The New Cost Math: A Playbook for Higher Ed Business Officers (Recording)

Recorded On: 08/11/2026

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Higher education institutions are facing sustained financial pressure, making it more important than ever for finance leaders to rethink how they plan, allocate resources, and support institutional strategy.

This session explores two foundational concepts that can help institutions build greater financial resilience: fixed-versus-variable cost analysis and all-funds planning. Learn how these approaches can help protect margins, improve financial visibility, unlock liquidity, and better align resources with institutional priorities in an environment of constrained revenue.

You'll gain a practical framework for understanding your institution's true cost behavior, connecting every fund to strategic goals, and equipping your board, provost, and cabinet with the financial insights needed to make informed decisions. Discover how leading institutions are moving beyond annual budgeting toward more agile, strategy-driven financial planning.

This Partner Webinar is created by Strata Decision Technology and offered free for members thanks to their generous support.

Disha Venkatesan

Vice President, Higher Education Growth

Strata Decision Technology

Disha Venkatesan is an influential leader in the realm of higher education financial strategy and planning. With a notable tenure as vice president of the higher education practice at Kaufman Hall and over five years at Syntellis, she has excelled in driving revenue growth and optimizing resource allocation in higher ed. Her dedication to equipping universities for future challenges is reflected in her development and implementation of advanced budgeting and strategic planning tools, benefiting over 100 institutions. Venkatesan's rich educational background includes a master's of public policy from the University of Virginia, an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business, and executive education from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her innovative problem-solving and leadership skills have markedly enhanced operational efficiency and financial outcomes across universities.

Lise Fitzpatrick

Director, Higher Education Services

Strata Decision Technology

Lise Fitzpatrick is director of higher education services at Strata Decision Technology. Passionate about the impact of higher education on individuals and the economy, Fitzpatrick enjoys empowering colleges and universities to fuel their mission. Her goal is to support clients as they elevate their planning and analytic capabilities to acquire new insights and accelerate informed decision making. She partners with customers to address their toughest financial challenges by integrating and expanding traditional budget processes to include a strategic-to-tactical planning loop. Her experience beyond eight years in technology implementations, product development, and thought leadership includes a long career at Western Washington University serving in a variety of roles including mergers and acquisitions, tuition revenue planning, central budgeting, position control, information systems, operations, and program management. Fitzpatrick holds an MBA from Western Washington University, as well as a BS in finance from the University of Southern California.