In today’s uncertain higher education environment, colleges and universities rely on forward-looking governing boards to respond to rapidly evolving issues and challenges. Trustees must stay on top of strategic issues affecting their institutions and actively engage with their administration teams to ensure institutional success. In this podcast, AGB Senior Consultant Steven Golding speaks with Huron Consulting Group’s Jim Roth, CEO, and Jaime Ontiveros, a managing director for the higher educat...
Mar 28, 2022•25 min
Cyberattacks on colleges, universities, and foundations have become more frequent, more sophisticated, and more dangerous. Governing boards must recognize that these are enterprise-level risks, not simply an IT issue. AGB’s new publication, Cyber Risk Oversight for Higher Education Boards , developed in partnership with the Internet Security Alliance (ISA) and American International Group, Inc. (AIG), provides governing boards with five core principles that boards need to oversee their instituti...
Jan 21, 2022•21 min
Institutionally related foundations are critical to the future success of colleges and universities. The most effective foundations foster relationships between the president and the foundation through the CEO and board chair based on trust, transparency, and open communication. In this podcast, Colorado State University President Joyce McConnell and George Mason University Foundation Board Chair Terri Beirne discuss with AGB Senior Fellow George Watt how alignment of goals and expectations has ...
Nov 19, 2021•25 min
In this podcast, AGB Consulting’s Chris Moloney interviews Higher Education Business Models Under Stress coauthors Melody Rose and Larry Large about the importance of financial stress testing, and the pivotal role of governing boards in transforming the business model to lower costs and restore financial viability, while expanding access for first-generation and low-income students. The coauthors also emphasize the importance of planning and anticipating key steps necessary to achieve a successf...
Nov 05, 2021•31 min
Online program management is more important than ever before since nearly every student in America has now taken online classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions can no longer afford not to learn, master, and perfect the creation, marketing, and enrollment of online college programs. In this podcast, Andy Lounder, AGB’s associate vice president of programs, speaks with Greg O’Brien, the chief growth officer for Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), about the state of online ed...
Aug 18, 2021•27 min
In early 2021, trustees representing every public university in Colorado joined together to form the Colorado Trustee Network (CTN). This coalition’s mission is to support Coloradan trustees in enacting meaningful change related to Colorado’s investment in higher education, the state’s equity gap, and the alignment of postsecondary education and the workforce. In this podcast, Morgan Alexander, AGB’s associate director of public policy and strategic communications, speaks with three founding mem...
Jul 22, 2021•19 min
This past spring, AGB published the Principles of Trusteeship to enhance the effectiveness of all board members. These nine principles empower each and every board member to serve as strategic thought partners in governance and leadership with their boards, presidents, and leadership teams. In this podcast, Merrill Schwartz, AGB’s senior vice president of content and program strategy speaks with Marla Bobowick, project director for the Principles of Trusteeship working group, and Jim Lyons, a fo...
Jul 13, 2021•24 min
What is the board’s strategic role in advancing justice, equity, and inclusion? AGB’s own board of directors considered this question and recently published the AGB Board of Directors’ Statement on Justice, Equity, and Inclusion and Guidance for Implementation to guide governing boards in their efforts to implement this important governance work. In this podcast, AGB President and CEO Henry Stoever speaks with the organization’s board chair, Shauna Ryder Diggs, and board member Leo M. Lambert ab...
Jun 21, 2021•27 min•Ep. 20
The Lumina Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently developed a framework to help policymakers make strategic budget decisions for higher education post-COVID. With Scott Jenkins of Lumina and Travis Reindl of Gates, Kristin Hultquist of HCM Strategists discusses how the framework can help states and boards lead through and after the crisis.
Apr 21, 2021•25 min
In this podcast, AGB Senior Fellow and George Watt interviews Oakton Community College President Joianne Smith and Chief Advancement Officer Katherine Sawyer as Oakton prepares to launch its first fundraising campaign.
Mar 12, 2021•25 min
How do institutions fund and staff their fundraising campaigns? Tom Mitchell, vice president for advancement of the University of Florida, co-edited AGB’s forthcoming publication, Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Governing and Foundation Boards , and in this podcast, interviews chapter authors Lisa Eslinger of the Iowa State University Foundation and Zach Smith of WittKieffer on financing and staffing the campaign.
Feb 26, 2021•28 min
What do board members need to know about fundraising campaigns? AGB’s 2021 publication, Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Governing and Foundation Boards , offers board members a thorough grounding in the basic principles of successful comprehensive campaigns. John Lippincott, president emeritus of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, co-edited the book and in this podcast, interviews chapter authors Charlie Phlegar of Virginia Tech and Sergio Gonz...
Jan 26, 2021•27 min•Ep. 16
What makes a foundation innovative? How does a foundation catalyze innovation if the institution doesn’t have a culture of innovation? AGB's publication, The New Realities for Public Higher Education Foundations, focuses on the opportunities and risks institutionally related foundations face in a dynamic and uncertain higher education environment. In this podcast, former AGB President Rick Legon edited the book and interviews Gretchen Buhlig, CEO of the Arizona State University Foundation and au...
Nov 12, 2020•32 min
Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Board of Trustees recently voted to establish a Committee on Sustainable Racial Justice . This standing committee at the regional public institution will provide board-of-trustee oversight of the university’s efforts to eradicate systematic racism. In this podcast, MSU Denver’s Board Secretary David Fine discusses the work behind the new committee with trustees Mario Carrera and Albus Brooks, the board members who called for the formation of this committ...
Oct 15, 2020•18 min
During this time of unprecedented challenges, the financial health of colleges and universities is a critical concern. Boards, investment committees, institutional leaders, and their advisors must work together to assess and plan for both the short- and long-term implications of the Covid-19 crisis, which is accelerating many of the negative trends that were already underway for higher ed. In this podcast discussion, Tim Yates, President of Commonfund Asset Management and head of the firm’s OCIO...
Oct 14, 2020•24 min•Ep. 13
Join AGB’s George Watt and Bank of America’s Bill Jarvis in a conversation on governance issues facing investment committees and institutional / foundation boards as campuses gradually reopen. Regardless of your institution’s specific situation, Bill emphasizes the importance of knowing three crucial things: Where you stand – the risks to which your investment portfolio and institution are exposed, and the effect on them of potential future scenarios; Why you stand there – the rationale behind p...
Jun 17, 2020•27 min•Ep. 12
Corvias Founder John Picerne explores how colleges and universities can transform themselves through strategically partnering with an innovator in the private sector, allowing for the monetization of existing resources and eradication of debt.
Apr 17, 2020•17 min
In this episode, AGB examines how University of Washington Alumni Association engaged with the state legislature and other policymakers to support university priorities through the work of UW Impact, the advocacy arm of the Alumni Association. Featuring Paul Rucker (executive director of the University of Washington Alumni Association) and Courtney Acitelli (program director of UW Impact), this episode explores the strength of engaging with alumni, community leaders, businesses, and other higher...
Dec 19, 2019•23 min
Academic research played a role in some of the most transformative technologies today, in medicine, communications, and a host of other disciplines. However, skepticism of higher education and budget fears are cause for concern, encouraging policymakers and the public alike to question the value of university research. AGB interviewed former University System of Maryland Regent and former CEO of Lockheed Martin Norm Augustine, as well as former Emory University President Jim Wagner, to dig into ...
Oct 09, 2019•28 min
In April 2019, AGB released a new advisory statement, “ Reclaiming Higher Education’s Leadership in Support of Civil Education .” In this episode of AGB's Trusteeship Podcast, Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University, and Kristin Hodge-Clark, former AGB vice president for best practice and innovation and a trustee at the College of Saint Benedict, share examples of how civil education works on their campuses, in the classroom and the board room....
Sep 09, 2019•27 min
Endowments allow colleges and universities, like other public and charitable organizations, to fund a portion of their work continuously, generation after generation. The ways in which these funds have been solicited from donors, applied to expenses, and stewarded over time are ultimately unique to each institution, and public misconceptions have proliferated on each of these points. Hear from Sandy Baum, a nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute and trustee of Bryn Mawr College, explain why e...
Jun 24, 2019•23 min
When it comes to intercollegiate athletics, board members should consider the totality of the student experience—from success on the playing fields to success in the classroom. Sometimes, the scales get tipped, and when problems emerge the board can find itself caught up in scandal. Boards need to understand their larger role and accept their accountability.
Apr 26, 2019•23 min
Has higher education lost the public's trust? This episode of AGB's Trusteeship Podcast explores the realities and data behind confidence in higher education, featuring guests Patricia Brown Holmes, managing partner at Riley, Safer, Holmes, and Cancila and a former Illinois state court judge, and Brandon Busteed, executive director, education and workforce development at Gallup. Listen to these two experts weigh in on the factors that affect public confidence, including cost, access, and politic...
Jun 20, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 5
What is the true measure of ROI in higher education? Michelle Tellock, a senior associate at Hogan Lovells, and Horacio Valeiras, a board member at Virginia Tech, discuss how the role of American higher education has evolved in our society in this episode of AGB's Trusteeship Podcast. How did the Morrill Land-Grant Acts, the GI Bill, and Pell grants shape the public perception of higher ed, and how is value being discussed in the board room? And what qualitative and quantitative data—including i...
Jan 26, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 4
What is innovation in higher education? Nancy Zimpher, immediate past chancellor of the State University of New York, and Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University, discuss how innovation applies to higher education, as well as the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Listen to each discuss the board's role in innovation and mission, as well as effective methods to introduce innovation to the board. More about AGB's Guardians Initiative at www.agb.org/guardians....
Nov 07, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Having the right information is crucial when responding to questions about why college costs so much. But does it? Most students don't pay the full "sticker price" once financial aid is taken into consideration. Listen to Sandy Baum, economist and senior fellow at the Urban Institute, discuss the costs and benefits of a college degree–and why you never hear a news story about an unemployed high-school graduate. More about AGB's Guardians Initiative and The Business of Higher Education report men...
Sep 19, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Higher education is often criticized for its costs and its relevancy. How can you be an advocate for higher education, even when public trust is eroding? Listen to AGB President Rick Legon and Kevin Reilly, president emeritus of the University of Wisconsin System, discuss how to respond to higher education's critics in a candid dialogue about these important issues. More about AGB's Guardians Initiative at www.agb.org/guardians .
Sep 19, 2017•24 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Introducing Higher Education Nation, the podcast from the Association of Governing Boards (AGB) that provides perspective on the issues facing the nation's universities and colleges. Through insider insight and expert analysis, Higher Education Nation helps leaders in this vital sector advance the public trust in higher education. Learn more about AGB's Guardians Initiative at agb.org/guardians .
Sep 06, 2017•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1
