Palo Alto University

What it reported doing in 2024

Pau's undergraduate programs: b.s. In psychology: pau was granted wscuc approval for a bachelor of science in psychology onsite degree program in 2006, followed by approval to offer a distance education version starting in 2011.b.s. In business psychology: pau was granted wscuc approval for a bachelor of science in business psychology onsite degree program in 2009, followed by approval to offer a distance education version starting in 2011.during the 2024-25 academic year, the undergraduate program welcomed a new cohort of 16 students, graduated 5 students, and experienced 7 withdrawals of the 21 students in the program (33.3% attrition).new doctoral program: phd in counselor education & supervision: this program enrolled its first cohort in fall 2024. The program aims to prepare doctoral students to become culturally-affirming counselor educators and supervisors. The program will conduct a self-study and submit their findings to cacrep for initial accreditation by summer 2026. During the 2024-25 academic year, this program welcomed a new cohort of 8 students, graduated 0 students, and experienced 1 withdrawal of the 8 students in the program (12.5% attrition)the clinics@pau: this clinics@pau is the collective of all pau-operated training clinics. They provide accessible, evidence-based psychological services to the community while serving as clinical training sites for doctoral students under the supervision of licensed psychologists. The community clinic, founded in 1988, offers sliding-scale counseling and psychotherapy to adults, children, adolescents, couples, families, and older adults. The sexual and gender identities clinic (sgic) provides affirming mental health services for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Clinica latina, part of pau's commitment as a hispanic serving institution, delivers bilingual (english/spanish) psychotherapy to the bay area latinx community. In addition, eclinic@pau provides telehealth and digital therapy services to students, adults, and older adults across California while serving as a training site for advanced graduate students families through supervised doctoral trainees.continuing & professional studies (caps): caps at pau provides advanced continuing education for mental health professionals. They provide training through live events, on-demand, self-paced training programs including bundled programs, and certificate pathways, with content curated by subject matter experts. Its flexible, learner-centered programs are designed to meet the needs of working professionals and support skill development, specialization, and professional advancement.in fy 2024-25: live events hosted: 86total participants: 4,868on-demand programs developed: 74total program enrollments: 7,410total unique students*: 3,920*our customers include caps paid customers and pau students.master of social work: master of social work is a new program that enrolled its first cohort in fall 2025. This program is designed to lead directly to licensure as a licensed clinical social worker. It has two tracks: children and youth in school and community settings; and adults in public behavioral health settings. It has been approved by wscuc in 2025 and is in the accreditation process for cswe.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74.4%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 75.1%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.03 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.8%; rating input score 96; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -0.5%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.11; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.48; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.6%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings