Governing boards of universities and colleges are facing an unprecedented tidal wave of change that is creating new opportunities, risks, innovations, and disruptions within and beyond the confines of their campuses. A board's ability to be both reactive to these changes and proactive in response will require that they not only have the right…

Controversies over higher education governance are in the news these days. The most recent occurred this summer when several members of the board of the University of Virginia asked the president, Teresa A. Sullivan, to resign, only to be forced to reinstate her after protests from students, faculty, donors, alumni, and others. That situation…

The challenges with which college and university boards must grapple promise to become only more complex in the coming years, placing ever-greater demands on the leaders of those boards. This article presents a conversation between Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) President Richard D. Legon and two AGB leaders who…

In a time of transformation in higher education, "Leading Change: How Boards and Presidents Build Exceptional Institutions" fills a significant void in leadership literature and focuses on the changing level of board engagement. This book examines 18 institutions, across the spectrum of higher education, at which the board played a…

This article presents the story of Wilson College, the only college in the United States where a group of alumnae took the trustees to court over the issue of the announced closing and won the case. The court reversed the trustees' decision on the grounds that the college had failed to seek approval from the court before announcing the change in…

The relationships within the Pennsylvania postsecondary education system are examined with a focus on planning for resource and enrollment decline, the relationship between private colleges and state government, and the state-level structure for enrollment and resource decision making. (MLW)

The extent of agreement expressed by college presidents and governing board chairpersons concerning the relative importance of 20 selected presidential roles was assessed. The variables of institution size and type were also examined as they related to perceived presidential role importance. Based on role theory, attention was directed to whether…

The extent to which college presidents and governing board chairmen agree on the relative importance of 20 presidential roles was studied. Institutional size and type were examined, and the results indicated general consensus between the two groups. (MSE)

New ways of thinking about governance are beginning to transform the leadership strategies of many people who serve in nonprofit organizations. How specifically can the time and talents of higher education trustees be used more effectively to advance the interests of colleges and universities? How many college and university boards govern like…

An in-depth investigation of the development and consequences of faculty collective bargaining used all institutions of higher education in the state of Pennsylvania that have experienced faculty collective bargaining and/or organizing activity. After a presentation of the background material and a discussion of the development and experience with…