Table of Contents 

Features 

Why College? The Many Implications of Completion
By Jim Geringer and Stan Jones

College access and attainment of a postsecondary credential are essential to improving the American economy; greater completion levels will lead to both economic and social success. Here’s how board members can seek and receive meaningful data from their institutions in order to make informed choices to ensure completion.

Higher Education’s Critical Role in Increasing Opportunity in America: What Boards Should Know and 10 Questions They Should Ask
By José Luis Santos and Kati Haycock

As gaps in income, wealth, and social mobility continue to grow, the need for boards to create a culture that prioritizes student success becomes more crucial. What questions do boards need to ask to understand whether their institution is an engine of opportunity?

Board Responsibility for the Oversight of College Completion
By Cristin Toutsi

The fundamental board responsibility and fiduciary duty of improving completion rates requires appropriate board engagement, including an understanding of both public purpose and individual need for postsecondary education.

Using Student Engagement Results to Oversee Educational Quality
By Jillian Kinzie, Alexander C. McCormick, and Robert M. Gonyea

Board members must come to understand the importance of student engagement and how institutions under their leadership can use it to improve educational quality.

Governing Boards and Student Learning Outcomes Assessment
By Stanley Ikenberry, Peter Ewell, and George Kuh

The oversight of educational quality is a central component of a governing board’s fiduciary responsibility. While approaches to assessing academic quality will vary widely from campus to campus, defining the responsibility of the board is crucial.

Departments

Legal Standpoint
Do We Need to Keep Talking About Sexual Assault?
By Lori E. Fox

Focus on the Presidency
Creating Diverse Communities
By Brian Rosenberg

View from the Board Chair
Education, or Political Theater?
By Jay Heiler

A Question For…
How Can Boards Best Oversee Educational Quality?
By Jo Beld