Governing board professionals, described in The Chronicle of Higher Education as "a pocket of power advising both the board and the administration," (Jesse, 2023, para. 3) are charged with ensuring governing boards meet their fiduciary obligations and operate effectively. Despite the role's growing recognition as a "linchpin…

College trustees are stepping up their oversight as institutions seek new revenue sources and as government scrutiny of higher education continues to increase, a panel of management experts said last week at the annual conference of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Across the country, board members are hiring…

In Fall 1967, Educational Testing Service joined with Morton Rauh, Vice President for Finance at Antioch College, to carry out a large scale survey of members of college and university governing boards. A questionnaire was mailed to trustees of over 500 institutions. From the responses of more than 5,000 board members, extensive data concerning…

An analysis of questionnaire responses portrays trustees as busy persons, engaged extensively in formal group meetings with less time devoted to individual consultations, and having little familiarity with relevant literature. Most board members regard their actions as "pro forma" and would prefer functioning within a more hierarchical…

Regents must determine, and contribute in full democratic chorus, their particular visions of the universities' role in developing the kinds of people and policies needed to sustain life and the western tradition of free thought. (Author/MLF)

A national survey of the individuals who serve as college governing board secretaries revealed highly varied institutional characteristics, job responsibilities, and overall roles in the organization. (MSE)

This article seeks to a) develop a typology of urban trustees' perceptions of their role and b) identify several ideological components that appear to be associated with school board members' interpretations of their role as elected representatives. (HMD)

This article suggests that trustees give the same high level of thoughtful consideration to selecting the board chair as they give to filling the presidency. More than the routine filling of a vacancy, the process for naming the board's next chair amounts to the selection of a governance team. The board's most important responsibility is not only…

Lists criteria that contribute to being an effective school board member. Especially intended for a newly elected board member. (Author/WD)

A recent study in Michigan has shown that board chairmen and faculty leaders have widely varying expectations of the community college president's role in collective bargaining, that presidents frequently perceive these expectations incorrectly, and that while presidents generally assume the role of Board Agent, all parties prefer the president in…

Seventy trustees of various California library boards responded to a questionnaire designed to determine how the trustees viewed their duties, whether they agreed as to their responsibilities, what they felt were their main functions, and what was the division of responsibilities between the board and the library staff. The questionnaire data…

A trustee of long experience outlines 13 principles for trustee participation, concerning the trustee's role, relationships with others in leadership positions, and expectations. (MSE)

An informed perspective is the key to the role trustees should play in college and university affairs. It is especially important in academic matters, where the authority of trustees is most likely to be challenged. (Author/DN)

The author comments on a paper criticizing the role of trustees on a Canadian board of education and their decision-making processes. (GW)