Arnerich Massena Publishes New White Paper: Keeping College Affordable: How to Fund Public University Obligations in a Low-Return Environment


Portland-based investment firm Arnerich Massena, an independent investment advisory firm specializing in endowment & foundation, private wealth management, impact investing strategies, and retirement plan consulting services, announces the publication of its newest white paper, Keeping College Affordable: How to Fund Public University Obligations in a Low-Return Environment.. The paper takes a look at the drastic decrease in public funding for state universities, and how they may be able to recoup those losses through strategies in spending, fundraising, and investment.

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“Public universities really face a crisis in their funding,” notes James Ellis, CFA, senior consultant and co-author of the paper. “States have reduced the support they provide for higher education, and students cannot keep bearing the burden with higher tuition. We want to help public colleges meet their spending needs and fund future investment, without sacrificing the quality of their education or making college unaffordable for students.” The paper outlines the funding crunch and then dives into solutions that can help. Some proposed solutions include:

· Reaching out to alumni as a source of funding: Private universities know the value of their alumni base as a critical source of funding, and public education can follow their example. The paper provides guidance on how to craft successful alumni outreach strategies.

· Corporate sponsorships: A unique and innovative method for funding, corporate sponsorships involve working closely with a local firm to develop programs tailored to train students specifically for employment at that firm. The paper describes how this tactic can serve a multi-purpose function, both providing funding and investment and also better serving students with real-world training and practical knowledge.

· Investment: The paper offers several investment strategies that can help universities reach their long-term return and spending objectives. Discussing solutions that range from using an active investment approach to investing in alternative assets, the paper goes in depth into potential asset allocation strategies that can greatly benefit a portfolio in the current investment environment.  

“Public universities are caught between the rock of reduced government funding and the hard place of already-skyrocketing tuition,” remarks Terri Schwartz, managing director of institutional services. “Our objective is to provide some clear-cut solutions that can help keep public higher education affordable.”

A downloadable version of Keeping College Affordable: How to Fund Public University Obligations in a Low-Return Environment,  as well as a podcast covering the fundamentals of the paper featuring James Ellis, CFA, are available at http://arnerichmassena.com/Research-Resources/

 About Arnerich Massena- Founded in 1991, Arnerich Massena is a Portland-based independent, employee-owned investment advisory firm servicing endowments, foundations, private clients, charitable organizations, trusts and estates, and corporate retirement and profit sharing plans. The firm provides traditional portfolio management and investing for clients, and is also widely known for successfully investing in high-impact areas like water resources, sustainable agriculture, fishing, healthcare, and clean energy technology. Arnerich Massena strives to be a business that exemplifies both corporate citizenship and professional service, and has received awards for its innovations in corporate philanthropy.  More information is available at www.arnerichmassena.com.