Our Work

The Association of Governing Boards exists for one reason: to strengthen and protect the unique form of governance that exists in America's institutions of higher education. AGB works with and on behalf of nearly 27,000 volunteers, who serve as trustees and regents of our over 1240 member institutions, including institutionally related foundations.

AGB's work addresses three aspects of the higher education environment:

• The Boardroom: What are the characteristics of effective governing boards? How is a positive board culture created and sustained that can advance the mission and goals of the institution? What best practices should be incorporated into committee structures? What characterizes an ideal president-board chair relationship?
• The Institution: What are the strategic imperatives facing colleges and universities and how can board and executive leaders work together to address them? What does appropriate board engagement in addressing major institutional challenges -- such as educational costs and outcomes -- look like?
• National and state governance and public policy: What are the top public policy issues affecting higher education and its governance? What is the responsibility of boards to help mitigate threats to independent governance and institutional autonomy? What should board and executive leaders know about federal public policy issues, and about issues in common with other states?  What leadership can board members provide on a national, state or regional strategic agenda for higher education that requires greater student access and success, and greater capacity for research and innovation?

Board Education and Consulting Services offer workshops and consulting engagements to address your governance issues, as well as a "Consultant-on-Call Service" -- a confidential, complimentary members-only service that provides you with an opportunity to discuss a pressing governance concern with an AGB consultant during an hour-long consultation.

Benchmarking Service, available to member institutions as a yearly subscription, provides easy access to data on key performance indicators for thousands of colleges and universities. The data and formats featured in these reports highlight "big picture" financial and operational information boards need to fulfill their fiduciary and governance responsibilities.

Institutionally Related Foundation Services offer foundation chief executives and volunteer board leaders a wide-ranging, results-oriented portfolio of board education programs, resources, and services designed to strengthen foundations.

Governance for Student Success Project is a two-year endeavor that emphasizes the role of governing boards working in collaboration with institutional presidents to help achieve the nation's educational needs.  The project focuses on three important components for success in higher education: leadership, productivity, and quality.

Ingram Center for Public Trusteeship and Governance mission is to strengthen the relationship between state government and public higher education by enhancing the effectiveness of citizen governing and foundation boards and their trustee members. The center forges partnerships with state government and higher education associations, conducting policy analysis and research, and working directly with AGB-member boards and chief executives.

Zwingle Resource Center is the premier repository for the best published research and scholarship on governance, trusteeship, and the academic presidency. The center responds to members' informational needs and encourages empirical research and scholarship.