Michael Weber

Dec 2, 2024 | cuinsight.com | Michael Weber |Steve Maloney |Steve Boylan |Samantha Ziesemer

This year, more Americans are pursuing college degrees. And for those of us who have spent a large chunk of our careers helping provide affordable higher education financing, that’s not a surprise. According to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024 increased 3 percent compared with fall 2023. Despite the overall growth, freshman enrollment is declining, down 5 percent from this time last fall according to NSC research.

May 29, 2024 | cuinsight.com | Michael Weber

In a perfect world, a family’s college costs would be covered completely by their savings and “free” financial aid such as scholarships and grants. However, the rising costs of higher education, along with countless other daily necessities, has made this scenario an unlikely one for most families. Credit unions have an opportunity to help guide their members through the increasingly complex college financing process, which begins with understanding the basics of student loans.

Apr 29, 2024 | cuinsight.com | Opal Tomashevska |Darren Smith |Atm Usa |Michael Weber

Preparation is paramount for first-time homebuyers embarking on the journey of homeownership—especially for members in underserved populations and communities who may be the first in their families to purchase a home. Fortunately, credit unions are uniquely positioned to offer the extra attention and personal service that many first-time homebuyers require. But before they can do that, credit unions must ensure all members can get to that point in the first place.

Apr 29, 2024 | cuinsight.com | Darren Smith |Atm Usa |Michael Weber |Kristen Jason

Credit unions across the country are facing several key issues impacting their efficiency and ability to serve members through traditional branch channels. Staffing remains an ongoing challenge, with many branches struggling to keep up with fluctuating labor needs. At the same time, costs for labor, equipment, utilities, and services continue to rise steadily. Compounding matters, foot traffic at physical branches has been slow to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

Apr 26, 2024 | cuinsight.com | Jim Nussle |Michael Weber |Kristen Jason |Holly Buchanan

We hosted our National Credit Union Roundtable earlier this week, where each session provided not only an opportunity for America’s Credit Unions to share updates, but for us to hear from our members about what they need from us so they can best serve their members and communities.