Higher Ed Advisor: preserving and protecting your institution’s credit rating

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

Higher education institution credit ratings are being impacted by various financial and enrollment-driven challenges exacerbated by COVID-19. In this fiscal resiliency podcast, higher education credit rating specialists, Elizabeth Bergman and Barry Fick, discuss what drives rating changes and future outlooks, characteristics of downgrades seen across the industry and strategies to prevent a downgrade.

We examine the effect debt management has on ratings and how taking a holistic, intentional, honest and proactive approach to managing the institution’s finances is critical to improve liquidity and protect ratings. Don’t miss advice to be prepared for your next rating agency meeting and how to leverage your rating as a motivator to make strategic, transformational change.