Higher Ed Outlook Series: Talking Finance With Your Board
October 13, 2026Many colleges and universities face mounting financial pressures, yet trustees often struggle to recognize the urgency of the situation or understand the strategic implications of declining financial performance. Institutional leaders play a critical role in helping trustees interpret financial realities, fulfill fiduciary responsibilities, and make informed decisions about the institution’s future.
Join Forvis Mazars for this webinar, as we’ll be joined by Jim Newberry and Susan Deniker of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, nationally recognized higher education attorneys who advise institutions experiencing significant financial stress, for a practical discussion of governance, financial oversight, and strategic decision making. Participants will explore best practices for engaging in difficult conversations before a potential crisis becomes irreversible. The session will also examine the legal, regulatory, and stakeholder considerations that arise when institutions face significant financial challenges and why well-timed board action is essential to preserving institutional mission and value.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Identify key financial, operational, and governance indicators that may signal institutional distress and call for board attention.
- Explain effective approaches for communicating financial risks and important priorities to governing boards.
- Evaluate response options available to financially challenged institutions, including restructuring, partnerships, mergers, affiliations, and institutional closure.
Presenters
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC