Overview

An insider's guide to university finances, for non-insiders. The finances of higher education have never been more challenging. From two-year institutions to the Ivy Leagues, from department chairs to provosts, administrators face revenue shortfalls and financial insecurity. A fundamental understanding of financial management is more essential than ever for university leaders at every level—as is a true partnership between academic leaders and their CFOs. In Margin and Mission, Daniel Diermeier and Brett Sweet distill the principles for successful financial management in higher education, based on their work together at Vanderbilt University. Their concise, practical guide develops the reader's understanding step-by-logical-step with the help of real-world examples. Margin and Mission aims to give university leaders, from board members to department chairs, the knowledge to make sound economic decisions that preserve their institutions' purpose—even in the face of uncertainty.

Full Product Details

Author:   Daniel Diermeier ,  Brett C. Sweet
Publisher:   The University of Chicago Press
Imprint:   University of Chicago Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.513kg
ISBN:  

9780226844145

ISBN 10:   0226844145
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   18 December 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Out of stock  
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Table of Contents

Preface 1. No Margin—No Mission 2. The Little Red Schoolhouse: Running a College 3. The Power of Financial Analysis: Scholarships and Fundraising 4. Buildings and How to Maintain Them: Depreciation 5. Follow the Cash 6. Operational Space Planning 7. The Economics of Research 8. Debt, Capital Markets, and Ratings 9. From College to University 10. But What About Parking? 11. Growing as a University Acknowledgments Appendix A: A Brief History of Higher Education in the United States, 1600s to Present Appendix B: Competing Theories for Rising College Tuition: Baumol’s Cost Disease and Bowen’s Four Laws Appendix C: Parkinson’s Law and Constraining Administrative Growth at Universities Appendix D: Evolution of Endowment Spending Rules and Regulations Appendix E: A Brief History of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Rate Evolution in the United States Appendix F: Debt Management and Bond Compliance Appendix G: How Are PhDs Funded? Appendix H: A Brief History of R&D Funding in the United States and Technology Transfer at Universities (the Bayh-Dole Act) Appendix I: Higher Education “Classics” Glossary Notes Index

Reviews

“With clarity and concision, Mission and Margin does a terrific job of providing a primer on university finances for academic leaders (from chairs, deans, and provosts to presidents).” -- Sandro Galea | author of ""Within Reason: A Liberal Public Health for an Illiberal Time"" “Mission and Margin constructs a clear and accessible framework for understanding the financial management of universities for those who may understand the educational mission but have limited knowledge of the subtleties that arise when accounting concepts, appropriate to for-profit enterprises, are applied to universities.” -- John Y. Campbell | Harvard University “This superb volume, full of lucid writing and wonderfully illustrative examples, draws upon insights from decades of academic leadership and offers an invaluable template for financial management.” -- Kerwin K. Charles | dean, Yale School of Management “Mission and Margin distills core principles of financial management in higher education, drawing on the authors’ experience at Vanderbilt University. Essential reading for administrators, trustees, policymakers, and others, Mission and Margin provides the knowledge needed to make sound financial decisions that advance the mission of higher education.” -- Melissa Gilliam | president, Boston University

“With clarity and concision, Mission and Margin does a terrific job of providing a primer on university finances for academic leaders (from chairs, deans, and provosts to presidents).” -- Sandro Galea | author of ""Within Reason: A Liberal Public Health for an Illiberal Time"" “Mission and Margin constructs a clear and accessible framework for understanding the financial management of universities for those who may understand the educational mission but have limited knowledge of the subtleties that arise when accounting concepts, appropriate to for-profit enterprises, are applied to universities.” -- John Y. Campbell | Harvard University

Author Information

Daniel Diermeier is chancellor of Vanderbilt University and formerly the provost of the University of Chicago. He is the author five books, most recently of Reputation Analytics, also published by the University of Chicago Press. Brett Sweet is vice chancellor for finance and information technology and chief financial officer of Vanderbilt University. He formerly was the dean for administration and finance at Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

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