Blog Posts

August 09, 2022 - AGB members are well acquainted with the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the leading membership organization for college and university fundraisers. As many institutions focus on cultivating and attracting transformational donations, CASE has released an important …

August 03, 2022 - You are viewing the Institution version of this CEO Update. Institutionally Related Foundation and System versions are also available. Welcome to a new academic year! The buzz of students, faculty, and staff on campus is invigorating, and I trust you will …

July 28, 2022 - Investment committees overseeing the endowments of higher ed institutions need to think about inflation for two fundamental reasons. First, inflation can negatively impact their investment portfolios by causing lower or even negative returns in asset classes that are inflation-sensitive (e.g., …

July 26, 2022 - In Greek mythology, Achilles was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors. Achilles was invulnerable in his entire body except for one spot—his heel. Paris, who was not a brave warrior, ambushed Achilles as …

July 20, 2022 - Sooner or later, most college and university presidents are asked about their worst fears—what keeps them up at night or wakes them with anxious thoughts in the middle of the night. Boards might ask this question to become better informed …

July 19, 2022 - Summer is finally here. You’ve finished the last campaign of the academic year, and now you are in the midst of finalizing your annual fundraising planning calendar. All eyes are turning to the kickoff of your fiscal year in earnest. …

July 08, 2022 - As a member of AGB’s Advisory Council that guided the newly published report Freedom of Speech and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Campus: Considerations for Board Members and Chief Executives, the challenge of cultivating an inclusive campus is on my …

July 07, 2022 - You are viewing the Institution version of this CEO Update. Institutionally Related Foundation and System versions are also available. Last month, I moderated a panel with two board chairs and two presidents during an AGB member’s board retreat, and separately, I …

June 30, 2022 - Board leadership for colleges and universities is strengthened when a broad range of perspectives and expertise are represented. Still, many higher ed boards of trustees lack meaningful diversity. What is holding your institution back? And what can be done to overcome …

June 23, 2022 - For an endowment or other perpetual pool of capital, the ability to grow the portfolio, net of spending, expenses, and inflation, is critically important to supporting future generations. Despite predictions in recent years of a “low return environment” that could …