2022 National Conference on Trusteeship: Schedule

Why is this so hard, and what can boards actually do about it? In this session, cross-sector experts will explain what differentiates higher education boards from other nonprofit and for-profit boards, how those differences affect board diversity today, and how improving diversity can impact board effectiveness going forward. Panelists will focus on gender diversity and discuss related challenges to increasing trusteeship among people of color, particularly women of color. Data show limited progress among higher education boards in leveraging diverse talent. Come learn how your board can be more than a statistic.

Speakers:
Vicki Kramer, founding president, The Thirty Percent Coalition
Charisse Ranielle Lillie, former trustee, Howard University; former chair, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Jane Scaccetti, trustee, Temple University; former chair, Temple University Health System and Hospital Board of Directors; trustee emeritus, Salus University

Enterprise-wide risk management remains an essential priority for institutions. Prevention-based strategies rely upon both the pro-active assessment of risk, and developing subsequent directed interventions to reduce and eliminate the identified risks. In this session, climate survey experts will explain the strategy for creating an effective climate survey and how to apply the results to mitigate risks and support positive change on campus. Climate surveys provide leaders with the vital risk-related information – such as unhealthy or dangerous behavior trends, interpersonal interactions within the campus community, safety and security concerns, and awareness of policies and available resources – needed to develop and implement appropriate strategies. Attendees will gain a better understanding of the benefits climate surveys offer as a tool for risk reduction, how to prioritize the risks they want to address, and address common concerns such as survey fatigue and buy-in.

Speakers: 
Alisha Carter Harris, consultant, TNG Consulting
Daniel C. Swinton, partner, TNG Consulting; vice president, Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
Clyde Wilson Pickett, vice chancellor for equity, diversity, and inclusion, University of Pittsburgh

Help in a Challenging Time: The Results of the 2021 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy
What are the trends in giving and volunteering among America’s affluent households? What causes do they support, and why? How is the traditional picture of affluent philanthropy changing? Join our expert panel from Bank of America and Maria Gutierrez Martin for an in-depth discussion of the study’s results.

Participants will learn:
– Recent trends in giving and volunteering among America’s affluent households
– Causes supported by high-net-worth donors, and reasons for giving
– How the traditional picture of high-net-worth philanthropy is changing

Speakers:
William Jarvis, managing director, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
Maria Gutierrez Martin, associate vice president, University of Florida Foundation
Misti Sangani, managing director, senior philanthropic strategist for philanthropic solutions, Bank of America

Summit Session

Many boards say they want transformation and a president who will lead through change, but do they really know what they are asking for and what it will require of the board? Join Marjorie Hass and David Rowe for a discussion about how boards and presidents can work together to set and meet mutual expectations while guiding institutions through a disruptive and complex environment.

Speakers: 
Marjorie Hass, president, Council of Independent Colleges
David Rowe, former interim president, Lancaster Theological Seminary; former president, Centenary College of Louisiana

Summit Session

As one Trusteeship article suggested in the mid-2010s, public higher education is “too big to fail.” Three out of four postsecondary students in the U.S. are enrolled in a public college or university—nearly 15 million students across some 1,600 institutions. Mission, business, and therefore governance imperatives for change have perhaps never been sharper, but that does not always mean they are clear. Come to this session to understand what public higher education transformation can, should, and must look like from the board’s vantage point going forward, including a macro view on the changes needed for public higher education and instructive examples of practical approaches to making change locally.

Speakers: 
Paul Friga, clinical associate professor of strategy and entrepreneurship, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; former trustee, Saint Francis University
Peter McPherson, president, Association of Public and Land Grant Universities

Recognizing the critical role of board finance committees for colleges and universities, AGB partnered with Huron Consulting Group to establish the AGB Council of Finance Committee Chairs in 2021. The Council includes more than 20 finance committee leaders representing a wide range of colleges and universities. This session will summarize themes and key takeaways from the council’s work in 2021—including cash neutrality and hidden liabilities, the board’s role in multiyear planning, and other unique financial issues facing higher education leaders. In addition, the session will explore finance-related topics to focus on in 2022 and beyond. Speakers will ask attendees to share their ideas on key topics.

Facilitator: 
Robert Spencer, principal, Huron Consulting Group

Speakers: 
Marsha Suggs Smith, trustee, Montgomery College
Frederick Sutherland, trustee, Duke University
Blaine Tamaki, chair, University of Washington Board of Regents

A focus on justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the higher education executive search process has never been more important than it is today. As executive search professionals who work exclusively in the higher education sector, we have continued to build our expertise about how to infuse justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (JDEI) principles into executive searches for presidents, provosts, deans, and other academic and administrative leaders. In this session, we will discuss approaches to building diverse candidate pools; anti-bias workshops for search committees; avoiding pitfalls in the search process, such as assessing the “fit” of candidates; measuring the success of JDEI efforts; and continual learning and improvement. The session will be interactive to allow participants to share their best practices about JDEI efforts in leadership searches, as well.

Speakers: 
Rod McDavis, managing principal, AGB Search
Melissa Trotta, associate managing principal, AGB Search

Summit Session

Over the past three years U.S. higher education has experienced more than 100 closures, mergers, or affiliations, and the trend is accelerating. Come to this session to learn about the types of M&A transactions now being completed and how institutions large and small have participated and benefitted from the consolidation era. We will review how institutions can become “affiliation ready,” as well as how to use an internal process to educate the board to become decision ready for the consolidation era. Finally, we will discuss the strategic rationale for developing an M&A strategy from the perspective of the board and leadership team.

Speaker: 
Rick Beyer, trustee emeritus and former chair, Olivet College; former trustee, American University; former president, Wheeling Jesuit University; senior fellow, AGB

Many trustees find it provocative, if not counterintuitive, that presidents and chancellors substantially influence board effectiveness. The fact remains. Acceptance of this fact begs the question: how can presidents intentionally and methodically help build high-performing boards? Drawing upon insights from a new AGB publication, A President’s Guide to Effective Board Leadership, board leaders and aspiring board leaders are encouraged to attend this session alongside presidents, to understand the practical steps presidents should (and should be expected to) undertake to get the most out of their boards.

Speakers:
Cristin Toutsi Grigos, associate vice president for content strategy and development, AGB
William Troutt, president emeritus, Rhodes College; former president, Belmont University; trustee, St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Fiduciaries have long taken it on faith that applying good governance practices to the oversight of endowment portfolios will lead to better results. Our research and experience highlight three key factors most likely to explain differences in performance over the long term. And, it’s not about the size of your endowment. In this session, our experts will reveal the three critical factors that can make the most impact. We will also share insights and tips for attendees to bring back to their boards and investment committees.

Speakers:
George Suttles, executive director, Commonfund Institute
Tim Yates, president and CEO, Commonfund Asset Management

When it comes to strategic priorities related to justice, equity, and inclusion on campus, how can shared governance better reflect, indicate, and drive necessary change? Scholars have noted shared governance is at once a practical legislative process, an academic tradition with symbolic power, and a mechanism serving a variety of latent socio-organizational needs. AGB frames shared governance as a vehicle for change and a system of aligning priorities, and we assert boards are ultimately responsible for its effectiveness. Come to this session to better understand a key area of potential, beyond pitfalls, related to shared governance.

Speakers: 
Sharon Fries-Britt, professor of higher education, University of Maryland College Park
Raquel Rall, assistant professor, higher education administration, & policy, University of California Riverside
Merrill Schwartz, senior vice president for content and program strategy, AGB

Summit Session

Many institutions are engaging in conversations regarding potential strategic affiliations. Some transactions close, while others linger and are never completed. During this session, we will explore what causes a transaction to be completed or not and also learn how deal momentum can help or hurt a transaction. Trustees and leaders will learn the importance of setting gating decisions along with the steps that can be taken to move efficiently and effectively through the transaction process. This session will also discuss preparing for due diligence, important transaction strategies, and the important timelines for consideration.

Speakers:
Rick Beyer, trustee emeritus and former chair, Olivet College; former trustee, American University; former president, Wheeling Jesuit University; senior fellow, AGB
Barbara Gellman-Danley, president, Higher Learning Commission

What do boards and presidents need out of presidential performance evaluation in the years to come, and how can they get it? Both will need to sort through organizational and environmental volatility with an even greater sense of urgency than was true in the “before times.” Clear expectations, methodical processes, a willingness to adapt, a focus on results, and a commitment to ongoing leadership development should be mutual responsibilities. Come to this session to learn more about what forward-looking assessment entails, which routines need to be revised, and how to do that work well.

Speaker:
Terrence MacTaggart, former chancellor, Minnesota State University System and University of Maine; senior fellow, AGB

The 2021 NACUBO-TIAA Study of Endowments shows that college and university endowments posted stronger-than-expected investment returns in fiscal year 2021. While these higher returns are welcome news, they bring added pressure for universities to spend more endowment dollars to support students and faculty. The returns also come as campus leaders are facing rising inflation, lower enrollments, and increasing calls for adding new diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

This session will provide an overview of the study results, comprehensive analysis of endowment investment returns, asset allocations, and governance policies and practices at U.S. higher education institutions and affiliated foundations. We will look at the investment returns, asset allocations, and other factors that influenced performance in fiscal 2021. Panelists will also address the new, more volatile financial market conditions they are facing in 2022, including potential changes in spending strategies, and the diversity, equity, and inclusion activities they have undertaken as a result of the civil unrest that occurred during the summer of 2020.

Speakers:
Ivy Flores, managing director, U.S. institutional business development, Nuveen, a TIAA company
Liz Clark, vice president, policy and research, NACUBO
Ken Redd, senior director, research and policy analysis, NACUBO

For generations, colleges and universities have made an implicit bargain with members of the standing faculty. In exchange for expert teaching, scholarship, and service, those faculty members would receive good job stability with reasonable pay, a relatively high degree of autonomy in shaping their own work, and the privilege of contributing to a worthy cause—including through shared governance. The pandemic is accelerating a generational opportunity for boards and academic leaders to reimagine faculty roles and responsibilities. Come to this session to think freshly about the practical opportunities and challenges of this moment.

Moderator:
Andrew Lounder, associate vice president of programs, AGB; trustee, Wheaton College; special faculty member, The Graduate School, University of Maryland College Park

Speakers:
Adrianna Kezar, Wilbur Kieffer Endowed Professor and Dean’s Professor of Leadership, University of Southern California; director, USC Rossier Pullias Center for Higher Education and Delphi Project on the Changing Faculty and Student Success
Hans-Joerg Tiede, director of research, American Association of University Professors
Ernie Wilson, regent, University of Hawaii System

How is democracy changing, and what does that mean for those who hold our American colleges and universities in trust as social institutions? Higher education boards and corporate officers are ultimately accountable for public purposes embodied in statutes, constitutions, and charters, but directing institutions accordingly has always been difficult, and today it is fraught. Join us to sit in on a live “digital fishbowl” conversation among national higher education leaders in the mode of an Aspen Institute Socrates Seminar: an expert-moderated dialogue among a diverse cross-section of higher education leaders.

Facilitator:
Cordell Carter II, executive director, Aspen Institute Socrates Program

Speakers: 
Ona Alston Dosunmu, president and CEO, National Association of College and University Attorneys
Maria Anguiano, regent, University of California System
Allison Boxer, managing director of the Data, Policy, and Performance Innovation Team, Sorenson Impact Center, University of Utah
Elizabeth Davis, president, Furman University
Jeff M. S. Kaplan, trustee, The Ohio State University
Steven Kelts, lecturer, Princeton University; board chair, Kalos Academy
Robert King, former assistant secretary for postsecondary education, U.S. Department of Education; former president, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; former chancellor, State University of New York; member, AGB Board of Directors
Charlene Reed, vice president and university secretary, Kent State University; member, AGB Council of Board Professionals
Alison Rempel Brown, vice chair, Pomona College Board of Trustees
Marie Sullivan, president of the governing board, Maricopa Community Colleges; member, AGB Council of Board Chairs
William Thompson, chair, City University of New York Board of Trustees; member, AGB Council of Board Chairs
Alexandra Trower, chair, Hollins College Board of Trustees
Andrá Ward, chair, Northern Kentucky University Board of Regents
Anita Zucker, chair, University of Florida Foundation Board of Directors; trustee, University of Florida; trustee, Trident Technical College

Want to help shape AGB’s understanding of the issues facing your board and institution? Take advantage of this unique opportunity to exchange insights directly with AGB’s president, to both learn and inform how we will serve members like you.

Speaker: 
Henry Stoever, president and CEO, AGB

The last year or so has proven that anything is possible with an intentional plan. How ready is your institution to address risks related to athletics name, image, and likeness; campus policing; student health and safety; cryptocurrency ; and diversity, equity, and inclusion? Many institutions have risk management frameworks and programs that facilitate the identification of top risks; however, not all are agile enough to accommodate the rapidly changing higher education landscape. Attend this session to learn more about how the board should partner with internal audit and compliance functions to chart a course of action that proactively manages potential disruption and allows the institution to embrace opportunity while minimizing risk.

Speakers: 
Dave Capitano, partner, higher education practice leader, Baker Tilly
Elizabeth Truelove McDermott, director of internal audit, Northwestern University
Cassandra Walsh, risk advisory practice leader, Baker Tilly

When senior professionals first arrive, working with the board is typically among those things for which they are least experienced. Chief executives and board professionals are front-line staff for the board as a whole; however, a board’s success often relies on the success of its committees, which are supported primarily by other senior staff. Board leaders, chief executives, and board professionals all play an important role in ensuring these leaders develop quickly as board governance assets. Further, amid high rates of turnover in senior staff, strategic approaches to this work are becoming essential. Come to this session for a how-to from experienced hands.

Facilitators: 
Steven Frieder, senior adviser to the president and corporate secretary, Marquette University
Sally Mason, trustee, Des Moines University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; president emerita, University of Iowa, senior fellow, AGB

Meet the authors, engage them in conversation, and receive a discount code from their publishers! The following two sessions will be hosted by AGB Director of Publications Doug Goldenberg-Hart.

2:45-3:20 PM

Eddie Cole is associate professor of higher education and organizational change at the University of California, Los Angeles and author of The Campus Color Line: College Presidents and the Struggle for Black Freedom.

3:20-4:00 PM

Marjorie Hass is president of the Council of Independent Colleges, former president of Rhodes College and Austin College, and author of A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education.

Summit Session

Board assessment is a foundational element of good governance for all higher education governing boards. Effective assessments are learning experiences that enable boards to identify key areas of improvement, recalibrate board priorities, ensure board accountability, and demonstrate their commitment to serve the institution. Join us for this session as we review best practices and hear stories from the field about assessment in the current board climate.

Speakers:
Barbara Gitenstein, senior vice president, AGB Consulting, president emerita, The College of New Jersey
Thomas Flynn, trustee, Albertus Magnus College; president emeritus, Alvernia University; senior fellow, AGB

This session is offered as a capstone to the special sequence on HBCU governance extending throughout the conference. Prior sessions have leveraged expert-led, case-based, and peer-generated learning. Come to this session to crystallize insights as to how you and your board can pave the way for strategic transformation in furtherance of the enduring work of HBCUs.

Facilitator: 
Carlton Brown, former president, Clark Atlanta University and Savannah State University

Has your board recently undertaken a special diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative? From those that have done so, what have we learned about governing board avenues to effectiveness in supercharging social justice on campus? Come to this session to hear scholarly and experiential insights—lessons learned and ways forward for boards that are committed to making an impact on campus climate for marginalized and minoritized populations.

Speakers: 
Lucy A. LePeau, associate professor of higher education and student affairs, Indiana University
Demetri Morgan, assistant professor of higher education, Loyola University Chicago

Many boards need to refocus on strategic issues, so how might trustees sharpen their strategic thinking skills? Strategic thinking is not just an elusive concept, and it’s not a born-in trait. It is a skill that can be learned like any other. Trustees owe it to themselves and their institutions to get better at it over time. This session is designed to equip board members and senior leaders with techniques to move as individuals—and ultimately boards—from reactive and operational mindsets to proactive and strategic ones.

Speaker:
Tom Hyatt, partner, Dentons; senior fellow and general counsel, AGB

As noted by John F. Kennedy in his well-known quote, in crises we must “be aware of the danger—but recognize the opportunity.” Over the past three years, the University of Tulsa Board of Trustees has faced not just significant financial challenges but three presidential transitions and a complete strategic overhaul, emerging stronger and better positioned. This session will discuss the changing role of the board during periods of crisis and significant change and identify key takeaways and best practices to enable your board to navigate the crises that inevitably lie ahead.

Speakers:
Simon Barker, managing partner, Blue Moon Consulting Group
Marcia MacLeod, vice chair and incoming chair, University of Tulsa Board of Trustees

Over the past two years, the expansion of service beyond traditional undergraduates has transitioned to an imperative at many institutions. Why? As downward-sloping demographic charts indicate fewer 18-year-olds, institutions have a choice to make: lower their standards in order to continue to enroll more students from a shrinking demographic or identify new “markets.” RNL has made a commitment to helping institutions expand enrollment in graduate program and online programs—all while keeping the institution in the “driver’s seat.” In this session, we will review recent enrollment and degree production trends that make the case for the “graduate and online imperative”; discuss the most important issues of supply and control that institutions must weigh as they move more assertively into these new domains; and contextualize this with the lessons learned by an institution that has made significant inroads among these “non-traditional” populations.

Speakers:
Sandra Doran, president, Bay Path College
Greg O’Brien, chief growth officer, RNL

Will you support compensating athletes—or participating in a conference that does? How will your institution support students engaging in commercial endorsements? In 2021, NCAA authority was substantially reduced for limiting benefits flowing from universities to student athletes, as well as athletes’ ability to secure outside income related to their names, images, and likenesses. Downstream effects are not yet clear, but one thing seems certain: NCAA affiliation will no longer help answer key questions about the business and mission of college athletics at your institution. Come to this session to get grounded in the latest developments and discuss with top experts what they mean for the work of your board.

Speaker: 
Carol Cartwright, former member and co-chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics; president emerita, Kent State University and Bowling Green State University; trustee, Heidelberg University
Amy Privette Perko, chief executive officer, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

Generational turnover in higher education’s top jobs has been accelerated by the pandemic. But the selecting a new president is only the first step. Leadership matters, and boards are responsible for ensuring every new president has the benefit of an excellent launch. The weight of that responsibility, in the current environment, is growing. Come to this session to gain experiential wisdom and ideas worth borrowing from seasoned hands at presidential onboarding.

Speakers: 
Gilda Barabino, president, Olin College of Engineering
James Erwin, trustee, University of Maine System Board of Trustees
Kirk Kolenbrander, trustee, Wheaton College; executive vice president, Southern New Hampshire University College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics; former vice president and secretary of the corporation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Summit Session

As colleges and universities continue to develop and execute plans for diversity, equity and inclusion, many struggle with the place of the pursuit of justice in an overarching agenda for strategic transformation. For which aspects of constituent and community concerns must the board account, what does that mean, and how might the board’s traditional approaches to business need to change? This session will explore dimensions of justice to be considered in preparation for meaningful board action and institutional progress.

Speaker:
Carlton Brown, former president, Clark Atlanta University and Savannah State University

Since 1862 and the passing of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts, university and college campuses have become the epicenter of U.S. research and innovation. For centuries, higher ed has helped solve society’s most pressing problems and fostered inventions that have fueled the global economy. That remains the same today, but what has dramatically changed is technology to help reinvent the lab and revolutionize college campuses across the country. Attend this session to hear how leading universities are entering a new era of education with next-generation technologies. Learn the steps they are taking to transform courses, curricula, and the campus experience to enable student success—for all.

Moderator: 
Meredith Williams, assistant vice president, executive branch, AT&T

Panelists:
Jim Flink, associate professor, University of Missouri, Missouri School of Journalism
David Staack, associate professor of mechanical engineering and associate vice chancellor for research, Texas A&M University

This panel, featuring three Presidents from distinct institutions, will explore key drivers for digital transformation in higher education. The discussion will explore the following core focus areas to drive rapid and meaningful change in education:
a. pressures and opportunities on campus;
b. strategies to support innovation and transformation;
c. opportunities to engage governing boards in this work.

Facilitator:
Raechelle Clemmons, business development and strategy, Amazon Web Services

Speakers:
Philomena Mantella, president, Grand Valley State University
Elwood L. Robinson, chancellor, Winston-Salem State University
David Schejbal, president, Excelsior College