I recently attended the 15th convening of the Symposium on Risk Management with Deloitte and St. John's University. As always, this event brought in the very best in the industry. The key takeaway is that risk is accelerating across every part of the institution, and strategic risk management is more important than ever.
Why? Let's dive in:
Policy landscape. The midterm results may signal a shift in federal policy toward higher education, but that doesn't mean existing risks will disappear.
As I said in earlier posts, these risks exist regardless of who is in office. Affordability, ROI, student debt, Title IX, campus safety, and international student visas will remain active policy discussions. A December funding deadline and likely short-term extensions point to renewed volatility by March.
➡️ Institutions should build relationships with newly elected officials now.
AI and academic integrity. AI is embedded in every aspect of how students learn and how employers hire. However, detection tools remain unreliable, increasing liability exposure when students are accused of misconduct.
➡️ Clear AI use policies and faculty training are essential risk controls.
Cybersecurity. AI has expanded the attack surface and compressed response times. Like risk management, cybersecurity goes beyond a single department; it is an enterprise risk, not just an IT problem.
➡️ Institution-sanctioned AI tools, identity management for AI agents, and governance gates are emerging risk priorities. Large ERP and LMS implementations also remain a significant and often under-communicated source of risk.
Institutional sustainability. Smaller institutions will continue to face financial strain, staff burnout, and governance pressures.
➡️ Shared services, public-private partnerships, and adapting different enrollment strategies beyond the traditional 18 to 24 age group were all cited as potential risk mitigations.
Why does this matter?
Each of these issues can land on a risk manager's desk, and risk managers are well positioned to help lead institutions forward. We have a broad view of the institution, we build relationships, and we break down silos.
We connect the dots when other departments see only part of the risk story. Let's keep integrating risk into strategic decisions, communicating candidly with leadership, and working cross-functionally to strengthen institutional resilience.