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…

Guidelines for self-study and evaluation criteria are presented for use by community college governing boards. For each of 10 areas, a discussion is provided, questions regarding the board's performance are posed, a summary evaluation of the board's work in the area is solicited, and space is provided for additional comments or suggestions. The 10…

This booklet for members of college and university governing boards focuses on the process of voluntary accreditation and provides trustees with information needed to ensure institutional autonomy and integrity. Accreditation is defined as involving both institutional accreditation, conducted by eight regional and eight national associations, and…

The responsibilities and structure of the college governing board's nominating committee are discussed. Five responsibilities are addressed: helping the board determine its composition in terms of influence, diversity, and talents; maintaining a viable list of candidates and cultivating top prospects; overseeing the orientation and deployment of…

"Marketing" and "branding" were once considered dirty words on campus but faculty, staff, and board members now appreciate the value of getting their message out and managing their reputation. The question is not so much whether to invest, but when, how, and most important, what's the return on investment? A roundtable of accomplished marketing…

This article addresses the problem of inept, ineffective, and mediocre governing boards at America's colleges and universities. It maintains that substandard governance can almost always be traced to one of two culprits, or both: (1) most boards are orchestras of soloists; and (2) many boards tend to either lionize or trivialize the president.…

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…

The role of college trustees in institutional planning is considered with emphasis on the development of a long-range plan of the five-year variety. The analysis is also applicable to shorter-range planning and to the formulation of an annual budget. Trustees of private colleges must insist that planning be done, since, unlike the public sector,…

As part-time volunteer members who have few direct operational duties, board members constantly are bombarded with information on matters ranging from strategic plans to operating budgets to tuition rates to parking permits. In the end, it is they who are accountable for all activities that occur in their institutions and systems. The need for…

When the inevitable change in presidential leadership takes place at a college or university, board members often think only of the additional demands the search will place on their hectic schedules. No other situation allows board members to contribute so positively and profoundly to the immediate and long-term welfare of the college or…

This paper addresses the concept of certification for intercollegiate athletic departments with emphasis on the campus self-study component. It notes the goal of certification is to make the athlete as indistinguishable as possible from the rest of the student body. The Knight Commission has endorsed the certification concept if student athletes…

Trustees at three small, independent colleges were interviewed to determine how trustees could contribute to a college's revitalization. Based on these interviews, several ways in which trustees can help individually and collectively with a college's revitalization were identified. The three colleges were located in different states and regions…

Criteria for self-study by private 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…

In independent colleges and universities, the committee on trustees is most important to the institution's long-term effectiveness. The charge to this committee should include the following responsibilities: helping the board determine desired board composition; populating the board with able, dedicated trustees and maintaining a candidate list;…

Theological school trusteeship is addressed in 12 articles and appended information. Titles and authors are as follows: "The Responsibilities of Stewardship" (Robert Wood Lynn); "Trusteeship and Administration" (Larry L. Greenfield); "Organization of the Board" (Henry W. Sherrill); "Trustee Selection,…