Chat with AGB Board Bot
You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available.
As the federal government shutdown continues, AGB recognizes the uncertainty and disruption it is creating for your institutions, students, and employees. We know this is a challenging time, and AGB remains committed to supporting you as you work to sustain institutional stability and uphold your mission.
These immediate challenges underscore a larger reality: governing boards are operating in an environment of growing external interference and expectations. Each day, new pressures test the independence and authority of higher education governing boards. From proposed federal “compacts” to escalating regulatory and ideological pressures, external forces are increasingly seeking to control higher education governance. These actions threaten academic freedom, institutional integrity, and mission-driven, strategic decision-making for colleges and universities.
Governing boards must serve as fiduciaries for their institutions, not as instruments of governmental or ideological control. Efforts that claim to “reform” higher education but impose political or policy dictates are not reform. They are attempts to control higher education in service to an ideological agenda. These actions violate the very principles of effective governance that AGB has championed for more than a century: safeguarding open inquiry, encouraging innovation, upholding academic quality and institutional integrity, and enabling our colleges and universities to serve as global exemplars. AGB fervently supports the commitment to genuine educational purpose over political or ideological conformity and will continue to defend and advocate for institutional autonomy and self-governance.
Renewed Call to Affirm Board Independence and Institutional Autonomy
At this pivotal moment for higher education, AGB is renewing our call for boards to unite in defense of board independence and institutional autonomy. We invite you to join your peers in signing AGB’s Community Letter Reaffirming the Independence of Higher Education Governance.
By signing on, your board affirms its commitment to mission-driven, independent governance and to the fiduciary principles that have long underpinned higher education’s ability to serve the public good. AGB also offers a sample board resolution to help guide your institution’s discussion and formal adoption of this commitment.
The Govern NOW Initiative: Tools to Strengthen Governance Integrity
To help governing boards recognize, resist, and safeguard against the growing forms of undue influence and external pressures, and adhere to mission-driven stewardship, AGB launched the Govern NOW initiative, supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation. The initiative offers:
- A new practical guide titled How to Govern for Institutional Autonomy.
- Self-assessment tools for boards to evaluate their independence and resilience.
- Templates for constructive stakeholder engagement.
- Guidance on preserving governance integrity amid ideological or policy pressures.
Govern NOW was created to equip boards with the frameworks, language, and resolve to protect their independence and ensure they govern from principle versus pressure.
Standing Together for Mission-Driven Stewardship
This moment demands unity. As a fiduciary, you play an indispensable role in safeguarding your institution’s mission, values, and ability to serve students and society. AGB stands with you and for you as we work together to uphold the governance principles that sustain the excellence and integrity of U.S. higher education.
