Accreditation is a critical tool for quality assurance and accountability for higher education, signaling an institution's commitment to academic quality and fiscal integrity. The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) published this statement to help board…

The long history of volunteerism in America has its roots in colonial religious and educational enterprises. From the beginning, colleges and universities have been independently governed rather than subject to national or state control. This autonomy is a uniquely American tradition. Over the centuries, the work of academic governing…

The content of this edition of the State Governance Action Report was informed by newspaper reports, online reports, state and institutional Web sites, and conversations with state and higher education leaders. It is current through February 1, 2011. Much of this legislative activity comes at a time when the fiscal conditions of states are…

This report represents the latest State Governance Action Report (SGAR) covering current or just recently completed legislative sessions. Among the most important issues being considered are management autonomy, such as relaxed rules for purchasing, procurement, and human resources, and greater fiscal autonomy measures such as carry-over budgeting…

This revised edition updates Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges' (AGB's) list of governing board responsibilities, emphasizing board accountability, academic quality and board member conduct. Especially useful in the formal orientation process for new board members, and as a refresher for returning board members. A list…

Trustees find themselves in the middle of an ongoing battle over accountability and autonomy. Government officials accuse the academy of being more interested in autonomy than accountability--more interested in demanding financial support than in serving public priorities. Business leaders question the responsiveness of colleges and universities…

A national conversation is underway about the long-term consequences of trends that are blurring the distinctions between public and private universities and leading to creation of a new, ad hoc category with characteristics of each--the "hybrid" university. One theme of this dialogue is that the public is abandoning its support for…

This report presents findings of an 18-month study to find out how state political and education leaders gauge the performance of citizen boards of trustees and to assess the overall condition of academic governance. The study included interviews with more than 250 state officials and education leaders, site visits to seven states, and an…

The way that the participation of trustees in the processes of voluntary accreditation can help them in overseeing institutional autonomy and integrity is discussed, based on the work of a subcommittee of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. In addition, recommendations for board participation in institutional and…

This paper describes the Glion Declaration II, which resulted from the Glion Colloquium of 2000, an international meeting that focused on governance of universities. The Glion Colloquium is a private initiative that includes renowned scholars and higher education leaders from leading research intensive universities in western Europe and the United…

Criteria for self-study by public college governing boards are presented. For each criterion, questions are presented, along with three response options: "yes,""no," and "do not know or can not judge." A response option for judging the board's overall performance on each criterion is also included. In addition, brief introductory comments for each…

Two-year colleges represent such diversity of type and structure that they must be understood on a state-by-state basis. Massive educational changes will undoubtedly take place in today's era of turbulence. Several issues must be examined in the development of community colleges. Colleges must shift from the historical paradigm of…

Criteria for self-study for governing boards of public multicampus higher education systems are presented. For each criterion, questions are presented, along with three response options: "yes,""no," and "do not know or can not judge." A response option for judging the board's overall performance on each criterion is also included. The criteria are…

Higher education governance structures are ineffective and new structures of "prospective governance" are needed for future success. Trends affecting higher education include financial scarcity, lack of government funding juxtaposed with the growing public demand for better services, and the competitive pressures of commercialization and…