Trusteeship Articles By Topic: Board Structure and Practice

The majority of trustees on the boards of Catholic colleges and universities today are lay men and women rather than members of the sponsoring religious community. Lessons for educating lay members on the mission and value of these institutions can be valuable to trustees across all sectors.

Traditional institutions are increasingly concerned with innovation and growth as they compete with online providers for students and tuition dollars. Clayton M. Christensen and Henry J. Eyring, authors of The Innovative University, discuss what boards can do to keep their institutions relevant and competitive.

The steep economic recession, coupled with increased national expectations and demand for higher education, poses serious challenges for board and presidential leadership. A special panel at AGB's recent National Conference on Trusteeship, moderated by AGB President Richard Legon, examined those challenges. The following Q&A is excerpted from the discussion.

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.

Diversity as a tool for cultural enrichment and social justice is embraced throughout higher education. Indeed, AGB’s Statement on Board Accountability states, “A key issue trustees face is the institution’s responsibility to be inclusive in its admissions, aid, hiring practices, and board composition.”

Attitudes about trustee and board engagement are changing. Presidents, board chairs, and trustees increasingly are discussing the need for greater board engagement in governance and more productive partnerships among the board, president, and executive staff. Even boards that already consider themselves to be high performing are finding that external forces and changing demographics have created the need for trustees to become even more engaged and effective.

While appointees to many college and university governing boards are selected based on their career accomplishments, past service, and philanthropic contributions, the role and responsibilities of student trustees are often less clear-cut.

Yet because of a student trustee’s limited time of service, as well as the contradictory pressures a student trustee may experience, it is critical that the student trustee quickly arrive at an appropriate understanding of his or her role in the governing body.