Governing with Purpose Session 4: Supporting Presidential Leadership in Times of Headwinds

Higher education leaders are navigating political, financial, cultural, and global headwinds that demand stronger governance and deeper leadership support. These headwinds are why developing and supporting higher education leaders is a top strategic issue for boards. This webinar will provide a practical framework for boards to align with presidents, strengthen leadership capacity, and navigate external pressures to advance resilient, mission-centered leadership.

Learning Objectives

1. A clearer understanding of why developing and supporting higher education leaders is a strategic governance priority amid political, financial, cultural, and global pressures.
2. A practical framework for strengthening board–president alignment, clarifying roles, and building shared responsibility for resilient, mission-centered leadership.
3. Actionable governance practices for supporting presidential leadership, strengthening leadership capacity across the institution, and navigating external pressures while advancing long-term institutional vitality.

Speaker:

Jason Lane, PhD, special advisor to the president, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign

About the Series:

There is no fee to attend the webinars. Attending each session is not required for participation, and jumping in at any point in this series is encouraged. Live sessions are open to all. On-demand session recordings are only available to AGB members. Learn about the full series.

AGB’s Top Strategic Issues Webinar Series is designed to help members navigate the urgent forces reshaping higher education and board governance. Through discussions on mission, institutional autonomy, leadership, student success, financial vitality, and higher education’s evolving purpose, the series offers trustees and institutional leaders insights to govern with confidence, map strategic direction, and position their institutions for long-term resilience and impact.

Through this series, which is based on AGB’s new publication Top Strategic Issues for Boards 2026–2027, trustees, presidents, chancellors, and other institutional leaders will:

• Assess the urgent forces reshaping higher education and their implications for effective board governance.
• Gain insights to help trustees and institutional leaders govern with confidence and map strategic direction.
• Explore how boards can strengthen mission, leadership, student success, financial vitality, and long-term institutional resilience.