The July/August 2011 Trusteeship addresses governance issues including the role of the foundation board in fundraising, pros and cons of awarding honorary degrees, the importance of academic freedom, and the government's financial responsibility test. This issue also features special insight from AGB's 2011 National Conference on Trusteeship and a recent meeting on academic freedom conducted by governance experts.
How can boards be of the most value as they sit at the intersection of institutional aspirations and society's needs? At AGB's National Conference on Trusteeship, Ray Suarez, senior correspondent at the PBS NewsHour, led a special panel that examined many of the key issues.
As public institutions across the country face increasing cuts in state appropriations per student, many are turning to institutionally related foundations for support. The fund-raising work of foundation boards is becoming more vital than ever.
Most American colleges and universities honor alumni, donors, and others through not only degrees, but also named buildings, chairs, and other forms of recognition. Recent controversies, however, suggest that boards should think twice before bestowing such honors.
For more information on this topic, listent to the podcast with Robert M. O'Neil.
Pamela J. Bernard, Thomas A. Gottschalk, and Robert M. O'Neil
Without strong backing from their boards, faculty and administrations may not have the stamina or power to ensure that the core values of rigorous free debate and inquiry are upheld.
For further reference, this piece includes two new articles on the topic of protecting academic freedom: "Academic Freedom Primer" by Ann Franke and "A Guide to Academic Freedom" by Frederick P. Shaffer.
Each year, the Department of Education tests the financial ability of colleges to administer federal student-aid programs. It has made the results widely available over the past two years, and if last year is a precedent, the 2010 fiscal year data will be coming out in August. Boards should understand how the test is constructed and how their institution can best respond.
Tips on creating a successful and effective board meeting from an unlikely source: the theater.
No institution has ever concluded it pays too little in legal fees. Few institutions, however, have paid serious attention to benchmarking their legal expenses. Do metrics exist that can aid board members and other institutional leaders in assessing whether legal bills are reasonable?
Interaction between trustees and students can have great reciprical value. However, board members must keep that relationship in perspective with their other critical institution-supporting duties.
For more on this topic, listen to a podcast with Julianne Malveaux.
Even in the best of times, a clear focus is required to prevent urgent day-to-day issues from distracting an institution from long term strategic priorities. Without a strategic plan, supported by key constituents, moving your institution forward becomes a losing battle.
The facts and figures about tuition prices and college costs in several reports have been very helpful in separating myths from reality and in answering questions about how much college costs in America, why, and who pays for it.
College athletics have come under fire over the issues of coaches' salaries and the failure to oversee player behavior. Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) shares his thoughts about reclaiming the public trust in institutional management.
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