Trusteeship Magazine

More than half of U.S. college students now attend school in a state with at least one law restricting what can be taught or how campuses operate.1 That single statistic, drawn from PEN America’s research, captures why AGB spent 18 months on an unusual experiment: teaching trustees, in real time, how to govern through a crisis nobody fully anticipated.

Introduction: Why the Foundation Director Selection Process Matters Higher education serves essential public purposes, including workforce and economic development, research and innovation, and civic education. Across its century of work, AGB has maintained that these purposes are best promoted by independent governing boards whose citizen members are committed to their institutions’ missions to serve their students, community, states, and nation.

Acknowledgments Thank you to AGB Subject Matter Specialist and Senior Fellow Ellen-Earle Chaffee, PhD, and AGB Senior Director of Research Lesley McBain, PhD, for analyzing the data and authoring this report. Thank you also to John Cavanaugh, Jill Derby, Aileen Favilla, R. Barbara Gitenstein, Neal Hutchens, David Maxwell, Kristen Shahverdian, Tanya Spilovoy, PEN America, the Govern NOW Leadership Academy participants, and all the AGB staff who assisted with this project.

A listening session Thursday provided the campus community a chance to weigh in on the search for Jennifer Mnookin's successor, who could be named soon.

Planned Maintenance Tuesday, September 22 As part of AGB’s ongoing work to modernize our systems and better serve our members, we’re launching a new member platform designed to make it easier to manage your account, stay connected to your organization, and access the information and resources available to you. We will transfer to the new system on Tuesday, September 22.

The Academy Program I. Understand the Role | January 24–26 | Washington, DC, in conjunction with the AGB Foundation Leadership Forum The Role of the Foundation CEO | January 24, 2027 | 10:00 AM–12:30 PM Explore foundation structures, CEO authority and reporting relationships, the partnership among the CEO, board chair, and university president, and the shift from functional leader to enterprise leader. You’ll also begin learning how to evaluate foundations you may someday consider leading.

The list of adjectives in higher education to go with “pressures” gets longer every day—economic, demographic, financial, technological, and now takeover—external stakeholders with ideological agendas telling seasoned leaders and professors what to do. Governing boards committed to exercising their fiduciary responsibilities must not only pursue their institution’s best interests but now must also protect their colleges and universities from harm.

Login or become a member to access this AGB member-exclusive resource. Access your account Login Email Address AGB Members: This is the email address associated with the institution/foundation that maintains your AGB membership. If you are logging in for the first time, click here. New to AGB? Become a member Gain access to exclusive content, programs, news, and expert guidance. Join AGB Need assistance?

Trustees are accustomed to asking hard questions. They probe financial assumptions, challenge strategy, and expect clarity from presidents and business officers. This scrutiny is not just appropriate—it is essential to fiduciary responsibility. Login or become a member to access this AGB member-exclusive resource. Access your account Login Email Address AGB Members: This is the email address associated with the institution/foundation that maintains your AGB membership.

Photo courtesy of Gabe Feldman An interview with Gabe Feldman Gabe Feldman, JD, director of the Tulane Sports Law Program and Tulane University’s associate provost for NCAA compliance, is one of the leading voices in the country in the growing field of sports law. He is the Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law and the Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law, and the co-founder and co-director of the Tulane Center for Sport.