Insights in Higher Education
CSIG opens doors by providing forward-looking insights to various perspectives and delivering innovative resources that empower boards to lead with mission, vision, and purpose.
Explore Our Insights
Filter Insights
Governing Boards as Institutional Umbrellas: A Framework for Strategic Governance Amid Legislative Challenges
The CSIG team recently published a new research article in one of the field’s top journals, The Journal of Higher Education.
Academic Freedom on the Line: Governing Boards Edition
CSIG Directors Raquel Rall and Demetri Morgan join AAUP’s podcast to explain how boards operate, what “advisory role” really means, and how trustees can build meaningful communication with faculty and communities.
Listen Time — 35 min
Predicting the Governance Future
Peter D. Eckel, writing in Inside Higher Ed, outlines emerging governance challenges and offers recommendations to help presidents and trustees prepare their institutions for what lies ahead.
September 2025
JBHE Weekly Bulletin
Coverage of CSIG’s national launch highlights how governing boards can sustain attention to student success and equity. Offers leaders an entry point into new resources for informed decision-making amid political pressures.
Quick Read — 2 min
By the Numbers: The Trump Administration’s Assault on Universities
AJ Connelly’s analysis, published by PEN America, documents federal attacks on academic freedom and research funding. Equips boards with concrete evidence to grasp the scale and consequences of political interference in higher education.
Read Time — 10 min
Harvard files lawsuit against Trump administration
Alvin Powell’s case study in the Harvard Gazette examines Harvard’s legal challenge to federal funding freezes. Shows how leaders can safeguard university independence while balancing compliance with legitimate oversight.
April 2025
New Initiatives Empowering Higher Education Leaders In Complex Times
Aviva Legatt’s Forbes article assesses CSIG’s creation within the broader governance landscape. Highlights how external observers view new tools boards can use to strengthen strategy and respond to shifting political conditions.
Read Time — 10 min
Where Are the Boards?
CSIG Directors Raquel M. Rall and Demetri L. Morgan argue that protecting institutional independence requires governing boards to take a more proactive stance in today’s contentious environment.
Read Time — 10 min