Paychecks Top More Than $1-Million for 23 Private-College Presidents

Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the highest-paid private-college leader in this year's survey, joins 22 other private-college presidents with compensation above $1-million, according to an annual survey of the compensation packages of private-college chiefs (a companion survey of public-college presidents will be released in January). A total of 110 presidents of the 419 private colleges included in the analysis reported total compensation of more than $500,000.

Full-text post by Emma L. Carew and Paul Fain is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 11/1/09.

Moody's Warns of 'Sharp Deterioration' in College Finances

The latest report from Moody's Investors Service on private colleges shows that they are only now starting to feel the pinch of the recession and warns that a "sharp deterioration" is expected in the 2009 data.

Full-text article by Marc Beje is available via The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6.8.09. [Subscription required.]

Private Colleges Worry About a Dip in Enrollment

Decreased enrollment, especially at small colleges with tuition-driven budgets, could mean significant cutbacks to programs and faculty.

Full-text article by Tamar Lewin is available via the New York Times, 12.22.08.

Several presidents of Private Colleges Earn $1 million Plus

A dozen presidents of private colleges earned more than $1 million in compensation during the 2006-07 year, including Northwestern University chief Henry Bienen, who was the second-highest paid college executive in the nation.

The annual survey of presidential pay released Monday by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that 89 private college presidents took home more than $500,000 in annual compensation, more than double those who did five years earlier.

Full-text article by Tara Malone is available via the Chicago Tribune, 11.17.08.

UCAN Network

The National Association of Indpendent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) has created a database that compares private colleges based on specific categories, like class sizes and graduation rates.

The site, at www.ucan-network.org, is free and does not require registration. It lists colleges alphabetically, by state or by affiliation.

U-CAN is the first national consumer information resource created and provided directly to students and parents by colleges and universities themselves. Over 600 private colleges and universities have signed on to participate in the initiative, with over 440 profiles published so far.

Full-text press release via National Association of Independent Colleges, 9.26.07.