The Corporation of Mercer University

What it reported doing in 2024

Instruction: the university has 12 colleges and schools. The university's programs include liberal arts, business, engineering, education, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, law, theology, music and health professions. These expenses are related to the direct instruction of higher education. The university serves of 9,000 degree seeking students in the 12 colleges and schools. The university bestowed over 2,600 degrees for the 2024-2025 school year. The peace corps is one of many instructional programs provided at mercer. Mercer currently ranks 4th nationally among peace corps prep certificate issuing institutions. The university's instruction also provides a focus on undergraduate research by providing students with hands-on experience that complements their education. The research can be included in their course based in lab work or faculty led research. Over 26 students made research presentations at the Georgia undergraduate research conference. Another program that allows students with hands-on experience that complements their education is mercer's go baby go program. Since 2016 the program has provided kids with limited mobility by helping them gain more independence through the use of battery powered toy cars. Mercer engineering honor students modify the cars to meet each child's specific needs. As the cars are being modified, about 40 students from the education department interact with the families. The go baby go program has modified over 150 cars since the program's inception.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92.9%; rating input score 93
• Program expense ratio: 95.5%; rating input score 96
• Fundraising efficiency: $20.05 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Scored; rating input score 0

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 98%; rating input score 98; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • 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: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 6.4%; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.43; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.29; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.4%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings