Higher Education Institution Governing Boards: Effective Trustee Governance

Effective governing boards play essential roles in the well-being of colleges and universities, and state systems of higher education. Boards that are effective add value to the institutions they govern by providing essential oversight, helping to determine strategy, and partnering with institutional leaders to look over the horizon for issues and opportunities that might emerge. Organizations, such as the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges in the U.S. and the U.K.’s Committee of University Chairs, and scholars identify a series of responsibilities for boards including:

• 1.
  Articulating the university’s purpose, which may be embodied in its mission and strategy;
• 2.
  Monitoring university performance, quality, and compliance, and holding the administration accountable;
• 3.
  Developing and safeguarding the institution’s financial and physical resources, and monitoring risk; and
• 4.
  Serving as a bridge between ...