investing in prevention and training can help institutions prepare for unexpected disruptions and maintain operations when a crisis hits. While business officers play a critical role in building resilience, the conversation highlights that it takes a campus-wide effort to protect people, operations, and resources. Additional Resources Connect with Liz on LinkedIn Learn about University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA) Check outURMIA's Annual Conference, Oct 10-14

Why are some higher education institutions struggling to improve persistence and completion despite widespread investment in student success efforts? Kristin Brooks, strategy director at Complete College America, and NACUBO's Kelli Rainey, senior director for student success initiatives, join Bryan Dickson to explore how strategic finance is an often overlooked yet important part of the student success equation. They discuss cross-campus collaboration that brings business officers to the table as strategic partners to connect budgets and strategic priorities to student outcomes. The conversation also highlights how NACUBO's Student Success Hub and Complete College America are working together to help campuses turn these connections into action—and build approaches they can sustain and strengthen over time. Additional Resources Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn Connect with Kelli on LinkedIn Connect with Kristin on LinkedIn Check out NACUBO's Student Success Hub Learn about Complete College America's Accelerator initiative Check out NACUBO's other podcasts! Career Conversations CBO Speaks

How do strong partnerships between campus chief academic and business officers result in better decisions? Southern Connecticut State University's Julia Irwin, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Lillian Wanjagi, vice president for finance and administration and CFO, join NACUBO's Bryan Dickson to explore the increasingly important relationship between provosts and CBOs. They discuss building trust and transparency, bringing complementary perspectives, and focusing on shared institutional goals when navigating complex decisions. From balancing academic priorities and financial realities to managing change, the conversation highlights how collaboration can strengthen institutions and ultimately better support students. Tune in for the first episode of the season! Additional Resources Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn Connect with Julia on LinkedIn Connect with Lillian on LinkedIn Read more about partnerships between campus academic and business officers: How strong is the relationship between your CFO and provost? Essential Partners: Chief Academic Officers and Chief Financial Officers

What challenges are higher education business officers facing right now—and where are institutions seeking help? NACUBO's Liz Clark is joined by Ruth Johnston, vice president for consulting, to discuss the growing operational, financial, and strategic pressures campuses are navigating. From budget model changes and procurement reviews to process improvement, athletics, and deferred maintenance, they explore how chief business officers are involved in nearly every aspect of campus operations as institutions grapple with financial pressure, uncertainty, and change. The conversation also highlights how NACUBO Consulting helps campuses strengthen decision-making and turn good ideas into actionable strategies. Tune in for the final episode of the season before NACUBO In Brief returns this September. Additional Resources Connect with Liz on LinkedIn Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn Learn more about NACUBO's Consulting Check out the State of Higher Education: Top 5 Business Issues of 2025 Check out NACUBO's other podcasts! Career Conversations CBO Speaks

Holistic advising brings together academic, financial, and personal support to improve student outcomes and retention. NACUBO's Bryan Dickson is joined by Kelli Rainey, senior director for student success initiatives, and Suzanne Lyons, senior consultant at Phase Two Advisory, to explore the critical role business officers play in supporting these efforts strategically. They discuss the cross-functional design behind these practices and how institutions are moving beyond siloed services to scale student-centered models sustainably. The conversation also highlights NACUBO's Student Success Hub, which offers practical tools to help business officers use data to strengthen student success initiatives. Additional Resources Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn Connect with Kelli on LinkedIn Connect with Suzanne on LinkedIn Check out NACUBO's Student Success Hub Learn about Phase Two Advisory Read about NACUBO's student success work alongside Phase Two Advisory and Sova Read about CUNY ASAP (City University of New York's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) Learn more about TRIO programs through the Council for Opportunity in Education Check out this Practice Guide on Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students from the Institute of Education Sciences Check out NACUBO's other podcasts! Career Conversations CBO Speaks