College of the Ozarks

The information on this page was last updated 3/19/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

C of O is committed to its founding mission of providing a quality, Christian education to those who are found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to obtain such training. Instead of paying tuition, all full-time students work campus jobs to defray the cost of education. Upon complete participation in the Work Education Program, the College guarantees to meet the entire cost of education for students, allowing them the opportunity to graduate debt-free. The College openly discourages debt by not participating in any government loan programs and leads by example through having no institutional debt of any kind.


Contact information

Mailing address:
College of the Ozarks
100 Opportunity Ave
Point Lookout, MO 65726

Website: cofo.edu

Phone: 1-800-222-0525

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 440556862

CEO/President: Dr. Brad Johnson

Chairman: General Terrence R. Dake

Board size: 18

Founder: James Forsythe

Ruling year: 1941

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 05/31

Member of ECFA: No

Member of ECFA since:


Purpose

The vision of College of the Ozarks is to develop citizens of Christlike character who are well-educated, hard-working, and patriotic.

To achieve this vision, the College has Academic, Vocational, Christian, Patriotic and Cultural pillars. Even as College of the Ozarks has evolved through secondary and junior college stages to the present four-year liberal arts institution, the fundamental pillars have remained the same.


Mission statement

The mission of College of the Ozarks is to provide the advantages of a Christian education for youth of both sexes, especially those found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to procure such training.


Statement of faith

As an interdenominational school, the college affirms two basic, historical statements to describe the faith it hopes to foster.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

- Apostles' Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

- Nicene Creed

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

C

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Colleges/Universities

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating502 of 110172 of 129
Fund acquisition rating302 of 110234 of 129
Resource allocation rating455 of 110259 of 129
Asset utilization rating808 of 1101110 of 129

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
9%4%3%3%5%4%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
2%1%1%1%1%1%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
22%15%22%26%12%14%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
2%1%1%1%1%1%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
78%85%78%74%88%86%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
84%86%88%89%87%86%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
95%69%83%96%83%78%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
77%59%73%86%73%67%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
5%31%17%4%17%22%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
5%5%2%1%3%3%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
13%13%11%11%12%13%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.510.120.100.140.140.12
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
2.611.571.541.661.691.65
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.400.190.150.240.230.19
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
8.6362.6569.6250.5454.3564.77
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.120.020.010.020.020.02
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
7.3763.3078.7549.8750.5761.57
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
24%4%4%6%5%5%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
11%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
151%811%981%662%686%818%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20222021202020192018
Cash$3,656,394$6,089,824$6,476,288$2,682,354$1,435,191
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$6,549,814$6,557,235$10,080,802$5,523,758$5,103,075
Short-term investments$491,529,191$544,121,733$383,080,982$375,323,646$405,144,115
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$501,735,399$556,768,792$399,638,072$383,529,758$411,682,381
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$118,015,145$107,543,569$104,893,955$102,453,378$99,198,164
Other long-term assets$167,738,685$193,027,748$160,517,734$160,816,563$166,607,483
Total long-term assets$285,753,830$300,571,317$265,411,689$263,269,941$265,805,647
Total assets$787,489,229$857,340,109$665,049,761$646,799,699$677,488,028
 
Liabilities20222021202020192018
Payables and accrued expenses$2,637,557$2,551,923$1,859,356$2,235,703$2,236,964
Other current liabilities$5,370,967$5,445,869$6,048,345$4,821,586$4,119,429
Total current liabilities$8,008,524$7,997,792$7,907,701$7,057,289$6,356,393
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$20,668,143$28,977,646$32,719,420$26,467,447$24,920,412
Total long-term liabilities$20,668,143$28,977,646$32,719,420$26,467,447$24,920,412
Total liabilities$28,676,667$36,975,438$40,627,121$33,524,736$31,276,805
 
Net assets20222021202020192018
Without donor restrictions$478,651,903$519,877,603$357,181,159$354,771,667$383,337,734
With donor restrictions$280,160,659$300,487,068$267,241,481$258,503,296$262,873,489
Net assets$758,812,562$820,364,671$624,422,640$613,274,963$646,211,223
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20222021202020192018
Total contributions$19,810,905$22,056,552$25,270,848$12,675,957$14,070,537
Program service revenue$48,628,844$43,490,766$47,642,066$49,696,169$46,739,859
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$65,087,806$34,490,231$24,397,899$44,067,845$39,342,328
Other revenue$1,460,911$711,001$370,917$993,211$726,873
Total other revenue$115,177,561$78,691,998$72,410,882$94,757,225$86,809,060
Total revenue$134,988,466$100,748,550$97,681,730$107,433,182$100,879,597
 
Expenses20222021202020192018
Program services$80,261,660$73,760,029$83,549,122$77,933,864$67,837,876
Management and general$12,515,936$9,180,353$10,031,581$10,736,619$10,544,101
Fundraising$819,025$685,229$677,573$667,746$610,751
Total expenses$93,596,621$83,625,611$94,258,276$89,338,229$78,992,728
 
Change in net assets20222021202020192018
Surplus (deficit)$41,391,845$17,122,939$3,423,454$18,094,953$21,886,869
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$41,391,845$17,122,939$3,423,454$18,094,953$21,886,869

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Jerry DavisPresident$499,536
Sue HeadVP For Cultural$200,513
Eric BolgerVP For Academics$194,876
Jeffrey SchneiderDirector of Computer Cente$180,095
Tom HealeyGeneral Manager-Keeter Center$176,801
Sam KetcherAssistant Treasurer$168,828
Robert J StricklinExec Chef, Food/Beverage D$165,405
Marci L LinsonVP For Patriotic$162,209
Robert J CarswellVP For Christian$157,084
Weston T WiebeTreasurer$148,774
Tamara SchneiderCorporate Secretary$92,056
Elizabeth BlevinsAsst Corporate Secretary$73,651

Compensation data as of: 5/31/2022


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/19/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

College of the Ozarks is a fully accredited, Christian, liberal arts college located just outside Branson, Missouri. Founded in 1906 by Presbyterian minister Reverend James Forsythe as a high school called The School of the Ozarks, the institution became a junior college in 1956 before becoming a four-year bachelor's program in 1965. It has been called College of the Ozarks since 1990.

The institution provides the opportunity for full-time students to work at one of more than 100 campus jobs or industries to help pay for part of their cost of education. The remaining portion of the students' expenses is covered through scholarships provided by gifts and contributions from donors who believe in and support the programs and policies of the College. These student work programs and donor contributions allow C of O to operate as a no-tuition college.

In 2012, College of the Ozarks reopened School of the Ozarks, a classical laboratory high school. The addition of School of the Ozarks was followed soon after with the full implementation of a lower school in the fall of 2015, completing the K-college format.

Famous Visitors

Every year, College of the Ozarks hosts world-renowned speakers on campus through both the Spring Forum Series and the Leonard and Edith B. Gittinger Community Convocation Series. Famous guests include world leaders such as President George W. Bush, Governor Sarah Palin, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Prime Minister of Great Britain Margaret Thatcher, and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. Students, staff and community members have enjoyed visits from Chick-fil-A Founder and Chairman S. Truett Cathy, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Duke University Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Dr. Franklin Graham, General Colin Powell, and others.


Program accomplishments


Needs