Top Strategic Issues for Boards 2024–2025

This biennial publication frames the most pressing challenges currently facing colleges and universities—those that demand the board’s strategic oversight, vision, and accountability to advance excellence in governance and outcomes for students.

The current competitive economic environment and polarized political climate present unique challenges for colleges and universities in the near term. In this moment college, university, system, and foundation boards must continue to put the best interests of their institutions first and address the longer-term strategic issues where their direction can have the most impact for the future vitality of the enterprise, including student success and experience, leadership succession and support, and business model innovation and digital transformation.

For the 2024–2025 edition these top strategic issues include:

• Board Independence and Leadership
• Student Success, the Student Experience, and Inclusion on Campus
• Leadership Succession and Support
• Business Model Innovation and Digital Transformation

Framing questions for each issue are included to help guide the board’s discussion toward strategic conversations and deeper engagement about how these issues affect your institution.