Higher education faces myriad challenges. As some issues arise, we will share “rapid response” kits” to share what we have learned from our readings and conversations with higher education decision makers. These resources offer quick (but not exhaustive) guidance) on how to navigate various issues before the board and the campus. It is essential to keep context in mind as you engage with the Rapid Response Kits.

Governance is complicated. As one board member jokingly shared years ago, “It took me 2 years just to figure out where the bathroom was.” Of course he wasn’t serious but the message was clear. You can’t get a handle on governance in a short time (or maybe ever) but you have to give yourself some time to learn the lay of the land, to learn who the players are, etc. We’ve crafted a few 1-pagers to provide an overview of some of the most important and pressing topics for trustees today. The 1-pagers are not exhaustive and should not be used in lieu of any board book, online data source, etc. that your institution might have. These documents are simply to help you have a quick foundation in the given topic. Use them to get started or to refresh your skills on a given topic.

We share what we use as the foundation and north star for CSIG with our MVP framework. We share this theory of change so that it is clear the principles upon which all components of the site are grounded. The mission, values, and partners are what should guide each decision the board makes.

For those boards interested in doing work beyond the surface to improve practices, policies, and procedures on campus, we encourage you to engage with the CSIG curriculum. The curriculum offers guidance for issues such as diversifying your board, selecting your next CEO, and facilitating tough conversations on the board.

Feel free to post a question that you have regarding governance. We will reply with our best answer and point you in the direction of resources that can support you as you’re trying to navigate an issue or simply learn more. This section should not be used in place of collaboration with your fellow board members, your general counsel, board chair or campus president. We will leave the Q & A section up so that others may benefit from the general questions and responses.

We have tried to put together some links for resources related to governance. We do not have access to update these links and are not responsible for the content. We do not endorse any of the non CSIG content (unless otherwise explicitly stated). Feel free to click on as many sites as you want and let us know if there are others you have found useful. We’d be happy to add them.

There’s no better way to understand how governance works (or doesn’t) than to see how it manifests in real time. Seeing boards in action approving a new presidential hiring, raising tuition, weighing in on student protests, etc are great examples of governance in action. Seeing how governance plays out in different contexts, at different institutions, with different governance structures is a learning opportunity for us all. How do you assess how other boards have done in certain situations? How might your board learn from the triumphs (or failures) of other trustees? What are those issues that haven’t hit your institution yet but could be on the horizon? How are other boards and institutions managing enrollment and free speech?