Trusteeship: September/October 2024

Volume 32,  Number 5   //    September/October 2024

Table of Contents

 

Cover Story

The Role of Governing Boards in Advancing Climate Action
By Carrie Besnette Hauser, José Luis Cruz Rivera, and Jay Perman

Whether it is preparing campuses for extreme weather or preparing students for new clean economy jobs, higher education must adjust to remain effective, relevant, successful, and safe in a changing climate. Governing boards play a crucial role in unlocking higher education’s strengths to advance bold systemic solutions to help build a more sustainable world.

Features

College Apprenticeship Programs in the Spotlight
By David Tobenkin

Preparing students for the workforce and the concern about the return on investment in a college education are becoming of greater importance to students and families in choosing a college. A growing number of institutions are offering apprenticeships programs, which may attract and retain more students as well as prepare students for the modern labor force.

The Peculiarities of Higher Education Mergers and Acquisitions
By Richard J. Joseph

Faced with declining enrollments, diminishing tuition revenues, escalating operating costs, and narrowing margins, many college and university boards have opted to merge with, acquire, or be acquired by another institution in recent years. As fiduciaries, trustees should develop an understanding of the peculiarities of higher education mergers and acquisitions, the associated risks, and how best to manage them to make an informed decision about whether to pursue a merger or acquisition.

Blemished Presidents Deserve a Second Chance
By Terrence MacTaggart and Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran

With the average tenure of college presidents becoming shorter, there is an increasing demand for talent at the top. Paradoxically, presidents under pressure to resign or dismissed due to their own missteps or circumstances beyond their control often merit board support either in their current roles, or as candidates for a new presidency. These stress-tested veterans frequently display character strengths and insights that make them excellent prospects for the contemporary presidency.

Departments and Columns

On My Agenda
Rethinking Enrollment Strategies
By Mary A. Papazian

News in Brief
A Sampling of National Higher Education News

Inside AGB

Legal Standpoint
What the Debate About Campus Protest Gets Wrong: Three Misconceptions About the First Ammendment
By Lee Tyner

Foundations of Consequence
Resetting the Financial Model
By Cherí E. O’Neil

Forum
The Broken Business Model in Higher Education
By William Donaldson

Focus on the Presidency
Understanding Faculty Culture to Foster Institutional Success
By Kathryn A. Morris

View from the Board Chair
The Board’s Role in Free Expression on Campus
By Tonya Thomas Finton

A Question For
What Do Boards Need to Know About Changes in College Athletics?
An interview with Amy Privette Perko

Cover Image: JOHN T. CONSOLI/UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK