Higher education is under financial pressure like never before. Rising costs, shrinking enrollments, and tuition-dependent models are forcing leaders to make hard choices about what to cut and what to protect.

In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Jennifer Gantz, Chief Financial Officer of the Community Solution Education System, about how strategic investment, not austerity, is the key to institutional resilience. Together, they unpack why you can’t cut your way to greatness, how shared governance complicates financial decisions, and what it really takes to align money with mission in today’s higher ed landscape.

In this episode:

• Why cutting costs alone undermines quality and long-term growth.
• How program prioritization, shared governance, and transparency create smarter decisions.
• The leadership mindset CFOs need to stay innovative and adaptive under pressure