Books

Facilities committees help shape the physical character of their institutions by ensuring that their campuses are functional, attractive, and well-maintained. Committee members tackle the challenging work of helping to update the campus master plan and developing harmonious relationships between buildings, …

Fundraising has become an essential component of institutions' financial viability, particularly as government support shrinks. Institutional reputations and relations with constituents can be badly damaged by ineffective, clumsily implemented, or unethical fundraising practices. Because such missteps can have a profound …

Within a board’s governance structure, the executive committee can be uniquely influential. As the only committee vested with the possibility of almost complete fiduciary authority, the executive committee has the potential to affect the overall performance of the board—adding value …

In the face of rising costs and a prolonged economic downturn, public colleges and universities are being challenged to increase their sources of private support and philanthropy. Drawing on the findings of an AGB survey of public college- and university-affiliated …

College and university boards are charged with governance responsibility to ensure that students receive a high-quality education from a well-managed institution that fulfills its mission and actively pursues its vision. The student affairs committee places current and future students squarely …

The audit committee serves as the guardian of an institution's most valuable asset: its reputation. As colleges and universities have become subject to intense scrutiny, the result is a new institutional focus on accountability, transparency, and enterprise risk management, as …

In a time of transformation in higher education, Leading Change: How Boards and Presidents Build Exceptional Institutions fills a void in leadership literature and focuses on the changing level of board engagement. This book examines 18 institutions, across the spectrum …

The investment committee has important governance responsibilities in assuring the successful management of endowment and other institutional pools of capital. The success or failure of the investment committee has a large and direct impact on the resources available to the …

Making the Grade: How Boards Can Ensure Academic Quality—popularly referred to as “The Little Yellow Book” by boards, faculty, provosts, and assessment specialists—provides clear guidance for the board’s role in the most important “business” of academe: educating students. As public …

Through its chapters covering innovative thinking, adaptability, and the development of effective and responsive board committees, Margin of Excellence equips foundation executives, boards, and the leaders of host institutions with the knowledge they need to strategically manage change and growth. …