Manish Kumar

Finance and Administration provides service to the campus community in all aspects of the University’s financial affairs, including financial planning, policy and analysis, financial records and reporting, budget development, cash management, risk management, management of the audit process, and the development and implementation of a comprehensive technology plan. Additionally, Human Resources, Facilities Management and University Police fall under the Finance and Administration umbrella, providing services that are essential to the function of the University.

Meet Vice President Kumar

Manish Kumar joined Northeastern in January of 2020 as Vice President of Finance and Administration. As chief financial officer, Kumar provides strategic direction and leadership of departments supporting daily operations across the entire University.

Responsibilities

Kumar supervises all aspects of the University’s financial affairs, including financial planning, policy and analysis, financial records and reporting, budget development, cash management, risk management, purchasing, management of the audit process, and the development and implementation of a comprehensive technology plan. Additionally, Human Resources, Facilities Management and University Police fall under the Finance and Administration umbrella, providing services that are essential to the function of the University.

Experience

Kumar has worked at Fortune 10 companies, including American Express, as well as large state universities, including Rutgers University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Idaho. Along with his many years managing all aspects of financial services, he also has deep experience in project management and strategic planning. At both Rutgers and Idaho universities, Kumar was a member of their business school faculties.

Kumar has published journal articles, presented at conferences and been a guest on podcasts on the topics of supply chain leadership, financial aid and other higher education issues.  

In 2023, he received the President’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Award for significantly advancing the NEIU’s goals in the areas of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Kumar has been a member of the Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative Board since 2020.

Education

Kumar earned his MBA at Northeastern University, Boston. He is currently working towards his Ph.D. in supply chain management at the University of Greenwich, London. He has completed certificate programs at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rutgers Business School, and through the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) Institute for Leadership and Governance in Higher Education.

Podcast, Panel Discussions

  • National Association for Chief Business Officers (NACUBO). Summer 2023, an accepted presentation titled: NEIU for You Scholarship Program: Promoting Access, Affordability, and Student Success.
  • National Association for Chief Business Officers (NACUBO). January 2023, CBO Speaks Award-Winning
  • Podcast: Reflections & Inspirations from Chief Business Officers in Higher Education.
  • National Association for Chief Business Officers (NACUBO). October 2022, Emerging Leaders Programs Panel: "Conversations with Chief Business Officers"

Department Notable Grants

  • State of Illinois - Illinois Board of Higher Education, Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund – Formula 1.0, "To provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education in recruiting and retaining postsecondary students who are most at risk of not continuing their college education, including students of color, first- generation, rural, and Pell-eligible students," 7/14/2020 to 9/30/2022 $3,459,307
  • State of Illinois - Illinois Board of Higher Education, Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund – Formula 2.0, "To provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education in recruiting and retaining postsecondary students who are most at risk of not continuing their college education, including students of color, first-generation, rural, and Pell-eligible students," 7/01/2021 to 9/30/2023 $700,856
  • State of Illinois - Illinois Board of Higher Education, Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund - Competitive, "To provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education in recruiting and retaining postsecondary students who are most at risk of not continuing their college education, including students of color, first-generation, rural, and Pell-eligible students," 7/14/2020 to 9/30/2022 $456,286
  • U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) - Student Portion, "To provide emergency grants to help students meet urgent, basic needs including food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare, and childcare due to the coronavirus," 05/06/2020 to 6/30/2023 $15,913,851
  • U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) - Institutional Portion, "To help support remote/distance and COVID safe learning measures," 05/06/2020 to 6/30/2023 $20,935,385
  • U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) - Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Portion, "To help support remote/distance and COVID safe learning measures," 05/06/2020 to 6/30/2023 $2,372,430

Finance and Administration Annual reports

Finance and Administration in the News