Asserts that lack of seriousness in recruiting board members for child care agencies can create problems with organizational effectiveness. Addresses the following: (1) Do we need more board members?; (2) What do we need from new members?; and (3) How do we begin recruiting? Provides resources, such as the "Child Care Agency Board Skill…

Discusses how the University of California's Board of Regents, under pressure from students and lawmakers, rescinded its policies against affirmative action, although a state ban remains in effect. (EV)

Seeks to place the post-9/11 risk agenda for colleges and universities in historical perspective by offering a refresher on some of the most serious perennial risks for U.S. higher education. Offers an eight-point road map of how to enhance boards' risk management efforts. (EV)

Encourages trustees, as educational leaders, to honestly evaluate the influence of organized sports on their institutions and U.S. culture, asserting that the values and behavioral expectations in the athletics community run counter to those essential to the functioning of a civil society. (EV)

A survey of nonprofit literature on board governance, volunteer management, and performance measurement shows that study of the nonprofit sector can help inform public management's "big questions": breaking the micromanagement cycle, motivating employees, and measuring performance. Nonprofit studies could enrich public administration curricula.…

Discusses indicators to help boards assess the vitality of their institution: (1) total financial resources per FTE student; (2) expendable financial resources to debt; (3) expendable financial resources to operations; (4) average peak debt-service coverage; (5) applicants to admits; (6) tuition rate changes; (7) enrollment levels; (8) retention…

Discusses conflicts of interest in higher education, offering rules of thumb for judging individual situations, tools to help board members address such conflicts, and possible standards to apply when considering conflicts of interest. Also touches on the need to be realistic and the importance of collegiality and trust. (EV)

Comparison of the American Association of University Professors' (AAUP) tradition on governance and the Association of Governing Boards' (AGB) Statement on Governance reveals points of contention and agreement. Noted are the AGB statement's avoidance of the term "shared governance," a major principle of the AAUP, and the AGB's emphasis…

Discusses factors that help or hinder progress in institutional change and the important role of governing boards in managing change. The advice is based on work by the American Council on Education with a diverse group of 23 colleges and universities on a range of large-scale institutional change initiatives as part of the Project on Leadership…

One critical element to maintaining a close, productive and enduring partnership with the governing board is a well-designed and executed process for board evaluation of the superintendent's performance. For the board's evaluation to be a powerful partnership-building tool, it must be based on two sets of performance targets. The two basic steps…

In 1995, New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills and the Board of Regents changed the state's testing policy in favor of a challenging, high-stakes testing accountability system. The case describes Mill's leadership over the next six years in the face of significant opposition from parents, alternative schools, vocational educators,…

Philanthropy provides billions of dollars to schools and educational programs each year. Much of this cash comes from corporate America, who views contributing to education as an important way to give back to the community. While many companies support education directly via equipment, money grants, and professional development, other companies…

The efficiency of America's school boards based on information from the past is examined.

The Education Leaders Council (ELC), founded by dissident state policymakers nearly a decade ago to push a conservative agenda and now the recipient of millions in federal dollars, is trying to resolve questions about its management. Members of the board of directors have voiced concerns in recent months to Chief Executive Officer Lisa Graham…

As with past practice, publishing this set of guidelines officially launches the higher education capital planning and budgeting process for fiscal years 2009-2014. The guidelines include a schedule, definitions, planning assumptions, statewide considerations, and instructions for presenting a six year capital plan. Contents include: (1)…