Blog Posts

March 22, 2019 - AGB recently published an “anatomy” of good governance, arguing that the right combination of board makeup, focus, and culture can go a long way toward ensuring success in the boardroom. Long experience has shown that the ability of a board …

March 07, 2019 - From new student demographics to dramatically different workforce needs to the advent of social media and tech-enabled learning—not to mention the cumulative effects of contemporary approaches to tuition pricing—the imperatives facing colleges and universities have seen tectonic shifts in the …

February 26, 2019 - Along with financial challenges, the importance of equitable educational outcomes predominates the concerns of leaders (providing targeted supports to improve graduation rates among underrepresented students; creating hiring programs to increase the number of women faculty in STEM departments; working to …

December 13, 2018 - Every investment committee should have a succession plan with three primary goals: preserving institutional memory, finding the best committee leadership, and welcoming new ideas. Preserving Institutional Memory: The ideal average tenure of committee members is 6-7 years, but exceptionally qualified members should …

November 30, 2018 - The work of public university foundations is being reimagined in exciting ways. At a time when state and federal subsidies to universities are waning and student price-sensitivity is rising, some promising, even inspirational foundations are expanding their realm beyond fund …

November 12, 2018 - Last month, we explored the value that colleges and universities contribute to the economy by fostering innovation, developing an able and competent workforce, and providing a space for entrepreneurship. This month, it feels appropriate to highlight the value of higher education to our …

November 08, 2018 - In recent years governing boards and campus leadership have become more strategic about enterprise risk management. Despite these efforts, conflicts related to campus climate, free speech, intercollegiate athletics, and sexual assault can go viral in a nanosecond. Board members, the …

October 23, 2018 - As we shared in Endowment Management for Higher Education, optimizing the selection of investment committee members is a crucial task that greatly contributes to endowment management success. To help committees make appropriate decisions beyond “time, talent, and treasure” considerations, we developed …

September 06, 2018 - A growing number of college and university presidents are coming from outside academia. In a recent Trusteeship article, author Terrence MacTaggart explored how leaders can embrace institutional culture and lead change. Below is an excerpt. Read the full article here. Successful enterprise leadership demands …

April 12, 2018 - Every college and university president needs to be assessed by themselves, by their board, and by an objective outsider. Assessing a president’s performance in order to build stronger performance is a process with three stages: ongoing feedback, annual reviews, and …