Table of Contents

Features 

A Brave New World:  Cryptocurrency and  21st-Century  Philanthropy 
By Robert J. Nava and Venesia Thompson–Ramsay  

The San Francisco State University received the largest gift of cryptocurrency in the United States to date in the fall of 2018. Gifts of cryptocurrency can present new challenges and opportunities for universities and institutionally related foundations. The San Francisco State University provides an example of a successful experience with cryptocurrency and shows lessons in how to navigate accepting such a gift. 

Ensuring  a  Legacy after a College Closure: The Marygrove College Experience 
By John C. Cavanaugh and Elizabeth A. Burns 

Marygrove College was able to create a plan that kept its mission and legacy alive despite the closure of the college. This example gives other institutions a way forward when facing a closure of their own.  

How to Optimize the Interim Presidency 
By Kristin R. Tichenor 

Interim presidencies happen more often than people realize. Trustees will likely face a leadership transition some point while on the board and an interim president may be part of this process. They must be prepared for this transitional period.  

Seven Questions Every Board Should Be Asking to Prevent Becoming Financially Challenged
By Robert Witt and Kevin P. Coyne 

Hearing of declining student enrollments that threaten an institution’s financial health is no longer a rare occurrence in higher education. Here are seven questions boards should ask to help guide their decisions to increase institutional value to students and help maintain the fiscal health of the institution.  

Why  Board  Governance Matters: A Focus on HBCUs
By Alvin J. Schexnider 

The leadership model at HBCUs have traditionally not allow for a strong governing board or shared governance as different standards, expectations, and treatment based on race affected HBCU’s board governance development. However, effective board governance is critical to helping HBCUs confront their challenges today and achieve their potential. 

The Dartmouth Decision: Where  Trustees  Come  From  and How We Must Lead 
By Andrew Lounder 

The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Trustees of Dartmouth College v. William H. Woodward (1819) confirmed that boards of trustees bore the ultimate fiduciary responsibility for institutions of higher education. This case gave independent college boards the autonomy to govern an institution as a chartered corporate entity. These and other impacts are why the case is worthy of reflection by trustees today.  

Departments  

On My Agenda
Leadership and Accountability
By Henry Stoever

Perspective on the News
A sampling of national higher education news 

Legal Standpoint
Crisis Management and the Law
By Steven Dunham

Focus on the Presidency
Student Need at a Turning Point 
By Suzanne Shipley

View from the Board Chair
Embracing Change and Continuity
By Cathy Havener Greer

Inside AGB
New Guardians’ Business of Higher Education Brief
Podcast on the Role of University Research
Council of Presidents Meet in Washington, D.C.
AGB On Board
New Staff at AGB 

A Question For…
Peter Smith 
How Is College and Career Readiness Changing Higher Education?