This publication addresses the practical and strategic responsibilities that go with the position of board chair when both the chair and the chief executive are determined to raise the bar for their board as a corporate body. While the chief executive is primarily responsible for leading and managing the institution, the chair of the board is…

Offers a 25-question checklist for assessing whether an independent college or university governing board is adhering to best practices. The questions fall in the categories of "raise the bar," committee and board meetings, committee structure, and other initiatives. (EV)

Trustee involvement in mission, planning, and program review is discussed. New approaches to a mission statement can result in useful guides for institutional decision making in personnel and program planning, budgeting, and assessment. (MLW)

The structure and functions of the college executive committee are discussed. This committee is pivotal to the effective functioning of the board and to the support of the chairperson and the chief executive in their leadership roles. The committee can act on its own provided it does not assume powers specifically reserved for the board. The…

Discusses the growing trend of "activist trusteeship" in higher education, arguing that college and university governing boards and presidents must realize that their own effectiveness depends on their being able to support one another and negotiate their differences. Also maintains that chief executives and boards should make trustee…

Counters the criticism of the statement by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges on governance and suggests that the critics have misconstrued the statement an attack on shared governance. Suggests that what was intended was an affirmation of governance principles and standards of good practice that reflect a governing…

This booklet offers guidelines for conflict of interest issues and disclosure for members of governing boards of institutions of higher education. It urges institutions to develop conflict-of-interest policy documents to guide decisions concerning such topics as defining what constitutes "conflict of interest"; the board's role in cases of an…

A well-planned, well-executed orientation program can make an enormous difference to a new trustee or regent's future commitment and contribution to the institution. Orientation events not only carry enormous symbolic value, they also have the potential to convey a strong first impression of just how much the chief executive and board leaders…

Leading the board of a public academic institution or system of institutions is a daunting responsibility. The vicissitudes associated with open-meeting laws; the incessant quest by the news media for "scoops"; misunderstandings that can pervade appointed or elected trustees concerning their responsibilities and conduct; the advertent and…

This publication argues for a tripartite policy in higher education that integrates presidential and board reviews and sets out assessment policies that recognize that finding and retaining executive leadership is the board's first responsibility, that integrate presidential and board performance reviews, that make clear that the governing board…

Guidelines for governing boards in creating policy statements on conflict of interest are offered. Issues discussed include defining conflict of interest, perceptions of such conflict, trustee responsibility, and the need for appropriate documentation. A sample policy statement and sample disclosure form for trustees and institutional officers are…

This booklet addresses issues concerning the various responsibilities of trustees on governing boards of independent colleges and universities. Introductory information notes the increasing complexity and significance of the trusteeship role and its unique context in independent institutions. The booklet distinguishes between board and individual…

Approaches to planning, conducting, and assessing workshops or retreats for college trustees and regents are suggested. It is claimed that the most successful workshops or retreats are those that fit into a comprehensive strategy of board development, and that it is important to decide what needs to be accomplished and to involve the board in…

Given the relatively few positions on the governing boards of public colleges and universities, every trusteeship is important. Along with the respect appropriately afforded trustees and regents comes special obligations, responsibilities, and high expectations from many sources. How boards can cope with the expectations and ambiguities inherent…

Improvements in the competence of persons who are invited to accept trusteeships and in the performance of governing boards are cited. Two important trends are identified: more qualified lay or nonordained trustees on the boards of church-related institutions and more board authority. (MLW)