Table of Contents 

Features 

Consequential Boards: Adding Value Where It Matters Most
By Richard D. Legon

Last September, AGB established a National Commission on College and University Board Governance, comprising 26 experts in higher ed governance from around the nation. The result is a report that presents seven key recommendations for stronger board governance.

Keepers of the Larger Vision: If Not Trustees, Then Who?
By Philip Bredesen

We asked Philip Bredesen, the chair of AGB’s national commission on board governance and former governor of Tennessee, to discuss in depth the commission’s report, including its call for reinvigorating the concept of boards’ fiduciary responsibilities.

Rx for a Successful Board: A Healthy Board Culture
By Mary Graham Davis

Establishing the right board culture is key to board effectiveness, and it has never been more important than it is today. No members of the board should take it for granted. What are some of the characteristics of unhealthy boards, and how can your board avoid them?

The President-Board Chair Relationship: Making It Work, Making It Count
By AGB

A strong relationship between the board chair and president of a higher education institution is crucial when it comes to effective governance. AGB consultants and several members of AGB’s board explore why the partnership is so important and what makes it work best.

Governing Boards and University-Affiliated Organizations: Risks and Rewards
By John T. Casteen

Relationships between institutional governing boards and affiliated organizations have evolved, becoming increasingly numerous and nuanced. As fiduciaries, governing boards need to know what their affiliates actually do for their institutions, and how the board should satisfy its basic oversight duties with regard to them.

Departments

Legal Standpoint
Four Questions You Should Ask About Sexual Assault
By Lawrence White

Datafile
The Trustee Voice about the Future of Higher Education Governance
By Kristen Hodge-Clark

Focus on the Presidency
Great Expectations
By Roseann O’Reilly Runte

View from the Board Chair
Supporting Civil Discourse
By Alan P. Novak

Trustee Spotlight
Javier M. Gonzales, New Mexico State University
By AGB

Trusteeship Trends
Vision, Principles, and Ebola
By James W. Wagner

A Question For…
Matthew T. Lambert
How Is the Historic Role of Public Higher Education Changing?