In November 2023, Brandeis’ Division of Business and Finance released their financial statements for the 2022-23 school year and hosted a town hall meeting to walk through the data. They emphasized working on increasing transparency. While undergraduate net tuition, housing/dining and use of the endowment are relatively stable due to decreasing graduate enrollment, they predict a challenging stretch ahead to hit fundraising goals. 

The largest chunk of revenue came from student tuition and fees — not accounting for financial aid — which adds up to $179,867,000. Residence hall and dining costs came second with $50,334,000 and the endowment third with $63,586,000. At the town hall, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Samuel Solomon shared that Brandeis is planning to draw 5.7% of the endowment fund for the 2023-24 year, but is aiming to lower that percentage to 5% within the next few years. At the end of the 2023 fiscal year, the endowment was valued at $1.2 billion. 

 Solomon emphasized that Brandeis is a “people-driven business,” as 60-65% of Brandeis’ money is spent on staff, faculty and students. However, the team is forecasting a loss of almost $2 million the next fiscal year due to lower graduate enrollment and below-budget undergraduate employment. Budget cuts have been reflected in delayed gym renovations, cut graduate programs such as the musicology and composition program and struggles to fulfill housing specifications for students. 

 Solomon explained that Brandeis’s overarching principles are to maintain a balanced budget, meet financial need for all undergraduate students, keep tuition rate increases “reasonable” and ensure that employee well-being is “paramount.” Predictions on enrollment are based on “popular input and trends.”

To account for the $2 million loss last year, for the upcoming years key budget priorities include fundraising, a campaign for advertising Brandeis and account for escalating operating expenses. Furthermore, the Division of Business and Finance is ambitious in their goals to invest in long-term capital projects such as renewing housing and expanding the chemistry lab. They continue to focus on enhancing student life, human resources and other university-wide initiatives.