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.

Meet this episode’s guest speaker:

Barry Fick, Executive Director, Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority (Authority)

As executive director since 2016, Barry Fick is responsible for the administration and overall operation of the Authority. He also serves as a board and committee member for the National Association of Health and Educational Facilities Finance Authorities, debt management committee member for the Government Finance Officers Association and compliance advisory group member for the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

This podcast is the eighth episode in our fiscal resiliency series for higher education institutions.