The Delicate Nature of Institutional Governance

AGB recently released an updated Statement on Board Responsibility for Institutional Governance, which was originally approved by the AGB Board of Directors in 1998. The new version takes into account the myriad of changes and challenges higher education institutions and leaders now confront. One of the most important elements the updated statement addresses is the need for boards not only to understand the unique heritage of collaborative leadership within higher education, but to fully embrace their ultimate responsibility for their institution’s mission in perpetuity. This includes its academic mission – not only its financial position. The board is accountable for the institution’s long-term sustainability; as such, it must take a strategic approach in making the difficult decisions that many institutions face today.

I was surprised to read today’s statement in Inside Higher Ed by the collective bargaining congress of the AAUP. AGB sought and received input from AAUP on the emerging statement throughout the process of developing the revised statement.

This revised AGB Statement reinforces the tradition of shared governance.  It is intended to remind boards about the scope of their responsibilities while also articulating the uniqueness of academic governance and the importance of stakeholder engagement.  We welcome AAUP’s comments and look forward to working with them to advance the central principles contained in the AGB Statement.