The following essay was co-authored with my wonderful colleague Laurie Fenlason, who in addition to her role as a PRG senior associate is the founder and principal of L. Fenlason Consulting.

Julie A. Peterson

When governance consultants evaluate a board’s effectiveness, a key indicator is the quality of board engagement. Are trustees informed about the institution’s goals and challenges? Do they focus their discussions on the strategic topics that matter most for the institution’s long-term success? Do they prepare in advance for meetings and contribute their honest input during board discussions, rather than debating ideas in the “meeting after the meeting”? Are they truly acting as trusted partners with the president and the leadership team to support and defend the mission?

Laurie Fenlason

In today’s volatile political and economic context for higher education, we would argue that the board’s role is more important than ever. Institutions whose board members bring their full attention and commitment to the work of governance have a better chance of weathering challenges and maintaining a stable course. A glance at the headlines makes evident the cost when boards are not clear about their purpose.

Boards tend to get more engaged during times of duress. Their duty of care is on high alert when financial and political threats emerge. Unfortunately, these instincts can sometimes find expression as a reflex to control. Across the country, we hear stories of campus leadership teams who are spending a large amount of time and energy responding to detailed requests from trustees. These additional demands can exhaust campus leaders and their teams at the very time when they need to be at their most focused and resilient.

Another area where roles can blur is the interface between the board and external constituents. Trustee relationships with alumni, donors, and policymakers provide a vital avenue for advocacy, and offer an important lens into what key constituents are thinking. Used well, these relationships can be highly strategic – but they can also tip into improper influence and side dealing. Well-meaning trustees can work at cross-purposes with the board and leadership team if their outreach is not carefully coordinated.

At a juncture that some have described as an existential moment for higher education, it is vital for boards and administrations to understand the complementary – but not overlapping – functions of governance and management. An engaged and supportive board is a campus leadership team’s greatest gift. Presidents and their cabinets need thought partners, wise counselors, and trusted ambassadors to help them navigate very difficult decisions.

Based on dozens of engagements with public and private institutions across the country, we offer the following advice to help trustees, board leaders, and campus leadership teams meet this challenging moment together.

Board leaders:

• Even as you address pressing strategic questions, take time to attend to the role of governance. While it might be tempting to defer board development activities in light of emergent issues, the need for board self-education is acute and will only become more pressing.
• Create meaningful opportunities to clarify and rehearse governance roles (as distinct from management or administration).
• Use case studies and scenario planning to help the entire board assess urgent questions through the lens of institutional mission and values.
• Remind board members at every opportunity that their most important contribution is to focus on issues that matter long term.

Individual trustees:

• Remember to give grace, space and support to campus leaders. They are the experts in campus administration, and they need every ounce of energy and attention they can muster to support students, faculty and institutional strategy in an increasingly volatile and changeable environment.
• Ask college leaders how you can help, and be available if called.
• Bring your toughest questions and honest input to the boardroom, and support board decisions once they are made.
• Leverage your external relationships, but only with thorough consultation with the president and board leadership.
• Avoid individual lobbying and resist the urge to litigate past decisions or interfere in settled issues.
• Lend your voice and social capital to amplify the messages the institution is communicating.

Campus leadership teams:

• Recognize that board behaviors that stray into administrative lanes generally arise from feelings of care and concern that need a productive outlet.
• In conjunction with board leadership, design board meetings and briefings that give trustees vehicles to engage productively.
• Set the table strategically, with ample time for meaningful discussion versus wall-to-wall presentations.
• Make considered judgments about topics that might need sustained attention, either within a meeting or across several meetings.
• Offer drop-in briefings on emergent issues, on a regular or as-needed basis.
• Above all, commit to frank and candid information sharing. Letting board members into the tent is vital. Most board overreach and intrusion arise from the opposite – keeping caring partners in the dark.

This counsel isn’t new nor limited to situations of duress. It’s good practice in all circumstances, and it merits constant revisiting and recommitment. The challenges facing campuses today – solidifying their financial bases, reinforcing public confidence, doubling down on mission, and reasserting their relevance – are enormous. Excellent governance is a key factor that will separate those institutions that falter and those that thrive.

Ultimately, the ability of an institution to respond to extreme challenges depends on relationships of trust among board leaders, board members, and campus leadership. That trust begins with a clear agreement on roles, and regular mutual reinforcement. And it’s never too late to work on that.