An experienced chairman of the board offers advice for trustees: respect the role of the board as a whole, be discreet in campus contacts, learn, and support the president. (Author/LBH)

Sabbaticals for college presidents are recommended by a president who returned to his institution after a year working on a doctorate in higher education administration. Benefits to both the president and the college are noted. (MLW)

Unusual circumstances creating a conflict, requiring a choice, and having pivotal consequences for the future of the organization can serve as tools for assessing management effectiveness, revealing and testing the relationship between the president and the board chair. (MSE)

Suggestions are offered on the right and role of trustees to expect faculty to help realize the institutional goal of quality education, as well as what the faculty has a right to expect of trustees. (Author/LBH)

Governing board members can work collaboratively with the college president to walk the fine line between conserving tradition and resources and making needed innovations in curriculum or campus living. However, they must learn to offer their own individual and group judgment without being intrusive. (MSE)

A trustee of long experience outlines 13 principles for trustee participation, concerning the trustee's role, relationships with others in leadership positions, and expectations. (MSE)

A discussion of the place of advisory boards in college administration looks at board types (general, program, and ad hoc), general and specific purposes, and steps to keep the board involved and functioning. Cultivating a productive and directed relationship between institution staff and these volunteer consultants is emphasized. (MSE)

For effective trustee participation in planning, it is suggested, a college president should provide a good flow of information, conduct trustee orientation, establish a schedule of planning documents, and encourage trustee committees. A board planning agenda is provided. (Author/MLW)

Since renegotiation or termination of a president's contract by a governing board can bring misunderstanding, irritation, and trauma, an outside expert is suggested as being beneficial to both sides. A contractual expert can represent the governing board and help determine whether the chief executive should be rehired or terminated. (Author/MLW)

Some thoughts on governing board chairperson and president relationships are offered: mutual expectations must be clear, the president must be teacher to the institution's various publics and especially the board, a president should avoid any private or personal agreements with individual board members, etc. (MLW)

Problems found by college presidents in the search and selection process are discussed, including skepticism about innovative practices, premature press disclosure, decision-making delays, lack of board-candidate communication, and shifts in selection criteria away from the candidate's record to interpersonal chemistry. (MSE)

Ideally, a college board of trustees is the final authority that also delegates almost every function. However, the specific things the board does are related to how it was formed and what it was created to do. Some traditions and expectations are outlined. (Author/MSE)

The role of trustees on college governing boards is addressed. A board chairman expresses the opinion that to elect trustees solely for their ability to contribute money is insulting, and two presidents spell out more detailed criteria for optimum trusteeship, particularly with respect to the relationship between presidents and boards. (Author/JMD)

New and incumbent presidents sometimes are reticent about discussing the specifics of compensation and benefit packages. Third-party negotiators might help bring these issues into the open. A negotiation process and nine specific topics for inclusion in negotiation discussions are outlined. (Author/MSE)

Using third-party negotiators in university presidential salary discussions may widen, not bridge, the gap between presidents and boards. It is more promising to educate presidents and boards about compensation packages and the comparative benefits for presidents of similar institutions and acknowledge the relationship between compensation and…