Higher education’s greatest promise is its power to transform lives. In his memoir, Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man’s Search for Home, Jonathan Capehart reflects: “My mother strongly believed that education was a prison key. If you grabbed on to learning, freedom and advancement were yours.” This plenary session will invite trustees to consider how boards can advance that promise with clarity, courage, and purpose in an environment rife with disruption. How can boards create transformational experiences that foster belonging, leadership, and lifelong opportunity to ensure higher education remains a pathway to freedom, advancement, and impact?

Speaker:
Jonathan Capehart, journalist, MS NOW; trustee, Carleton College
Cathy Paglia, chair, Carleton College

5:30 – 7:00 PM | Opening Reception

Sunday, March 14

7:30 – 8:30 AM | Networking Breakfasts

8:45 – 9:45 AM | Morning Plenary

When Should Institutions Speak?

In recent years, colleges and universities have faced growing pressure to respond to social, political, and global events while also confronting renewed calls for institutions to refrain from speaking. This plenary session will explore the tension between institutional neutrality and institutional voice. It will grapple with several questions: When should colleges and universities speak, when should they remain silent, and what does each approach mean for mission, academic freedom, the First Amendment, shared governance, and public trust? Trustees will consider the board’s role in guiding mission-aligned approaches that protect open inquiry while sustaining confidence in institutional leadership.

Moderator:
Angela Onwuachi-Willig, dean and Ryan Roth Gallo Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law; member, AGB Board of Directors

Speakers:
Lee Bollinger, president emeritus and Seth Low Professor of the University, Columbia University
David French, columnist, New York Times; former president, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (now known as Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)

9:45 – 10:00 AM | Break

10:00 – 10:50 AM | Concurrent Session Block 1

10:50 – 11:10 AM | Break

11:10 AM – 12:00 PM | Concurrent Sessions Block 2

12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch

1:00 – 2:15 PM | Nason Awards and Luncheon Plenary

Higher Education and the Nation’s Future

For generations, the partnership between the federal government and higher education has been central to American economic prosperity, scientific discovery, national security, and global competitiveness. Today that compact is being tested by shifting public expectations, fiscal pressures, political scrutiny, and questions about higher education’s value. This plenary session will examine why the federal–higher education relationship matters, how it has fueled innovation and opportunity, and what is at stake if public trust and sustained investment weaken.

2:15 – 2:35 PM | Break

2:35 – 3:25 PM | Concurrent Session Block 3

3:25 – 3:45 PM | Break

3:45 – 5:00 PM | Afternoon Plenary

Governing for the Future

Strong governance is essential to institutional autonomy, public trust, and long-term success. This plenary session will explore how AGB’s Govern NOW and Govern with Integrity initiatives work together to help boards lead with clarity, independence, and accountability. Participants will examine practical tools, resources, and policy guidance designed to strengthen fiduciary governance, trustee preparedness, mission stewardship, and effective oversight. Trustees, presidents, and chancellors will consider how these initiatives can support stronger board practices, reinforce board–president alignment, and create the conditions for governance that protects institutional mission and the public purposes of higher education at the board, system, and state levels.

Speaker:
Ross Mugler, president and CEO, AGB

5:00 – 6:15 PM | Reception

Monday, March 15

7:30 – 8:30 AM | Office Hour Breakfasts

8:45 – 9:45 AM | Closing Plenary

Reclaiming Purpose: The University in an AI World

Artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating change across every dimension of work, learning, and society—but it also invites higher education to reclaim and reframe its deepest purpose. In this plenary session, Paul LeBlanc, author of Reclaiming Purpose: The University in an AI World, will challenge trustees to think boldly about the role colleges and universities must play in an AI-shaped world: preparing adaptable learners, cultivating human judgment and creativity, strengthening communities, and sustaining democracy. How can boards help institutions move beyond disruption and toward renewed relevance and lasting impact? At this pivotal moment, trustees have an opportunity to help define not only the future of their institutions but the future value of higher education itself.

Speaker:
Paul J. LeBlanc, visiting scholar and special advisor, Harvard University Graduate School of Education

9:45 – 10:00 AM | Break

10:00 – 11:15 AM | Concurrent Session Block 4

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | The Governance Challenge in College Athletics

Intercollegiate athletics is undergoing rapid and historic changes, with implications for all higher education institutions regardless of size, division, or conference. New questions about mission, financial sustainability, student-athlete well-being, legal risk, and public trust are reshaping expectations for boards and executive leaders. This plenary session will explore what the evolving athletics landscape means for effective governance and how trustees, presidents, and chancellors can provide informed oversight, align athletics with institutional values, and lead with accountability in a time of significant change.

1:15 – 3:30 PM | Post-Conference Workshops

Register as a group and save.

Register now to reserve your spot in Washington, DC.

Early Bird Rate
Individual Member*

$2,035

Early Bird Rate
Group**

$1,830

Regular Rate
Individual Member*

$2,295

Regular Rate
Group**

$2,195

Nonmember Rate

$3,565

*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 9, 2026
Deadline for cancellation: February 5, 2027
Deadline to receive discounted hotel rate: February 17, 2027 (provided space is available)

Registration and Cancellation Policy

This program is available only to registrants who are serving a higher education 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 5, 2027, to receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be issued for registrants who cancel after February 5, 2027. 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 Washington Hilton at the group rate of $309 per night for a single or double, exclusive of 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 2027 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 17, 2027, at 5:00 PM ET (provided space is available).

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Registration

AGB is committed to excellence in member service. Should you have questions about registering for the National Conference on Trusteeship, contact the AGB registrar.

Become a Member and Save

If you currently are not an AGB member but want to take advantage of member pricing, please contact the AGB Membership team.

Sponsorship

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact Steve Abbott, director of partnerships.

2027 National Conference on Trusteeship: Schedule

Schedule

Saturday, March 13