What is Governance

Governing boards of colleges and universities are responsible for leading their institutions, in conjunction with the campus chief executive officer. Their basic responsibilities include the following:

• Setting mission and purposes
• Appointing the president
• Supporting the president
• Monitoring the president's performance
• Assessing board performance
• Insisting on strategic planning
• Reviewing educational and public service programs
• Ensuring good management
• Ensuring adequate resources
• Preserving institutional independence
• Relating campus to community and community to campus
• Serving occasionally as a court of appeal

According to the "Digest of Education Statistics," a publication of the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, there are

• 4,168 accredited, degree-granting higher education institutions in the United States--1,712 public colleges and universities and 2,456 private colleges and universities;
• 1,500 public institution affiliated foundations; and
• 16.3 million students enrolled in accredited, degree-granting institutions.

And according to The American College President (a 2001 study of the American Council on Education), presidents serve an average of 6.6 years at an institution. About 13 percent are racial or ethnic minorities and 21 percent of college presidents are women.

Trustee Terms

On public boards, the average length of trustee service is about five years. About 25 percent of public institutions limit the number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve; at those that do so, the median number of terms allowed is two.

On independent institutions, the average length of trustee service is three years. More than half limit the number of consecutive terms a member may serve; for those that do so, almost all allow a former trustee to serve again after a hiatus of usually one year.

Gender

On public institution boards, about 71 percent of trustees are men and 29 percent are women.

On independent institution boards, 72 percent of trustees are men and 28 percent are women.
Race and Ethnic Composition

On public boards, about 78 percent of public board members are white, 21 percent are racial and ethnic minorities, with 14 percent African American and 4 percent Hispanic.

On independent boards, 88 percent are white. About 12 percent are racial and ethnic minorities, including about 8 percent African American and 2 percent are Hispanic.

Board Meetings

At public institutions, board members typically meet 10 times a year for about four hours per meeting.

At independent institutions, board members meet an average of four times a year for about 7 hours per meeting. 

Data from AGB's study, 2004 Policies, Practices, and Composition of Governing Boards of Independent [Public] Colleges and Universities.  To learn more, see AGB's Board Basics series, a collection of short, easy-to-read booklets on the basics of governance.