2025 National Conference on Trusteeship: Schedule
March 31–April 2, 2025
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
Chicago, IL
Schedule
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Optional Pre-Conference Convenings
Monday, March 31
AGB member board leaders and chief executives of public universities and systems are invited to save the date for the AGB Institute for Board Leaders and Chief Executives of Public Universities and Systems, held onsite at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile from 12:00 PM CT on Sunday, March 30, to 4:30 PM CT on Monday, March 31. Separate registration is required for this event.
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM CT | Registration and AGB Hub Open
1:30 – 4:30 PM CT | Complimentary Pre-Conference Workshop: Leading Together: Enhancing Board Independence While Building Strong Board-President Relationships
Together, the dual challenges of realizing board independence and leadership and the pressing need for boards to strengthen presidential leadership are reshaping higher education. Start your conference experience right away, going deep on these issues in highly interactive ways alongside national peers. AGB is offering this dynamic three-hour workshop on a complimentary basis to any conference participants whose travel plans allow.
1:30 – 4:30 PM CT | AGB Complimentary Endowment Governance Workshop
AGB members are invited to join us in advance of the NCT for the AGB Endowment Governance Workshop, held onsite at the Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile. Separate registration is required for this complimentary event. Click here to register.
5:00 – 6:00 PM CT | AGB President’s Special Reception for Member Board Chairs
All AGB member board chairs registered for the conference should hold this time and watch for a separate invitation from AGB’s new president, Framroze Virjee.
Tuesday, April 1
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT | Registration and AGB Hub Open
7:30 AM CT | Breakfast available
8:30 – 10:00 AM CT | Welcome and Opening Plenary
Governance for the Future: Leading through Uncertainty
Join renowned foreign affairs analyst and journalist Robin Wright, New Yorker contributing writer and columnist, as she brings her global perspective to the challenges facing higher education leadership today. By drawing parallels to broader global challenges, she will underscore the importance of resilient, forward-thinking leadership in higher education’s role in preparing engaged, informed citizens. This session will invite attendees to reflect on the critical intersection of governance, education, and democratic values in uncertain times.
Robin Wright is a contributing writer and columnist for the New Yorker and a joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She has reported from more than 150 countries, covering dozens of wars, conflicts, and revolutions worldwide. She is a former diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Post. Wright’s reporting has earned several prestigious awards, including the U.N. Correspondents Gold Medal and the Overseas Press Club Award. She is a sought-after speaker and TV commentator. Her most recent book, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World, was named Best Book on International Affairs by the Overseas Press Club. Wright is currently working on a book exploring the dynamics of war and peace.
Speakers:
Robin Wright, contributing writer and columnist, the New Yorker; joint fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Framroze Virgee, president/CEO, AGB
Ross Mugler, chair, AGB Board of Directors
10:15 – 11:15 AM CT | Concurrent Sessions Block I
Additional sessions and speakers to be announced.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM CT | Concurrent Sessions Block II
Additional sessions and speakers to be announced.
12:30 – 2:30 PM CT | Luncheon Plenary: Academic Freedom and Campus Free Speech: What’s a Board to Do?
In today’s college and university communities, the relative rights, privileges, and responsibilities of community members have become points of contention and debate, to put it mildly. The blurring of lines between civic engagement and employment, customer and constituent, and expression and behavior are, if nothing else, complex, with the legal and the practical often in tension. What do boards need to know and do to enable vibrant academic communities in the current environment, and where are the potholes and pitfalls? Join a panel of experts and experienced governance leaders as your board seeks fresh clarity and momentum.
Speakers to be announced
Recognizing Recipients of the AGB John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership
Each year, AGB recognizes a handful of governing boards for exemplary leadership with the John W. Nason Award. Join us in celebrating the achievements of these boards.
2:30 – 3:00 PM CT | Dessert and Networking in the AGB Hub
Enjoy a sweet treat and a dedicated opportunity to connect or reconnect with peers, colleagues, and national experts gathered at the conference.
2:45 – 4:00 PM CT | Private Meeting of Presidents and Chancellors with AGB Leadership
All presidents and chancellors in attendance are invited to a session with AGB leaders to discuss current issues facing higher education leaders.
3:15 – 4:15 PM CT | Trustee Peer Roundtables
AGB has a strong commitment to peer learning. These role- and issue-specific roundtable sessions are designed as facilitated discussions for the exchange of insights and leading practices among peers.
Tables:
Governance Committee (Public)
Governance Committee (Independent)
Finance Committee (Public)
Finance Committee (Independent)
Academic Affairs Committee (Public)
Academic Affairs Committee (Independent)
Student Affairs Committee (Public)
Student Affairs Committee (Independent)
Institutionally Related Foundations (Public)
Philanthropy/Advancement and/or Campaign Committee (All)
Investment Committee (All)
Buildings and Grounds (Public)
Buildings and Grounds (Independent)
Search Committee (Public)
Search Committee (Independent)
Committee Restructuring (Public)
Committee Restructuring (Independent)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee/Task Force (All)
Audit/Risk/Compliance Committee (All)
Student Trustees and Representatives (All)
Faculty/Staff Trustees and Representatives (All)
Women Board Leaders—and Aspiring Leaders (All)
Predominantly White Institution Board Members of Color (All)
Board Members under Age 45 (All)
Mission Committee (Independent)
Athletics Committee (All)
HBCU Trustees (All)
Board Professionals—Board and Committee Staff (All)
Community College Trustees
Multi-Campus System Trustees
4:30 – 5:30 PM CT | Concurrent Sessions Block III
Additional sessions and speakers to be announced.
5:30 – 7:00 PM CT | Evening Reception
Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with national and international peers and colleagues. Indulge in light moments and make lasting connections.
Wednesday, April 2
7:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT | Registration and AGB Hub Open
7:00 AM CT | Breakfast available
7:45 – 9:00 AM CT | Breakfast Plenary Session
Govern for Excellence: A Student Reality Check
“Boards need to serve the students they have, not the students they wish they had.”
This advice from an AGB member sums up the challenges boards face in understanding students in 2025. How many trustees can say confidently they have an excellent grasp of their current student population and its needs? How many boards are consistently leveraging that understanding as business intelligence to inform organizational aspirations and strategies?
Students are beneficiaries, stakeholders, constituents, customers, influencers, and—yes—learners. They are also people. Join this keynote session to examine what it means for boards to understand their students in 2025, what that work looks like in practice, and how placing fresh board effort on student needs can inspire institutional excellence.
Speaker:
Sara Goldrick-Rab, scholar and senior fellow, Education Northwest
9:15 – 10:15 AM CT | Concurrent Sessions Block IV
Additional sessions and speakers to be announced.
10:30 – 11:30 AM CT | Concurrent Sessions Block V
Additional sessions and speakers to be announced.
11:35 AM – 12:35 PM CT | Final Plenary Session
Topic and speakers will be announced at a later date.
12:45 – 2:30 PM CT | Peer Groups Luncheon
We heard you. The desire for AGB members to meet and exchange knowledge with peers at like institutions has reached a new high in the mid-2020s. Conference participants are invited to enjoy an intimate, extended lunch with five to seven peers. AGB staff will arrange seating according to:
- Institution type (Carnegie Classification)
- Institution location
- Participant role (trustee, board chair, president, etc.)
Note: Registration is available as an add-on at the time of conference registration ($65 additional charge to cover the cost of lunch).
Register as a group and save.
Early Bird Rate
Individual Member*
Individual Member*
$1,895
Early Bird Rate
Group**
Group**
$1,695
Regular Rate
Individual Member*
$1,995
Regular Rate
Group**
$1,895
Nonmember Rate
$2,995
*Member exclusive pricing.
**Three or more, members only. All members in the group must be registered at the same time.
Please note: The only legitimate way to reserve your room at the conference hotel is by using the hyperlink provided in the confirmation email you receive upon registration.
Key Dates
- Early bird deadline: December 2, 2024
- Deadline for cancellation: February 17, 2025
- Deadline to receive discounted hotel rate: February 28, 2025 (provided space is available)
Registration and Cancellation Policy
This program is available only to registrants who are serving a higher ed institution or foundation. Please contact registrar@AGB.org with any questions.
All cancellations and requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to cancellations@AGB.org and will be processed after the meeting. Requests for refunds must be received by close of business on February 17, 2025, to receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be issued for registrants who cancel after February 17, 2025. If you are unable to attend, a substitute is welcome in your place at no additional charge. AGB is not responsible for cancellations due to airline disruption, inclement weather, COVID-19, or schedule changes.
Group Discounts: If a cancellation causes the group to fall below the required three registrations, the refund will be issued minus the discount benefit received by the original group.
Hotel Information
AGB has secured a room block for National Conference on Trusteeship attendees at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile at the group rate of $229 per night, exclusive of 17.4% taxes. Once you have registered for the conference, you will receive a hotel reservation link in your meeting registration confirmation. To receive the group rate, reservations must be made online through the reservation link received. Reservations should be made in the name of the person registered for the 2025 National Conference on Trusteeship. Multiple reservations under the same name will not be accepted.
The deadline for reserving a room at the group rate is February 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM CT.
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