1. D.2 The institution’s educational responsibilities take primacy over other purposes, such as generating financial returns for investors, contributing to a related or parent organization, or supporting external interests.

All decisions made by the College are measured against the College Mission.    The Miller College Board of Trustees annually approves the operating budget of the College.  The budget is sent to the Miller College Board of Trustees in May and acted upon at the June meeting.  The Miller College Board of Trustees is very active in its review of fiscal matters and continually expresses the importance of fiscal integrity.  As the College has received substantial donations from the Miller and Binda Foundations in support of College operations, copies of audits and regular reports of the College are sent to them as well.

The yearly operating budget provides evidence of the College’s focus on the educational responsibilities and reflects the mission of the College.  The College Mission that guides all decisions is highlighted below:

The Robert B. Miller College is a private, independent, nonprofit, degree-granting institution offering quality education.  The College meets the educational needs of a diverse student population by allowing them to complete their educational programs in a variety of learning formats.

The mission is to graduate students who exhibit a high level of competence in their area of study and demonstrate service to the community.  The College values student learning, critical thinking, oral and written communication skills, and an understanding of a globally-oriented world.

The academic goals of the College are located in The Strategic Plan (revised Fall 2012)  and reflected in the College Mission, the School Mission Statements, the School Learning Outcomes, and the School Philosophy Statements. These documents have been reviewed by the internal governance structure and approved by the Miller College Board of Trustees in congruence with the College Mission. 

A considerable portion of the budget is regularly invested in the development and maintenance of learning resources and technologies to support curriculum and ensure student learning and effective teaching.  These budget materials provide documentation that all of Miller College’s expenditures are directly related to the support of planning and development of educational programs. 

As a result of a Contractual Agreement with Kellogg Community College for the leasing of the building, use of library resources, other facilities and technology, Miller College does not face many of the direct and indirect expenses that impact resource allocation, but instead is able to focus its resources in support of educational programs. 

The College has no external interests and does not generate financial returns or have investors in the institution.  The College is owned by the Miller Foundation and does not have athletic teams. The College budget includes the following categories for Salaries, Fringe Benefits, Fixed Operating Cost, and General Operations such as Instructional Services, Student Services, Marketing Services, and General Services.