The University’s total endowment reflects the management company’s investment returns as well as gifts made to the endowment and principal paid out to Harvard’s many schools.
The Harvard Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, voted to increase payout from the endowment by 4 percent for the current fiscal year after threatening no increase at all.
Harvard’s schools rely on endowment payout for 31 percent of their income, according to the University. The Faculty of Arts of Sciences, in particular, receives roughly half of its income from the endowment.
Ann Berman, vice president for finance, said endowment payout for next fiscal year will be determined in October or early November.
—Stephen M. Marks and Lauren A.E. Schuker contributed to the reporting of this story.
—Staff writer Zachary M. Seward can be reached at seward@fas.harvard.edu.