Whitney Brady, the newest member of our Institutional Markets team, and I had the pleasure of attending the NACUBO 2026 Annual Meeting. The conference’s theme—"Mission Meets Moment"—captured the reality facing higher education leaders today. Colleges and universities are being challenged to remain steadfast in their core missions while responding to unprecedented financial, technological, and environmental pressures. Throughout the conference, discussions centered on how institutions can balance long-term purpose with near-term realities.

Budget constraints were a consistent topic across virtually every session and conversation, which is unsurprising as budget cuts have dominated the headlines over the past year. Institutional leaders described a challenging financial environment shaped by shifting enrollment patterns (also known as the demographic cliff) and reductions in research funding. These dynamics are forcing universities to make difficult choices about priorities, investments, and resource allocation. The conference theme resonated strongly here, as leaders grapple with protecting their educational missions while adapting to tightening budgets across institutions of all sizes.

Artificial intelligence was everywhere at the conference. Compared with just two years ago, colleges and universities are moving beyond experimentation and increasingly embracing AI as a strategic capability. Leaders discussed opportunities to improve administrative efficiency, enhance the student experience, and support teaching and learning. NACUBO offers many resources for business officers on its website: https://www.nacubo.org/Topics/Artificial-Intelligence. At the same time, many institutions acknowledged the tension between the need to invest in AI and the financial constraints limiting their ability to do so. Several CFOs also shared their disappointment with me in some of the AI capabilities available to them. As the technology quickly evolves, I suspect use cases to increase exponentially.   

An emerging theme this year was the growing focus on severe weather preparedness and institutional resilience. Universities are increasingly considering how climate-related events could impact operations, infrastructure, and business continuity. This reflects a broader effort to ensure institutions can fulfill their missions despite external disruptions. I look forward to diving more into this topic soon.

Several other themes were prevalent throughout the conference, including:

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  Navigating and adapting to federal policy shifts

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  Enhancing the student experience to support recruitment, retention, and success

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  Managing the evolving role and economics of athletics

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  Evaluating mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships

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  Addressing high levels of leadership turnover across higher education

The overarching takeaway from  NACUBO 2026 is that higher education is at an inflection point. Institutions are facing significant financial and operational challenges, yet they are also confronting transformative opportunities, particularly around technology and innovation. The conference's theme, "Mission Meets Moment," served as an apt reminder that success will depend on leaders' ability to remain committed to their institutions' missions while adapting to a rapidly changing environment. The institutions that can effectively balance purpose, resilience, and strategic investment will be best positioned for the future.

For BMO, the conference reinforced the importance of helping higher education clients navigate these complex challenges with strategies that balance financial stewardship, resilience, and long-term growth.