Informed by brainstorming sessions with trustees and senior leaders, this curriculum offers effective ways to navigate governance challenges and opportunities influenced by the changing education landscape.
The Power of MVP Governance
In today’s complex and uncertain higher education landscape, boards are tasked with navigating unprecedented challenges.
At the Center for Strategic and Inclusive Governance, we understand that effective governance begins with clarity and collaboration. Effective governance begins with the board. That’s why we champion the ‘MVP’ framework: Mission. Vision. Partners.
Want to see how MVP can help your board? Let us know by filling out the form below:
Mission
This is the bedrock of your institution—what your institution is fundamentally about. It’s the guiding principle that informs every decision, from academic priorities to resource allocation. We help boards clearly articulate and consistently uphold their mission, ensuring it remains relevant in a rapidly changing world. Keeping the mission as the institution’s North star requires daily intentionality. A strong mission provides a shared purpose, aligning what is best for the the board, administration, faculty, students, and the surrounding community.
Vision
Unlike some other leaders, the boards do not have the luxury to focus completely on what is most pressing at the given moment. Beyond the present, boards must look to the future—where your institution is headed based on the work you do today? This is your vision, a strategic roadmap that outlines your aspirations and goals. Regardless of how uncertain things look today, boards must focus on the future. We assist boards in developing a compelling vision that is both ambitious and achievable, fostering innovation and long-term sustainability. A clear vision empowers boards to anticipate challenges and seize opportunities, ensuring the institution’s continued relevance and impact.
Partners
In today’s interconnected world, no institution can thrive in isolation—who works to make it happen is critical. These are your partners: faculty, staff, students, alumni, community leaders, legislatures, and other stakeholders. Partners seek your guidance. They observe the questions you ask, the resources you yield (and to what), and the policies you enact. We emphasize the importance of building strong, collaborative partnerships that amplify your institution’s impact and that allow your institution to carry out its unique mission. These partnerships must be cultivated within and outside of the institution.
Why MVP Matters for Higher Education Boards:
We help boards center what matters most. MVP boards are effective because they have a strong foundation on which they ground their decision making. They use this foundation to plan for what’s next. They center the nuance of their institution—the people, policies, practices, procedures, etc.—to ensure that they are answering the call of their specific environment. MVP boards recognize that they cannot do this work alone and that collaboration is key.
At the Center for Strategic and Inclusive Governance, we believe that effective governance is not just about compliance; it’s about creating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability in order to serve the diverse needs of a diverse community. By embracing the MVP framework, boards can ensure that their institutions are not only surviving but thriving, fulfilling their mission, realizing their vision, and strengthening their partnerships for a strong present and even brighter future.
CSIG believes boards can be the MVPs of their institution but only if they hone their focus on the MVP framework.
Governance with a purpose. Decisions with a vision. For higher education, and for us all.
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Boards of trustees are the protectors of institutional values. They carry the legacies of their institutions forward. If they fail in this duty, the consequences may be irreversible.
Rall & Morgan, 2025