Governance from a Global View

Whenever I travel internationally, I have the opportunity to reflect on higher education governance from multiple perspectives—on the challenges most countries share and those that are unique to the system and structure we have in the United States. What is universal is that we all have the desire to make our nations stronger by educating our citizens and preparing them to lead in a rapidly changing world.

What isn’t universal is government commitment to supporting higher education. Many countries approach higher education as a public good: the more educated the citizenry, the more prosperous the nation. In America, the belief in higher education as a public good is under strain. Policy makers and other people are contending that higher education is predominantly a private benefit—and thus questioning how much support federal and state governments should provide.

That is just one of many financial, political, social, strategic, and demographic challenges that leaders of American higher education institutions face today. This confluence of these challenges, any of which individually could be disruptive to the usual pattern of business at an institution, provides an opportunity to rethink our work – in small or revolutionary ways.

One truth that must remain constant, however, is the role of board governance of our higher education institutions. The United States has been known throughout our history for the overall quality of our higher education system and unique governance structure. In fact, most of my invitations to speak overseas are a testament to the respect and interest that higher education leaders in other countries have of our approach. The success of our colleges and universities is sustained by our American system of citizen trusteeship—a strong social compact in which  governing boards collaborate with chief executive officers and other stakeholders, such as faculty members, to ensure quality and strength in our institutions.

Governing boards have the responsibility to link the colleges, universities, and systems they serve to the interests of the public. Through this special responsibility, they help their institutions and systems meet public expectations and ensure a high degree of trust. With the public increasingly questioning the effectiveness of higher education in key areas—such as cost, access, and outcomes—the role of boards as the linchpin between our institutions and their communities takes on a new level of importance.

As fiduciaries holding institutions in trust, trustees of both independent and public colleges and universities must advocate for the importance of government support for their institutions’ missions and public purposes. At the same time, boards also bear a significant responsibility to demonstrate that they are accountable for ensuring that their institutions serve such public purposes, and that they recognize and respect policy makers’ concerns. Strong and effective board governance standards are crucial. We should expect nothing less than ethical behavior in the board room and a commitment to meeting both institutional priorities and public needs.

So as the nation debates the social value of government investment in higher education, let us not forget that board accountability can serve the discussion well. It can reflect the best of our democratic principles, and it can surely contribute to the nation’s well-being by ensuring educational excellence. And while societal demands on institutions, systems, and their boards only continue to rise, boards can provide a powerful and influential voice in the conversations around public support for higher education.