Table of Contents

Features

A Winter of Discontent: Tax Policy, Trust, and the Future of Higher Education 
By Kevin P. Reilly and Richard Novak

The recent tax debate, coupled with growing public skepticism, reveals that animosity toward higher education has reached a boiling point. How can colleges and universities rebuild trust in the value proposition of a post-secondary education?

Growth and Transformation: A New Era for Mergers
By Jeff A. Weiss

While mergers in higher education were once considered a last-ditch effort to survive, a growing number of institutions view these partnerships as a viable strategy for growth and transformation. Success depends on true collaboration and integration.

The Scholarly Educator: A Case for New Faculty Models
By Daniel Scott and Adrianna Kezar

More than two-thirds of the nation’s college and university faculty are no longer tenured or on the tenure-track, a dramatic reversal in just two generations. What are the problems with the current faculty models, and how can governing boards respond?

Strategic Finance: The 4% Solution
By Duane Kilty

To prepare for the future of higher education, trustees and campus leaders must consider changes to compete successfully in the marketplace. This six-step strategy for financial planning can help create systemic change and strengthen the health of institutions.

Boards and Vice Presidents: Bridging the Divide
By William A. Laramee

The alliance between boards and vice presidents is critical to the fundamental principle of shared governance. But trustees need guidance on when and how to reach across the divide to vice presidents—and when it’s best not to.

Departments

Legal Standpoint 
Understanding and Protecting Attorney-Client Privilege
By Steve Dunham

Focus on the Presidency
We Can Do Hard Things
By Michael T. Benson

View from the Board Chair 
Journal Club: A Successful Strategy for Trustee Education
By John P. Smith, DO

A Question For… 
Francis Grab
How Will the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Affect Colleges and Universities?