Investments

Under the direction of the Southern Methodist University Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees, the Investments Office manages the $2.0 billion endowment, including minerals and other planned giving assets of the University.

Approximately 96% of the endowment is invested in the Endowment Pool, a highly diversified portfolio consisting of global equities, fixed income, diversifying strategies, private equity, venture capital, and real assets. The primary goal of the SMU endowment is to preserve its purchasing power, while providing a predictable, stable and constant real (i.e., inflation-adjusted) stream of earnings consistent with the University's spending needs.

The trustees and administration expect that the endowment fund will provide support for the purposes of the institution while complying with the specific directions concerning use of income set forth by the original endowment fund donors. The endowment supports the mission of the University which is as follows:

Southern Methodist University will create, expand, and impart knowledge through teaching, research, and service, while shaping world changers who contribute to their communities and excel in their professions in a global society. Among its faculty, students, and staff, the University will cultivate principled thought, develop intellectual skills, and promote an environment emphasizing individual dignity and worth. SMU affirms its historical commitment to academic freedom and open inquiry, to moral and ethical values, and to its United Methodist heritage.