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Methodology M.03The Methodology Independence Statement
The governance document behind every engagement, published verbatim. It is short on purpose: independence that takes twenty pages to explain usually isn't.
Three sentences before the full text
The findings are yours
Every finding belongs to your institution unconditionally — to act on with us, with counsel, with another advisor, or entirely on your own.
No one can adjust the number
Findings are produced by the documented methodology. No analyst, officer, or founder holds override authority over a computed result.
Nothing rides on what you do next
No finding is contingent on further engagement, and no compensation of ours depends on the size of any finding.
METHODOLOGY INDEPENDENCE STATEMENT · VERSION 1.0 · EFFECTIVE [DATE] · PUBLISHED VERBATIM
IS.01Purpose
This Statement governs how NxtChapter Campus Advisors, Inc. (“NxtChapter”) produces, delivers, and stands behind analytical findings in every client engagement. It is incorporated by reference into each engagement agreement and may not be waived, in whole or in part, by any employee or officer of NxtChapter.
IS.02Methodology governance
All findings are produced by NxtChapter's documented, versioned methodology. Each finding identifies the methodology version, the data sources, the peer-set construction rules applied (including any documented relaxations), and the benchmark vintages used. No employee, officer, or principal of NxtChapter — including its founder — holds authority to override, adjust, or suppress a computed result. Where professional judgment is required to classify an input, the classification and its basis are disclosed in the finding.
IS.03Ownership of findings
Findings, worksheets, clause maps, and supporting analyses delivered under an engagement belong to the client institution unconditionally upon delivery. The institution may use them with NxtChapter, with legal counsel, with any other advisor, or independently. No provision of any NxtChapter agreement conditions the institution's use of its findings on continued engagement, payment of further fees, or any other consideration.
IS.04Non-contingency
NxtChapter's fees are flat and fixed in advance for each engagement tier. No fee, bonus, or other compensation payable to NxtChapter or any of its personnel varies with the magnitude of any finding, the outcome of any negotiation, or the institution's decision to proceed to a subsequent tier. NxtChapter proposes a subsequent engagement tier only where the current tier's written findings justify it against the institution's own figures, and states that justification in writing.
IS.05Independence from operators
NxtChapter accepts no compensation, referral fees, commissions, or other consideration from bookstore operators, course-material providers, or other vendors whose agreements it may audit or whose alternatives it may evaluate. NxtChapter will disclose in writing any circumstance that could reasonably be perceived to compromise this independence before accepting or continuing an engagement.
IS.06The adverse finding
Where the methodology concludes that an institution's existing arrangement is sound, or that a contemplated alternative does not clear the institution's own thresholds, that conclusion is delivered as the finding. NxtChapter does not restate, reframe, or resubmit an adverse finding to support an engagement outcome.
IS.07Versioning and amendment
This Statement is versioned. Amendments apply prospectively only and are published with a new version number and effective date. The version in force at engagement signing governs that engagement for its duration.