Chat with AGB Board BotA Three-Part Series for Higher Education Board Professionals
AI is already changing how work gets done across higher education. Board professionals are helping their institutions navigate that change, often without a clear picture of where their board stands, which concerns require attention, or what responsible adoption looks like in practice.
This series is built for the people supporting higher education governance every day. Three sessions. Peer perspectives. Real data from participating institutions.
Through this series, board professionals will:
- Understand where their institution stands along the AI governance adoption arc and what may be slowing progress.
- Hear how peers are navigating data security, institutional policy, trustee adoption, accuracy, and human review.
- Explore what governed AI use can look like in practice and how OnBoard AI can support the path forward.
There is no fee to attend. Attending each session is not required for participation, and jumping in at any point in this series is encouraged. Live sessions are open to all. On-demand session recordings are only available to AGB members.
This series is presented in partnership with AGB OnBoard, the board management platform designed for higher education governance.
Upcoming Webinar Sessions
Session 1: How Future-Ready Is Your Higher Ed Board?
September 16, 2026
2:00–3:00 PM ET
AI may already be showing up in board work, even as the policies, technology, and governance practices surrounding it continue to develop. The challenge is knowing where your institution stands and what may need attention.
Before the session, participants complete the five-minute Higher Education AI Governance Readiness Assessment and receive an immediate, private result.
During the session, Jason Ferguson of OnBoard will reveal the group’s aggregated findings, including where AI is being used, what is slowing progress, and what participating institutions need next. Anonymous polls and practical governance scenarios will help participants compare their own experience with peers without sharing individual assessment results.
Participants will leave with a clearer view of their AI governance foundations and practical questions to bring back to their board, leadership team, IT, or legal counsel.
Learning Objectives
- Compare their institution’s AI governance readiness with other participating institutions.
- Identify potential gaps across policy, information handling, technology, and workflow.
- Understand the barriers most commonly slowing AI adoption in higher education governance.
- Build a foundation for the peer discussion and practical next steps explored in Sessions 2 and 3.
Moderator:
Jason Ferguson, moderator and facilitator, AGB OnBoard
Session 2: The AI Question Every Board Professional Is Sitting With
October 1, 2026
2:00–3:00 PM ET
AI is already showing up in board work. Board professionals are using it to accelerate research, improve drafts, summarize lengthy materials, and support meeting preparation.
But practical value comes with important governance questions.
What happens when sensitive board materials are entered into an AI tool? Does institutional policy clearly apply to trustees and board staff? Who verifies AI-generated work before the board relies on it? And how does an institution move from individual experimentation to approved, governed use?
This session is the candid peer conversation those questions deserve.
Jason Ferguson of OnBoard will open with findings from the Session 1 readiness assessment, including where AI is being used, what is slowing adoption, and what participating institutions say they need next.
Joshua Merchant of Oakland University and Heather Fehn of The College of New Jersey will bring those findings into the real world. Drawing on their institutions’ experiences with AI, they will discuss where it creates value, what concerns remain, and what it takes to move from experimentation to governed use.
The conversation will then open to the full room for questions and shared experiences.
Learning Objectives
- Hear how AI is being used in board and governance work today.
- Explore how peer institutions are navigating security, policy, accuracy, trustee adoption, and human review.
- Consider what it takes to move from AI experimentation to an approved, governed workflow.
- Leave with practical questions to bring back to their board, leadership team, IT, or legal counsel.
Moderator:
Jason Ferguson, moderator and facilitator, AGB OnBoard
Panelists:
Joshua D. Merchant, Ph.D., chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, Oakland University
Heather Fehn, vice president and chief of staff, secretary to the board of trustees, The College of New Jersey
Session 3: Hear From a Peer, See What's Next: OnBoard AI for Higher Ed Boards
October 15, 2026
2:00–3:00 PM ET
Sessions 1 and 2 surfaced where higher education board professionals stand, what may be slowing progress, and what institutions need to move forward. Session 3 turns those insights into practical next steps.
A higher education governance professional will share how their organization is approaching AI-supported board work, including the opportunity they identified, the changes involved, and what they learned along the way.
The session will then explore how OnBoard AI supports governed board workflows and where AI-enabled governance technology is heading.
Participants will leave with a more concrete picture of how AI can support board work while maintaining appropriate oversight, security, and human judgment.
Learning Objectives
- Hear how a higher education organization is approaching AI-supported governance in practice.
- Understand how OnBoard AI supports work within a governed board environment.
- Connect the findings from Sessions 1 and 2 to practical institutional next steps.
- Consider what responsible AI adoption could look like at their institution.
Moderator:
Jason Ferguson, moderator and facilitator, AGB OnBoard
Panelist:
Jessica Godo, MS, director of board operations, University of Colorado Foundation
Fill in the form below to register for the series.