Mission Driven —
Aligning Alverno's Future
Alverno College’s Board of Trustees has voted to declare financial exigency after a thorough analysis. This declaration is a proactive measure to restore financial stability and secure
Alverno College’s financial future. The Trustees also reaffirmed their commitment to Alverno’s educational mission, purpose, and sustainability. In addition, they approved a
restructuring of Alverno’s academic majors and programs and approved the budget for the coming fiscal year.
The restructuring plan will realign Alverno’s 43 undergraduate majors down to 29 majors and 25 graduate programs down to 19 programs to focus on student demand and community needs.
At Alverno, we understand that navigating change is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to staying true to our mission while addressing our financial challenges head on. Our dedication ensures that every decision we make is in service of our community and our values, empowering us to adapt and thrive in a changing and challenging landscape. We remain dedicated to providing students a transformational education experience.
Alverno is Evolving Amid Challenges
- The Context of Higher Education: Like many higher education institutions nationally, the demographic shifts resulting in fewer college-aged prospects and inflationary pressures impact Alverno College’s operating budget and require immediate action.
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Declaration of Financial Exigency: Alverno has declared financial exigency. Exigency will provide leadership the ability to restructure the college programs to better
align with the student population and demand.
- Veteran college presidents Charles M. Ambrose and Michael T. Nietzel cite the advantages of financial exigency in their new book, Colleges on the Brink: The Case for Financial Exigency (Rowman & Littlefield), noting exigency is “survivable when done in the right manner, and it offers the most severely stressed colleges a way back from the brink as they become leaner and more fiscally stable, ready to provide the education that students and society need.”
- Operational Excellence: Alverno College is continuously working to be good stewards of students’ tuition dollars. We are reducing operating costs, sharpening focus and restructuring our core curriculum, pursuing innovative approaches of revenue and partnerships.
- Reductions: The college’s plan identifies ways to reduce costs through operational expenses, program reductions and personnel reductions. Given our current reality, these changes are required to gain financial sustainability
- Our Mission: Alverno College remains deeply committed to its faith based and Franciscan values providing a transformational education preparing women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world, extending this mission by offering graduate and adult programs to women and men.
Frequenty Asked Questions
About Alverno College
A Vital Asset to the Milwaukee Region
Alverno serves undergraduate women whose academic and professional success are critical to their families' futures and the Milwaukee region’s many
businesses and organizations. Nearly 70% of Alverno’s incoming undergraduate students are first-generation college students. Almost all full-time students receive scholarships or other
forms of financial aid. For example, 62% of Alverno’s incoming undergraduate students are Pell Grant eligible compared to the national average of 34%. Nearly 60% of students represent
racially or ethnically diverse groups. As of late 2023, more than 1,100 Alverno alums were employed by Milwaukee’s top companies and 70% of Alverno graduates live and work in Wisconsin.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college for women. Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno promotes the academic, personal, and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Certificate programs, digital badges, degree completion programs and graduate programs are open to all genders. A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Jodi Eastberg, Interim VP of Academic Affairs/Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies
jodi.eastberg@alverno.edu
Heidi Anderson-Isaacson, Dean of Student Development and Success
heidi.anderson-isaacson@alverno.edu
President’s Office
president.ac@alverno.edu
