Occidental College

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule oacademic program: as a private, co-educational college of the liberal arts and sciences, occidental college seeks to provide its students with a total educational experience of the highest quality, one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world. Founded in los angeles in 1887, occidental was one of the first liberal arts colleges in California and today is one of the country's few liberal arts colleges in an urban setting. Occidental offers undergraduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines and a master's degree in marine biology. Its 1,991 students, drawn from 48 states and territories and 34 countries, choose from 48 majors and minors taught by 203 full-time and 23 part-time faculty. Course work is integrated with opportunities for independent study, community engagement, one of the country's top undergraduate research programs, study in dozens of foreign countries, and the country's only campaign semester and residential united nations programs for undergraduates. Since producing its first rhodes scholar in 1907, occidental has consistently won national and international recognition for academic achievement. The college has been one of the country's leading producers of student fulbright scholars for 20 consecutive years, according to the chronicle of higher education. Dedicated to excellence and equity, occidental also is one of the country's most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York times. Some 80 percent of oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are pell grant recipients; and 14 percent are the first in their family to attend college.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 85.6%; rating input score 86
• Program expense ratio: 85.6%; rating input score 86
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 94.3%; rating input score 94; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • 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: 13.7%; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.96; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.6%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.3% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings