Elevating Board Member Engagement: Six Strategies

Higher education boards play a pivotal role in shaping an institution’s vision and long-term strategy regardless of how the board is set up. For a board to effectively exercise its authority, each member must be motivated and inspired to actively participate in the decision-making process.

Boosting board member engagement yields substantial benefits for an institution. Engaged board members arrive at meetings well-prepared, contribute to more productive discussions, and foster a stronger culture of collaboration.

However, maintaining high board engagement is a complex undertaking. Higher education institutions are intricate entities with numerous moving parts, and they must consider board members’ diverse personalities. Developing an engagement plan and establishing procedures that encourage members to embrace the institution’s mission and operate with a clear sense of purpose is essential.

Here are six proven strategies to enhance board engagement within higher education.

1. Establish Clear Expectations and Goals

It’s crucial to set achievable expectations that align with each board member’s role and responsibilities. Begin each academic year with a board orientation or retreat to review roles, responsibilities, and strategic goals. Ensure every member understands the expectations regarding participation, decision-making, and meeting preparation.

By eliminating ambiguity regarding board roles, leadership can foster accountability and collaboration. Moreover, board members are more likely to engage when they understand their unique impacts and contributions.

2. Develop a Comprehensive Board Calendar

Once board members understand their responsibilities, they need a system to track tasks and ensure they complete objectives in a timely manner. A comprehensive board calendar promotes accountability and keeps members informed.

The calendar outlines all events and projects for the academic year. The university president or board secretary typically creates the calendar, and they should develop the calendar early in the academic year.

The board calendar provides a clear timeline, enhancing efficiency. While tailored to each institution’s goals and resources, the calendar generally includes:

• Regular board meeting dates
• Fundraising and alumni events
• Compliance reporting deadlines
• New board member orientations
• Peer and self-assessments
• Audit report reviews
• Budget approvals

Flexibility is essential; the calendar should be revised as needed to reflect evolving priorities.

3. Refresh Board Training and Orientation

For new board members, introductory training programs provide an overview of the institution’s culture and standards. While the content and duration of the programs vary, the goal is to help new directors quickly integrate and maximize their contributions.

Regularly evaluate training and orientation programs to ensure they remain relevant. Utilize data from past sessions and gather feedback through board engagement surveys or direct discussions. These insights help identify areas for improvement.

4. Organize Board Documents and Materials

Engaged board members require access to critical information. Organizing and delivering relevant documents is essential for effective decision-making.

One of the key aspects of knowing how to prepare for a board meeting is understanding how to organize and deliver important documents to strengthen the process. Board packets, containing documents such as meeting minutes, agendas, financial reports, and committee updates, enhance meeting engagement. Board management solutions like AGB OnBoard streamline the storage and delivery of these materials.

5. Define Key Performance Metrics

After setting goals, establish metrics to track progress. Performance metrics provide quantifiable data to measure progress toward strategic objectives.

While related, performance metrics differ from key performance indicators (KPIs). Performance metrics measure the effectiveness of strategies, while KPIs use specific, data-driven measurements to evaluate progress.

Performance metrics reflect the board’s ability to execute plans and identify areas for adjustment. Examples include student retention rates, research grant acquisition, alumni giving, and operational efficiency.

6. Remain Part of Compliance Efforts

In higher education, compliance is arguably a more critical—and time-consuming—process than in any other industry. Boards that don’t have a compliance committee in place to complement the board of trustees’ efforts could expose institutions to legal risks, financial penalties, reputational damage, and more.

Compliance is too important to higher education institutions for boards to be a passive party in this process. Taking part in the institutions’ compliance efforts will foster better board engagement in other areas as well.

Consider following these best practices:

1. Strengthen governance and oversight: Implement clear policies, regular audits, and ongoing leadership training for staff.
2. Develop clear compliance policies and procedures: They should be simple and actionable, and the compliance manager or their designee should update and monitor them on a regular basis.
3. Foster a culture of compliance and ethics: Encourage leaders to lead by example. Empower individuals to speak up when they become aware of compliance violations or questionable ethical decisions.
4. Proactively communicate disability accommodation compliance: Work with students and staff to identify and address any necessary adjustments.
5. Review diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) regulations: Assess adherence to current policies and practices.

Enhancing Board Engagement with Technology

Board engagement is fundamental to the success of any higher education institution. Board management software can significantly enhance engagement.

Platforms like AGB OnBoard offer features that optimize meetings and increase productivity. These solutions streamline communication, document management, and meeting preparation. Exploring these tools can empower your board to achieve its full potential.

Matthew Maxwell is a senior consultant at AGB OnBoard with over a decade of experience. He has held roles in business development and played a key role in launching the AGB-OnBoard partnership.