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Why Are University Endowments Large and Risky?

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  • Thomas Gilbert
  • Christopher Hrdlicka

Abstract

We build a model of universities combining their real production decisions with their choice of endowment size and asset allocation. Variation in opportunity cost, that is, the productivity of internal projects, has a first-order effect on these choices. Adding the UPMIFA-mandated 7% payout constraint, the endowment size and asset allocations match those empirically observed. This constraint has little effect on universities that do not value the output of their internal projects but harms those that do: it prevents the endowment's use as an effective buffer stock, thereby increasing the volatility of production, and it slows the growth of the most productive universities.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Gilbert & Christopher Hrdlicka, 2015. "Why Are University Endowments Large and Risky?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(9), pages 2643-2686.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:28:y:2015:i:9:p:2643-2686.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhv031
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Kalodimos, Jonathan, 2017. "Internal governance and performance: Evidence from when external discipline is weak," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 193-216.
    2. Cejnek, Georg & Franz, Richard & Stoughton, Neal M., 2023. "Portfolio Choice with Endogenous Donations - Modeling University Endowments," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 125.
    3. Manuel Adelino & Katharina Lewellen & W. Ben McCartney, 2022. "Hospital Financial Health and Clinical Choices: Evidence from the Financial Crisis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(3), pages 2098-2119, March.
    4. Paolo Guasoni & Gur Huberman & Dan Ren, 2020. "Shortfall aversion," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 869-920, July.
    5. Campbell, John Y. & Sigalov, Roman, 2022. "Portfolio choice with sustainable spending: A model of reaching for yield," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 188-206.
    6. Drew M. Anderson, 2019. "What Constitutes Prudent Spending from Private College Endowments? Evidence from Underwater Funds," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 14(1), pages 88-114, Winter.
    7. Andrew Ang & Andrés Ayala & William N. Goetzmann, 2018. "Investment beliefs of endowments," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 24(1), pages 3-33, January.
    8. Christopher Avery & Ronald Ehrenberg & Catharine Hill & Douglas A. Webber, 2024. "Endowment Spending Rules," NBER Chapters, in: Financing Institutions of Higher Education, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Jawad, Muhammad & Naz, Munazza, 2023. "Environmental change through financial innovation: A systematic analysis of Program-Related donations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    10. John H Cochrane, 2022. "Portfolios for Long-Term Investors [Rare disasters and asset markets in the twentieth century]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(1), pages 1-42.
    11. Stephen G. Dimmock & Neng Wang & Jinqiang Yang, 2019. "The Endowment Model and Modern Portfolio Theory," NBER Working Papers 25559, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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