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You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available.
As higher education grapples with compounding, complex pressures, one of the most important steps an institution can take is to prepare its board through board education. This includes robust board member orientation and ongoing board education opportunities.
Board orientation should emphasize the core tenets of fiduciary responsibilities, including the duty of care, the duty of loyalty, and the duty of obedience. It should outline the board’s role as mission stewards and the distinct roles of governance and management. It should highlight ethical governance practices and avoidance of conflicts of interest. It should review board bylaws and governing documents and ensure boards understand their role in supporting their institution’s educational quality, financial health, legal compliance, long-term institutional stability, and student success.
Ongoing board education is vital to ensure boards remain prepared for new and evolving challenges facing higher education and their institutions. It can take place during board meetings, committee sessions, workshops, and retreats.
Robust orientation and ongoing education ensure trustees understand both the principles of effective governance and how to put them into practice.
Not All Board Education Is Equal
Boards today can choose from education offered by membership associations, for-profit consultants and organizations, law firms, and others. Some providers pursue ideological or commercial objectives, and boards should evaluate the substance of a program to understand whether it is based on leading practices and equips trustees to think and act in the best interest of the institution.
Before selecting an educational partner, consider the following questions:
- Is the provider transparent? Boards should understand who developed the program, who provides its funding, what interests they may represent, and whether they disclose potential conflicts.
- Is the advice based on proven evidence and true higher education expertise? It is critical that facilitators understand the unique mission and culture of higher education institutions instead of just importing practices from corporate boards.
- Is the education mission-centered and adaptable? Governance varies by institution type. Community colleges, research universities, liberal arts colleges, public systems, and institutionally related foundations will not govern every issue in the same way.
- Does the education both clarify governance boundaries and produce measurable action? It should clarify the difference between oversight and management and define the board’s, president’s, administration’s, and faculty’s roles. It should link to committee charters, board calendars, and concrete next steps.
Athletics: Testing Governance in Real Time
Intercollegiate athletics is rapidly transforming, and boards need to strengthen their understanding of the issues and impacts on institutional mission and reputation. Revenue sharing; name, image, and likeness (NIL); media rights; student health and safety; legal risks; finances; and new business models require boards with deeper knowledge of the athletics landscape to govern effectively.
In a recent AGB pulse survey of more than 200 higher education leaders, 61 percent of respondents from institutions with athletics programs said board oversight of athletics now requires at least as much attention as their other responsibilities. Yet only 32 percent said their boards are well prepared to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities in today’s rapidly changing athletics landscape.
To help boards meet the moment, this fall AGB will convene trustees, presidents, chancellors, athletic directors, chief financial officers, foundation leaders, and industry experts for a timely discussion on the future of intercollegiate athletics and its governance implications. The Governance Challenge in College Athletics will be held November 10–11 in Washington, DC, and I encourage you to attend.
Go Deeper with AGB Resources
AGB offers the following resources to help governing boards enhance trustee education, apply governance principles in practice, and prepare for consequential emerging issues:
- Board Member Orientation—AGB’s self-paced online program provides both new and experienced trustees with an introduction or refresher on higher education governance, essential board responsibilities, fiduciary duties, and boardroom culture. Separate tracks are available for different institution, system, and foundation types.
- An Anatomy of Good Board Governance in Higher Education—This practical framework provides a clear understanding of the best governance practices that work together to strengthen board effectiveness.
- Principles of Trusteeship—These nine principles focus on the attitudes and actions each trustee should embody as they work to fulfill their responsibilities on the board.
- Governance Checklists—These checklists can help boards establish and maintain good governance practices and evaluate their structures, policies, processes, and boardroom routines.
- How to Govern for Institutional Autonomy: A Practical Guide for Higher Education Boards—This guide provides tools and strategies to help boards navigate external governance challenges to ensure their decisions and actions are grounded in fiduciary duty, board independence, and mission-centered leadership.
- Athletics Knowledge Center—This hub provides questions, guidance, and curated resources to help boards understand their responsibilities for athletics policy, mission alignment, financial oversight, student-athlete well-being, transparency, integrity, and accountability. Register for AGB’s November 10–11 convening in Washington, DC.
A Prepared Board Is a Strong Board
Effective and ongoing board education strengthens mission stewardship and keeps boards anchored in their fiduciary responsibilities. Done well, it prepares trustees to lead strategically and exercise oversight without straying into management.
As you prepare for the upcoming academic year, you should assess whether trustees’ education is trustworthy, useful in practice, and grounded in the Principles of Trusteeship.
Thank you for your leadership and continued commitment to mission-centered governance.
