Get Down to College Business

Sarah Holtan, PHD sits down with Daniel Greenstein, PhD, Managing Director at Baker Tilly US, for a blunt conversation about the hidden financial risks many colleges are ignoring. Greenstein, a leader in higher education consulting and former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, reveals why traditional financial metrics don't paint the full picture of an institution's health.Greenstein breaks down nine "risk archetypes"—structural patterns that quietly erode long-term institutional stability—and exposes three accelerators that intensify vulnerability. On the positive side, he shares three indicators of resilience, offering strategies for institutions to weather future headwinds. This chat is a must for anyone in higher ed tired of wishful thinking and eager for practical advice on identifying and addressing financial stress before it's too late.Are colleges failing to look beyond basic balance sheets and missing the early warnings of fiscal distress? Listen in as Greenstein reveals why a deeper dive into financial health is crucial for navigating higher education's toughest challenges.Episode Highlights04:33 - People will do anything to balance their budgets. So I started to become more familiar with what I call the adjusted operating margin, where you back out investment income and other income, which is all the stuff that people are throwing into their revenue sources to pay their bills.07:05 - We ended up taking six of our schools and turning them into two, integrating them again. Those are the deepest kind of cuts in expenditure. We ended up rationalizing where we could, the academic program rate because it was too broad. I mean, we had to do things at speed that universities are not accustomed to doing.13:09 - The leverage led bet is basically debt based. So you see debt going up that the revenue margin shifting, and it's built on this expectation that you're going to see revenue growth as a consequence.Sarah Holtan, PhDLinkedInDaniel Greenstein, PhDLinkedInRisk Archetypes Seeing Financial Stress Before It Hits 

Sarah Holtan, PhD, sits down with Dr. David Rosowsky PHD, Chief optimism officer, connector, collider, university senior leader, and author, for a masterclass in a subject that makes most academics run for the hills: the university budget model. In this blunt and refreshingly clear conversation, Dr. Rosowsky—sometimes called the "Ted Lasso of higher ed"—cuts through the jargon and political noise to reveal why so many institutions get budget model transitions dangerously wrong.Dr. Rosowsky breaks down the critical difference between a university’s budget (the amount of money available) and its budget model (the rules for allocating that money). He explains the spectrum of models, from highly centralized systems to the more transparent Responsibility Centered Management (RCM), and clarifies that the “best” model depends on an institution's unique culture and strategic goals.The conversation offers crucial guidance on the why, when, and how of changing a budget model, stressing that the best time for change is during periods of stability, not crisis. Dr. Rosowsky also discusses the right level of faculty engagement and identifies deans and department heads as the key drivers of a successful budget system. This is a must-listen for leader looking to align financial strategy with institutional mission. Episode Highlights:05:24  -  What they sort of assume is that if we fix the budget model, we somehow fix the budget, or we somehow create new revenue or new money, so that conflation happens all the time. The budget model is not the budget.12:01 -  The decision to change the budget model is made at the wrong time, right? It's made when campuses feel there's a crisis present or a crisis looming.22:58 - Why are we doing this? What are the outcomes we hope to achieve? What are the fears or concerns or worries or anxieties we might have that we can track and monitor? 26:56 - The levers that can be pulled. Those are being pulled by department chairs and by deans. Sarah Holtan, PhDLinkedInDavid Rosowsky, PhDLinkedInWhat’s the Best Budget Model for Our Institution?

In this episode, Sarah Holtan, PhD is joined by her old friend, veteran NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Casey, for a candid look at the evolving world of sportscasting. Trenni traces her 25-year career path, offering critical insights for today's aspiring journalists, academic leaders, and athletic directors.They discuss the essential skills for success in the modern media landscape. While foundational traits like curiosity and authenticity are timeless, the industry now demands multifaceted content creators who can shoot, edit, and engage across all social platforms. Trenni provides a crucial reality check on the industry’s financial shifts, including lower salaries and the return of the "one-person-band" journalist.The conversation explores future trends, from the impact of AI on broadcasting (like an AI Al Michaels) to growth areas in women’s sports and analytics. Trenni also delivers pointed advice for athletic departments: media train your athletes and coaches to protect both them and your brand. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating a career in modern media.Episode Highlights:11:14 - I think you have to be. More multifaceted now than you ever were before. You cannot just be a sideline reporter. You cannot just be an anchor. You cannot just be a writer for a newspaper or a website. You have to be able to do all of it, and you don't need to be the best at every facet of it, but you need to be pretty good at all of them. 30:11 - There was a wrap-up every night on Peacock that was voiced by Al Michaels, except it wasn't Al Michaels; it was AI Al Michaels. So they paid Al Michaels for the licensing to his voice.34:18 - It blows my mind that every single, teen, college, whatever, does not have a media coach on retainer.37:55 - Stop building $30 million student centers that have like state-of-the-art cold plunges and give that money to kids.  Sarah Holtan, PhDWebsiteLinkedInTrenni CaseyLinkedInNBC Arbella Early Edition With Trenni   

Sarah Holtan, PhD welcomes the Founder of School of Podcasting, Dave Jackson, for a reality check on campus podcasting. Colleges are rushing to launch podcasts, but does every institution actually need one or know how to make theirs stand out? With higher ed under pressure to connect, retain, and recruit, Dave peels back the curtain on what really makes a college podcast worth listening to and worth producing. If you think just starting a show will solve your engagement woes, you might be burning time and budget for nothing.Wondering why some university shows flourish while others fade fast and how to avoid podcast purgatory? This episode spills the secrets seasoned creators use to balance brand, authenticity, and campus goals.Episode Highlights05:40 - They said, close your eyes, and as vividly as you can picture yourself walking to the front desk and turning in your test and going over and grabbing the door handle and leaving and walking out. Because I said, the minute I get outside of the classroom, it all comes back. And they said, well, just visualize it.08:34 - When somebody is passionate about the subject that comes through. I always talk about how it's not the tech a lot. I mean, a lot of podcasters, boy, we just love to look at microphones and software and things like that and why you need a decent microphone. It's just not something I cover on my show because it's not my passion. I'm like, pick a microphone.12:21 - One of the best compliments I've ever received is somebody said I was talking to them in an event and they're like, wow, you're just like you when you are on the mic.27:14 - I know we're all worried that if I say the wrong thing, I'm going to get canceled and things like that. And I always tell people there is a name for those people. It's called not your target audience.Sarah Holtan, PhDWebsiteLinkedInDave JacksonLinkedInWebsite   

Did you know a 20% drop in international students could wipe out nearly $2 billion in college tuition in just a year? The financial pain universities are feeling right now isn’t just about bottom lines, it's about fewer programs, job losses on campus and in local communities, and a shrinking workforce for the future. In this episode, Tom Dretler, CEO and co-founder of Shorelight Education, breaks down exactly what this revenue cliff means and why colleges can't afford to keep waiting for old models to work.Can universities reinvent themselves fast enough to protect students, faculty, and towns when international enrollments plummet? Find out what Tom recommends for leaders facing their toughest year yet.Featuring Tom Dretler, CEO of Shorelight Education, on the true impact of plummeting international enrollments, and the urgent strategies colleges need now.Episode Highlights03:51 - We have a $56 billion services trade surplus in higher education, which makes up, believe it or not, 20% of the entire US economy's services trade surplus.10:12 - International students do subsidize domestic students. So in the short term going to see canceled programs, we're going to see staff reductions, we're going to see less programmatic offerings, we'll probably see rising tuition prices, and we're going to see universities, as I mentioned, starting to look at one, can they be successful with international students going forward? Is there a new normal? And let's just adapt to the new normal.20:54 - We're so domestic. But anyway, bright spots there are, you know, the cliche being that whenever there's massive change that there are always opportunities for innovation.Sarah Holtan, PhDLinkedInTom DretlerLinkedInWebsiteThe Impact of a 20% Decline in International Students