What Higher Education Needs to Know About AV Tariffs

As higher education prepares for summer AV upgrades and classroom refreshes, a new challenge is quickly gaining attention: tariffs on audiovisual equipment. In the March 2025 episode of EDTech, the panel of AV professionals—including Ernie Bailey, Scott Tiner, Jennifer Unitas, and host Erin Maher-Moran—tackled the big question: what does higher education need to know about AV tariffs and their real-world impact on campus planning?

A Race Against Time and Red Tape

Ernie Bailey, an AV leader in academic healthcare, is already feeling the pressure. “I’ve got a big quote out right now and the vendor keeps calling, saying tariffs might take place before the purchase order gets processed,” he said. “But I can’t move faster—75 people have to sign off.”

This story underscores a common problem in higher ed procurement: slow institutional processes colliding with fast-moving market forces.

Learning from the COVID Era

Scott Tiner drew parallels to lessons learned during the pandemic. “You can’t predict everything, but you can plan for volatility,” he said. “We’re already buying gear now for summer installs—just in case.”

Tiner also stressed the importance of avoiding proprietary systems. “Standardized, non-proprietary AV designs helped us stay agile during COVID, and they’ll help again as tariffs disrupt supply chains.”

Expect New Rules from Vendors

For Jennifer Unitas, the impact of AV tariffs is showing up in procurement policies. “One of our vendors now requires a usage survey for every purchase—where it’ll be installed, what kind of space, etc. That’s new,” she explained. “We’ll probably see more of that as everyone adjusts.”

These new requirements reflect how deeply tariffs—and the fear of supply chain delays—are now shaping vendor-client relationships. These new requirements only complicates what higher education needs to know about AV tariffs even more.

Supply Chains Are More Fragile Than You Think

The panel agreed: even if a product is assembled in a tariff-exempt country, its components may not be. “You don’t always know where the little parts come from,” Tiner noted. “You think it’s a domestic product, and then it gets hit with fees anyway.”

Maher-Moran added, “It’s like a ripple effect—just because one country isn’t on the tariff list doesn’t mean they aren’t impacted by their own upstream suppliers.”

What Higher Ed Tech Teams Should Do Now

So, what should higher education know about AV tariffs going forward?

1. Start your purchasing process early. “If you’re planning summer installs, get those RFQs out now,” Maher-Moran advised.
2. Communicate clearly with your vendors. If a project might stall or change, let them know so they can manage risk too.
3. Standardize your classroom tech. Consistent system designs reduce lead times and support headaches—even under shifting supply conditions.
4. Avoid vendor lock-in. Proprietary platforms are harder to replace or substitute during delays.

A Final Word of Advice

“Manufacturers aren’t just raising prices—they’re reacting to the same global forces we are,” said Tiner. “The more transparent we all are, the better we can weather what’s coming.”

For higher education AV teams, this isn’t just about budgets—it’s about resilience. Knowing how to respond now could mean the difference between a completed summer project and a scramble in September.

Want to stay ahead of changes like this? Catch the full discussion on the EDTech podcast, available on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.