Endowment growth in 2011 came in no small part because universities have increasingly invested in private equity--the same private equity that has become a hot-button issue on the 2012 campaign trail, with some candidates and commentators calling into question its social value. Private equity is "of increasing significance" for endowments. It made…

Not all talk is cheap. Especially not if it comes from the mouths of professors, former corporate executives, or Washington insiders who understand the workings of the $20-billion for-profit higher-education industry and how impending tougher regulations might affect it. Then the talk can be worth hundreds of dollars an hour, thanks to the growing…

This Index tracks the performance of eight publicly traded higher-education companies. The index was developed for The Chronicle by the Center for Research in Security Prices at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business.

The deluge of money that private-equity investors have been pouring into buyouts of companies in all sectors of the economy is having a growing impact on higher education. Until recently, outside investors were primarily interested in the for-profit college industry, acquiring family-owned colleges and chains of colleges. Now several of those…

Describes the financial and stock performance of companies in the higher education sector during 2000, and describes how the Chronicle of Higher Education's stock index of for-profit colleges has shown a return of 108 percent since the end of 1999. (EV)

Discusses how Kaplan, the test-preparation company, has purchased 41 for-profit higher education institutions in less than two years, thereby becoming an industry player. (EV)

Discussion of the downtown in Internet stocks related to education focuses on the challenges to colleges and universities as they select companies with which to work. Suggests that companies with strong business models will succeed since investors are looking for profitability, recognized brands, and mature leadership. (DB)

Heavy investment in derivatives, whose value derives from the price movement of some underlying security, has meant heavy losses for some colleges and universities despite the fact that institutional investors are required to assure that they understand the risks of such investment. (MSE)

Discusses how private-equity funds are pouring millions of dollars into higher-education companies, and that college endowments are among the investors. (EV)

Bull markets and increased giving boosted the total value of major college endowments more than $8-billion in fiscal 1993. In addition, despite financial pressures, colleges are enforcing budgetary discipline and restraining spending from their endowment income. A table details the market value of 437 major institutional endowments for June 30,…

Data from 313 colleges and universities indicate major endowments earned a return much higher than last year's and greatly exceeding the 3 percent inflation rate. Average return was still below that of major stock and bond indexes. A few institutions earned over 20 percent. Not all aspects of investment performance are reflected in these figures.…

Describes the efforts of a young investor who travels the country in search of university-based companies. (EV)

In 1992-93 the average total investment return for major college endowments was 13.1%, below most leading stock/bond indexes but well above the inflation rate for the period. Institutions that outperformed the average attributed success to investment in small and midsized U.S. companies and in foreign stocks and bonds. (MSE)