Hillsdale College

What it reported doing in 2024

Student instruction hillsdale college maintains its defense of the classical liberal arts curriculum, convinced that it is the best preparation for meeting the challenges of modern life and that it offers to all people of all backgrounds not only an important body of knowledge, but also timeless truths about the human condition. The liberal arts are dedicated to stimulating students' intellectual curiosity, to encouraging the critical, well-disciplined mind, and to fostering personal growth through academic challenge. As such, the college maintains a rigorous core curriculum of 50 academic credits, including required courses in western and american history, the great books, the u.s. Constitution, logic and rhetoric, philosophy, theology, mathematics, the arts and sciences, and more. In addition to the core curriculum, students choose from 30 majors and seven interdisciplinary majors. Seven minors-only programs and nine pre-professional programs are also offered. The four-year undergraduate course of study culminates in a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Hillsdale college is consistently ranked high on lists of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation by such publications as u.s. News & world report, the princeton review, forbes, and kiplinger's personal finance. In addition to its undergraduate program of instruction, the college operates the van andel graduate school of statesmanship on campus, offering master's and doctoral degrees in politics; the steve & amy van andel graduate school of government in Washington, d.c., offering a master of arts degree in government; and the diana davis spencer graduate school of classical education offering a master of arts degree in classical education. The college is committed to the excellence of its students in both intellect and character. This commitment is reflected in the student honor code, which reads, "a hillsdale college student is honorable in conduct, honest in word and deed, dutiful in study and service, and respectful of the rights of others. Through education the student rises to self-government." hillsdale boasts a student-faculty ratio of 8 to 1. It has 170 full-time and 71 adjunct faculty, 91 percent of whom hold the highest degree in their disciplines.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 45.2%; rating input score 45
• Program expense ratio: 60%; rating input score 60
• Fundraising efficiency: $3.69 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Limited
  • Conducts field audits: Limited
  • May suspend future funding: Limited
  • Requires financial reports: Limited
  • Conducts site visits: Limited
  • Requires grant agreements: Limited
  • May require repayment: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.8%; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 94.3%; rating input score 94; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 30.9%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.74; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.9%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 8.6% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings