A topic of continuing interest in American higher education and society is the future of historically black colleges and universities, commonly referred to as HBCUs. The nation's public and private black institutions of higher education have proved their mettle, and yet they face persistent challenges to survive. A huge part of the challenge black…

This article presents an interview with Richard Chait, Research Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, regarding the three major challenges that face college and university governing boards today--in the areas of board structure, planning, and trustee selection. In the interview, Chait shares his concern about the state of…

Three college personnel policies that are potential alternatives to the current tenure system are outlined: (1) five-year contracts offering financial or leave incentives; (2) changes in work requirements, such as course load reduction or additional support services; and (3) representation in the governing board based on proportion of faculty…

Connecticut College has created a Young Alumni Trustee position to its governing board to serve as liaison between currently matriculated students and the board, to be a resource for board members unfamiliar with current student life, and to add breadth to board membership. The strategy was useful in formulating alcohol-use policy. (MSE)

The challenge for the college governing board is to use the assets of the institution's known past as a foundation for planning for the largely unknown future. They must handle the difficult tasks of replacing a president, responding to legitimate new demands, and avoiding institutional stagnation. (MSE)

In an interview, a prominent college trustee discusses strategies for increasing ethnic and cultural diversity on governing boards, the relationship between board diversity and institutional policies, effects on the student body, the responsibility of the board, and the challenges and rewards of trusteeship. (MSE)

Fifteen reasons are offered for limiting the length of college trustees' terms. They focus on safeguarding integrity, fairness, enhancement of productivity and performance, increasing diversity of trustee qualifications and perspectives, limiting personal relationships between board members and staff, promotion of renewal and continuing trustee…

While conventional wisdom holds that higher education can learn much from business, the corporate world can also learn about leadership from the academy, including the practices of separation of power between the board chair and chief executive; collegial and less hierarchical organizational culture; performance reviews, common among academic…

The author of recommended reforms for public college and university governing boards that had been outlined in an Association of Governing Boards policy paper, responds to criticism of the reform strategies and expands on his suggestions in four areas: the call for larger boards; merit selection of trustees; greater trustee philanthropy; and…

It is suggested that the most important difference between public and private colleges, from the president's perspective, is the nature of the board of trustees. Private boards are seen as more cohesive, proceeding with more civility, and better advocates for their institutions, attributable to differences in membership, legal constraints, size,…

A reexamination of recommended reforms for public college and university governing boards, outlined in an Association of Governing Boards policy paper, suggests that borrowing approaches from private higher education will not necessarily solve the challenges facing private education. Issues discussed include the board's role and functions,…