CICU’s Affiliates are high-quality companies that provide good and services to higher education. As CICU Affiliates they demonstrate their support for independent, nonprofit higher education by supporting CICU events and initiatives, as well as finding and providing solutions for CICU member institutions.

Acadeum is a network of colleges and universities committed to sharing their best online courses to improve student progress. More than 300 colleges and universities now use Acadeum’s Academic Sharing Platform to access, discover and exchange high-quality courses that meet their students’ needs.

Contact: Nathan Green, Co-founder, VP of Northeast Accounts

AffinityLTC has specialized in providing Long Term Care insurance solutions to private, non-profit, higher education institutions for over 16 years.  AffinityLTC is recognized as one of the top firms in the LTC marketplace.

Endorsed by The Coalition of Cost Savings (CCCS) as an exclusive provider for LTCI to its 35 Member Associations and almost 1,000 institutions of Private Higher Learning. AffinityLTC has partnered with The Coalition since 2008 to offer true group LTCi products with unique benefits and limited underwriting to higher education clients and their families. We have successfully implemented more than 170 enrollments across your peer institutions of private higher education.

Contact us to hear about the latest product in the Long Term Care marketplace. We can implement an employee benefit for your employees at no cost to your institution!

Primary contact: Amy Ewbank, amy@affinityltc.com , 717-737-3060 x2 

Alera Group is one of the largest independent employee benefit firms in the U.S. For CICU Members, Alera Group offers a Health4Edu Program designed to drive the best possible pricing and performance for healthcare plans at Higher Education Colleges and Universities. The Health4Edu Program has reduced healthcare budgets by an average of 15-20% and protects campus autonomy (i.e., you do NOT need to change any plan designs, carriers, eligibility, employee contributions, etc.). The Health4Edu Program, in its 8th year, has over 12,000 members and CICU is bringing this to its members as an opportunity for review.

Contact Kyle Crosley for additional information.

For decades, Ambassador has made course materials simple, effective and affordable. From print and digital to OER, devices and more, Ambassador eases course materials adoption, management, delivery and access. Ambassador’s Course Materials Platform, RODA, integrates with leading SIS, LMS, financial systems, eBook readers, publishers and digital content platforms. RODA connects students with affordable course materials, streamlines operations for schools and eases account management and reconciliation for publishers, all through one easy-to-use platform. Schools and publishers trust Ambassador to improve course materials accessibility, lower operational and financial risks, and deliver usage and cost transparency. For more information, please visit AmbassadorEd.com.

Contact: Bruce Schneider, Vice President of Business Engineering, 631-770-1010, x1037

As higher education’s largest provider of managed technology services, Apogee helps colleges and universities align their technology goals within their strategic plans. Its comprehensive Managed Campus Suite includes campus-wide network services that connect the campus to enhance learning outcomes, video that transforms the way students learn, and new digital engagement technologies that captivate students. Partnering with Apogee enables schools to derive greater return on their IT investments and increases student satisfaction while achieving budget stability and predictability. Find out more at Apogee at apogee.us.

Contact: Jeanne Frawley, Director of Business Development, Northeast, 937-361-9832

Associated Safetygroup Management specializes in providing custom workers’ compensation plans specifically for educational institutions.

ASM manages and operates the only safety group for higher education schools in the state of New York. A safety group is a fully guaranteed, totally encompassing workers’ compensation program. The program not only handles all aspects of coverage and operation, but also offers unparalleled value due to its industry leading dividend program. For anything related to workers’ compensation law or your individual policy, ASM becomes your one and only call.  Lower cost, unequaled service, no headaches. Let ASM solve your comp puzzle for you.

For more information call Michael Cerbone, Vice President, Associated Safetygroup Management, 1-631-271-0041, asmnewyork.weebly.com/.

Baker Tilly is a full-service advisory and accounting firm, providing assurance, tax, internal audit and consulting services to colleges and universities, higher education systems and research institutions. In addition to financial statement audit and tax services, we collaboratively address strategic areas such as risk management, research compliance, cybersecurity, talent management, cost reduction, fraud, construction, and other strategic and operational issues. We are adept at crafting effective strategies and approaches to meet the ever-evolving needs found in college and university settings. For details about how Baker Tilly can help your institution, please visit www.bakertilly.com/higher-education.

Contact: Dave Capitano, National Practice Leader Higher Education, (717) 718-6918; Ellen Labita, Partner – New York Higher Education Services, (631) 719-3232.

Bond, Schoeneck & King, with 285 lawyers, has served colleges and universities in New York State and throughout the United States, for more than 80 years. Among the firm’s wide array of award-winning practices are its higher education and collegiate sports practice groups, with more than 75 lawyers combined. We have a solid reputation for providing exceptional counsel focused on the special needs of higher education. Our clients trust that we thoroughly understand the inner workings of their institutions, grasp campus dynamics and stay up to date on contemporary pressures and the increasingly complicated regulatory environment in which they operate. Learn more about our Higher Education Practice.

Contact: Monica B. Barrett, co-chair, at (646) 253-2314; Peter A. Jones, co-chair, at (315) 218-8337; or Philip J. Zaccheo, co-chair, at (315) 218-8113.

Bottom Line Advisors is a strategic expense reduction firm that is laser focused on reducing outside operating expenses. They have generated more than $10 million in trackable savings over the past few years, identifying savings opportunities in areas where many people think it is not possible. Their clients are no longer forced to purchase fewer products and services- they just pay less for what they already buy. This includes everything from software to services, hardware, supplies, etc. Bottom Line Advisors generates savings by negotiating with each client’s most important vendors and suppliers to obtain the best possible pricing. Their negotiations typically save 20%-50% in the most significant expense categories, and they have a 90% success rate in doing so. 

Their services are 100% performance based. Their only fees are a percentage of what they save. What Bottom Line Advisors brings to the table is reducing the cost of what you currently purchase and giving you the ability to reallocate those resources accordingly. They are currently working with several CICU member institutions and are eager to work with yours.

Contact Jeff Silver, President.  716-481-6853  Jeff@bottomlineadvisors.com

A Collaborative partner

Centrica Business Solutions (Centrica) is a leading North American Energy Services Contractor with offices in Rochester, Syracuse, and headquartered in Albany. Centrica provides innovative, unique, and cost-effective turnkey solutions such as Solar PV, Building Controls, Lighting, and Mechanical Upgrades that address aging infrastructure and sustainability goals. We have flexible contracting options and a proven process for project development, design, procurement, management, and implementation, having built over 130 educational facility projects to date. Our team works with all NY utilities, and other partners to maximize available incentives, including tax benefits now available to Not-for-profits through the Inflation Reduction Act Legislation.

Contact: Abigail Gerdes, Higher Education Account Executive. P: (518)-406-0322 E: Abigail.gerdes@centrica.com

Link to schedule a 30-minute appointment to model preliminary scenarios customized to your College or University: Schedule Appointment

A Collaborative partner

As a leading advisory, assurance, and tax firm, CohnReznick helps forward-thinking organizations achieve their vision by optimizing performance, maximizing value, and managing risk. Clients benefit from the right team with the right capabilities; proven processes customized to their individual needs; and leaders with vital industry knowledge and relationships. Headquartered in New York, NY with offices nationwide, the firm serves organizations around the world through its global subsidiaries and membership in Nexia International.

CohnReznick has a dedicated Not-for-Profit & Education Industry practice, which works with the boards, executives and staff of educational institutions to help build and maintain sustainable organizations. We provide higher education institutions with customized solutions and peace of mind. From evaluating key performance indicators, to enhancing governance, to minimizing risks, to improving controls and processes, we help make your organization’s mission possible.

We promote an inclusive and diverse firm culture that develops industry-focused leaders, dedicated to excellence, integrity, and reliability. Our Not-for-Profit and Education Industry professionals are passionate about supporting clients’ missions and making the world a better place. Our team’s insights, backgrounds, capabilities and viewpoints have helped not-for-profits optimize their resources, respond to financial challenges, improve governance, identify and mitigate risks, and provide greater transparency to their stakeholders.

To learn more about CohnReznick’s Not-for-Profit and Education Practice click here.

For the Not-for-Profit Governance and Financial Management Resource Center click here

Contacts: Jason Mintz, CPA, Senior Manager, 973-871-4054; Patricia McGowan, Partner and Education Industry Segment Leader, 959-200-7007.

Collegis Education is a strategic partner whose revenue-growth solutions help colleges and universities maximize their enrollment potential through data-rich, technology-enabled marketing, engagement and retention services. With more than two decades of experience in higher education, the Collegis team develops holistic, interconnected strategies that enable institutions to realize long-term growth in accord with their mission and values. For more information about Collegis Education, please visit CollegisEducation.com.

COVID-19 Information

Contact: Bob King, Executive Vice President – Partner Strategy

A Collaborative partner

Cullen and Dykman is a full-service law firm that has been providing legal services to clients for more than 170 years.

The firm’s Higher Education practice group is a multidisciplinary team committed to helping colleges and universities navigate the ever-changing higher education landscape. Our attorneys are experienced in the many issues affecting academic institutions on a daily basis, including student affairs, regulatory compliance, labor and employment, governance, bond financing, tax, charitable giving, intellectual property, real estate, internal investigations, litigation, and others. 

In addition to advising on day-to-day matters, Cullen and Dykman is uniquely experienced in advising colleges and universities considering strategic opportunities as well as those facing financial challenges. Our team assists institutions in evaluating the viability of potential long-term solutions given the institution’s financial runway and carrying out potential strategic transactions, including obtaining regulatory, accreditor, and other required approvals, or, in a worst-case scenario, guiding the institution and its Board in developing and implementing a plan for an orderly closure and winding down of the institution’s affairs

Our higher education attorneys bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to service colleges and universities generally and are often retained for project-specific engagements as an efficient way to address critical matters and their legal implications. Mindful of the economic realities facing academic institutions, our focus is on providing practical solutions to complex legal problems that avoid unnecessary burden and expense. 

Dina Vespia
Co-Chair, Higher Education Practice
Cullen and Dykman LLP
T: 516.357.3726
E: dvespia@cullenllp.com   

Jennifer McLaughlin
Co-Chair, Higher Education Practice
Cullen and Dykman LLP
T: 516.357.3889 | F: 516.357.3792 
E: jmclaughlin@cullenllp.com

Know your buildings inside and out with reliable as-built drawings and an accurate existing conditions survey of your campus. Whether it is to renovate an existing building or prepare for a capital project, colleges and universities have trusted Existing Conditions’ experience and expertise for over 25 years. Existing Conditions provides an accurate, mutual point of departure on building projects, and we’ve had the privilege to work on some of the most historic and high-profile academic campuses in the United States. From architectural floor plans and virtual tours to 3D laser scanning and drone surveys, we know what’s required to get the job done right.

Trust the experts at Existing Conditions. Get situational awareness about your buildings and empower your team with the confidence to make smart decisions based on accurate data. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation by sending us an email or giving us a call at 617 247 9161.

A Collaborative partner

Your Key to Better Managed Cybersecurity Operations

Guardian 365 is an always-on cybersecurity service offering end-to-end protection, detection, and remediation of attacks on your users, servers, and endpoints delivered by Forsyte IT Solutions.  Forsyte is an award-winning, Microsoft certified Security Solutions partner focused on helping customers configure, test, and deploy Microsoft 365 and Azure Security Solutions.  Because Forsyte is 100% dedicated to Microsoft technology, our team provides a higher degree of technical mastery than our competitors.

We Make Security Easy

Protecting your college or university from security breaches is the #1 goal to managing security operations. Built entirely on the Microsoft Security Stack, Guardian 365 includes comprehensive security assessment, deployment, and monitoring services aimed at preventing security gaps and incidents. Guardian 365 provides peace of mind and creates savings by freeing resources for work on other IT projects, decreasing the duration of threat response, and – most importantly – lessening the cost of cybersecurity insurance and incidents.

To learn more, contact Jeremy Fass, 804-299-4799

FORVIS National Higher Education Group serves the various needs of more than 200 public and private colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Clients look to FORVIS for strategic solutions that demonstrate foresight, transparency and accountability. Our dedicated team of advisors works with schools of all shapes and sizes, offering audit, tax and consulting services, including financial sustainability support, cybersecurity, enterprise risk management, forensics and litigation support. Learn how FORVIS can assist your organization at Higher Education | FORVIS and don’t forget to check out FORsights, our series of award-winning content to help you navigate the financial landscape.

Contact: Higher Education practice partner, Rick Cole, 646.253.5230.

A Collaborative partner

A Collaborative partner

Research shows that video + feedback is the magic formula for skill development, building student self-awareness combined with actionable feedback by a trusted instructor, mentor or peer. Schools have come to GoReact to do just that, while humanizing and simplifying skills-based learning through a proven tool built for education. With simple, flexible tools for experiential learning, Nursing, Education, Communication, Health Sciences, Public Speaking, Business, and Performing Arts programs have found all learners developing and demonstrating skill competency progression. Academic institutions and training programs around the world have excelled at facilitating scalable video observation, coaching, and assessment.

CICU NY members receive preferred pricing for Spring 2022 Pilots as well as the 2022-2023 academic year to empower confident skills in any discipline. Helpful links:

Video + Feedback for Higher Education

Nursing Skills Validation: Doing the Math on Faculty Time

Closing the Theory-Practice Gap in Nursing with Video Assessment

Contact: Sam Farley, Director of Sales, 801-717-3429

Grand River Solutions, Inc. is a service provider dedicated to helping campuses and communities develop effective, practical and sustainable responses to equity issues, including Title IX, Title VII, VAWA, and Clery Act compliance. We provide a broad range of services to support and assist an institution achieve its equity goals. Our services include conducting investigations, hearings, and appeals; formal and informal resolution; training; process and policy assessment; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and consulting; mentoring/coaching and more.

Contact: Martha Compton, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Client Relations, 650-383-4753 x114

A Collaborative partner

Hogan Marren Babbo & Rose is a full service law firm focusing on the needs of higher education clients.  Our practice focuses on federal and state regulatory issues, accreditation concerns, transactional matters, litigation and investigations (including Title IX and other forms of misconduct), NCAA issues, privacy compliance and breach response, student affairs, and board governance.  Our practice features former officials with the US Department of Education Office of the General Counsel, Office for Civil Rights, Office for Federal Student Aid, the NCAA and counsel to accreditation bodies.   

Contact: Dennis Cariello, Shareholder, 212-422-4900

IMA is the third largest privately held insurance brokerage firm in the United States, with an office in Harrison, NY. IMA’s dedicated higher education practice is committed to driving down colleges and university’s net cost of their property & casualty insurance program.

As specialists in designing and implementing association-sponsored collaborative insurance programs for over 70 colleges and universities, IMA has helped clients achieve an average of 20% premium savings. In addition, IMA’s clients have been able to increase limits and reduce deductibles while maintaining the flexibility to tailor programs for their institution. 

For colleges not yet in the program, IMA’s proprietary and complimentary assessment/benchmarking process will allow CFOs and Risk Managers to efficiently and effectively quantify gaps and identify opportunities for improvement. Our higher education team knows the NY insurance marketplace especially well.

Please reach out to Chad DeLine in the Higher Education Practice for additional information regarding the assessment and program success, at 303-615-7724 (Direct), 303-919-9648 (Mobile).

Instructure revolutionized the online learning environment for students, educators, and LMS administrators with the creation of its cloud native LMS, Canvas. With truly unmatched reliability, openness in architecture, mobile functionality, and its intuitive interface, Canvas quickly became the most widely adopted learning management system in US Higher Education. Instructure continues to develop Canvas in close collaboration with its user community and add to its core functionality with a suite of extensions designed to expand the LMS platform; Catalog, Studio, Impact, and Credentials.

Contact: G.K. Risser, Enterprise Regional Director of Higher Education

Jenzabar is a privately owned company that delivers cloud-based ERP, SIS, HCM, Financial Aid, Recruitment, Retention, and other critical solutions and services to higher education institutions of all sizes so they can evolve alongside and adapt to the rapidly changing needs of today’s learners. Jenzabar’s market-leading, award-winning solutions enable colleges and universities to find, attract, and retain their best-fit students. In 2022, Jenzabar acquired Spark451, a full-service marketing and technology firm that provides comprehensive enrollment strategies and support, further strengthening Jenzabar’s goal to empower institutions with the resources and tools to identify and recruit their right-fit students amid changing student demographics.

Backed by 40+ years of industry experience, Jenzabar supports 1,400+ campuses worldwide with powerful solutions that enable long-term success for both institutions and their students. It is Jenzabar’s mission to create pathways that empower all to know who they are, what work they are destined to do, and how they can unlock their full potential — at home, at work, and in the world.

Jenzabar’s student systems have been the most-selected solutions in the market for the past 15 years, with 166 institutions choosing Jenzabar’s student systems between 2020-2022. To learn more, contact Daniel DeNardy.

The KeyBank Public Sector group encompasses a team of professionals dedicated to delivering value-added capital markets and banking products and services to higher education institutions, governments, and national non-profit organizations. Our team works with private and public colleges and universities across New York, providing strategic solutions for a variety of financing and banking matters.

Contact: Brendan Baxter, Vice President, 518-257-8501.

We are experts in recovering money due our clients from settled class action settlement funds.  MCAG does not bring actions, we monitor for eligible settlement opportunities on our clients’ behalf.

Our unique blend of state-of-the-art technology, extraordinary research capabilities, wide-ranging partnerships, and deep domain expertise ensures that MCAG clients are informed of all pertinent opportunities to receive the maximum recoveries they are due—and all deadlines are met to file a complete and timely claim with minimal effort on the part of our clients’ staff.

For more information, please contact Kimberly Johnson (800) 355-0466 x2630 , or you may visit MCAG’s website for CICU members.

A Collaborative partner

A Collaborative partner

Mindstream is a management consulting firm focused on the needs of private, non- profit colleges and universities. Over the last 20 years we have used our expertise and our keen understanding of higher education realities to help our clients drive revenues, promote cost savings, and become financially sustainable. And just as we’ve helped our clients, we can help you with: 

  • Holistic and rigorous academic program prioritization reviews.
  • Top to bottom organizational reviews.
  • Customized enrollment management and marketing prescriptive models.
  • Faculty and staff classification and compensation plans.

 Contact: Joseph Garcia, President, 210-316-0510

Organic Waste Reduction and Conversion more commonly known as OWARECO, LLC is a materials management solutions company focused on providing innovative approaches to the challenges posed by waste to businesses, institutions and communities. OWARECO leverages a decade of collaborative partnerships with leading research and educational institutions, green technology development manufacturers, and cutting-edge upcycling companies to provide a suite of customized and comprehensive solutions of scale across multiple industries. OWARECO assists environmentally conscious clients in their transition from linear and extractive practices to more sustainable regenerative models. Owareco’s technology solutions are utilized by hotels, hospitality and entertainment venues, healthcare and educational institutions, municipalities, and governmental agencies worldwide. Contact Myron Alexander to learn more.

Business offices play a critical role in education and are the building blocks of student success and an enhanced student experience. Paymerang, a strategic partner and prominent Accounts Payable (AP) Automation provider provides a streamlined invoice and payment automation platform that brings AP departments into the modern age. The platform enables institutions to serve their vendors better through more payment options and enhanced vendor support. Paymerang saves AP departments thousands of hours annually, enhances visibility, increases accuracy, improves efficiency, and earned rebates while reducing paper, fraud risks, and operating costs. This allows teams to focus on more student-facing activities and projects while exploring new ways to run their institutions more strategically and profitably.

Contact: Tom Smith, Vice President, 804-395-6193

Phillips Lytle prides itself on partnerships with college and university clients, and has a deep understanding of the structure, challenges, requirements, sensitivities and expectations of higher education institutions.  Our bench strength spans from board governance to faculty handbook disputes to privileged compliance audits.  We provide advice to our clients regarding allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, student/faculty misconduct, discrimination, criminal violations, safety or security violations, and hazing.  With Title IX trained attorneys on staff, Phillips Lytle has extensive experience investigating allegations of sexual misconduct, discrimination and harassment, and acts as a strategic partner with Title IX coordinators and Human Resource Directors in their internal investigations.  We also vigorously defend our Education clients against government investigations and private lawsuits.  Learn more about our Higher Education Industry Team.

Contact:  Amanda L. Lowe, Co-Leader of the Education Practice Team, 716-504-5747; Linda T. Prestegaard, Co-Leader of the Education Practice Team, 212-508-0425.

Phillips Lytle is a preeminent law firm with more than 170 attorneys in nine offices across New York State and in Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.; and Canada.

Since our founding in 1834, the firm’s attorneys have been consistently recognized for legal excellence in service to local, national and international clients.

A value added reseller of computer software, hardware and peripherals; ScholarBuys’ mission is to provide exceptional service that empowers the academic community.  Our niche focus is group purchasing.  We help academic consortia across the United States harness their collective strength in the marketplace for IT-related goods and services with companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Cylance and VMware.  ScholarBuys is recognized as a premier education consortium-focused vendor because of our service-orientated approach.  Our goal is to maximize the participation and overall value of the group purchasing agreements we help manage for CICU, enabling member institutions to maximize their investments in these technologies.

CICU’s dedicated representative at ScholarBuys is Mike Brown.  He can be reached at (877) 999-9294.

Segal is a highly respected partner for colleges and universities seeking to create dynamic and comprehensive human resources, benefits and organizational development strategies to support their institutional goals and objectives. Segal’s dedicated, cross-functional higher education practice offers broad experience and deep understanding of the dynamics of academic institutions. Their size, decision-making process and consulting philosophy enable them to tailor our approach to suit each institution’s needs.

Contact: Mr. Kelly Jones, Senior Vice President, National Higher Education Practice Leader, 216-687-4434

Teaching Channel’s mission is to create an environment where teachers and teachers in training can watch, share, and learn new techniques to help every student grow. We believe teachers should have opportunities to learn from each other, and video has become an essential component in helping educators see a broad range of approaches for working with students and for fostering self-reflection. Teaching Channel transcends other Professional Development providers by offering videos, lessons and observational tools that help teachers feel confident and supported in their efforts to understand and address learning trends, ultimately impacting the quality of teaching and learning. The Teaching Channel video library has over 1400 classroom videos of exemplar teachers – teaching in real classrooms with real students from across the country.

Contact: Peter Steiner, Senior Account Executive, Teaching Channel

TIAA was founded in 1918 to help teachers retire with confidence. That mission grew to include those in healthcare and more, creating reliable income for their futures while they work to make a difference today.

Our commitment to be the change—for our clients, associates, and communities—has never wavered and it’s what motivates us to deliver lifetime income for all with investments that build a better world.

Contact: James Summerlin, Senior Director, Strategic Client Engagement, 704-988-2391

TimelyCare is the leading virtual health and well-being solution in higher education that enables colleges and universities to improve student outcomes through equitable, on-demand access to care. With mental health, medical, basic needs, peer support, and self-care resources, TimelyCare is the unparalleled total health solution for students.

Visit TimelyCare for more information.

Contact: Molly King, Sr. Strategic Systems Manager

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