Twenty practical and concrete tips for being a responsible and effective college or university trustee are listed in this one-page article. These tips are grouped under three headings: (1) be involved; (2) guidelines for participating in board meetings; and (3) you are responsible for your own education. (KC)

"Reinventing the Open Door" is designed to serve as a practical guide for community college leaders and practitioners as they work to align their programs, services, structures, and processes to meet the demands of their increasingly diverse student bodies and communities. It is also intended for use by community college boards of trustees and…

Discusses Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities (FADICA), an organization composed primarily of foundation trustees who meet to examine significant trends and problems affecting Catholic life. Highlights FADICA's successes and focuses. (DMM)

Discusses the role of a college or university's chairman of the Board of Trustees. Identifies common problems, such as a lack of a clear job description, lack of training, and unrealistic expectations. Also suggests some solutions, including a job description, limited term for the board chair, and training in conducting board meetings. Offers…

This booklet focuses on assessing the performance of individual trustees, a responsibility that often falls to the committee on trustees (called the nominating committee on some campuses). It includes a checklist, sample job description, and self-assessment survey that can be tailored to reflect unique institutional characteristics. Every board…

Colleges need to pay more attention to presenting their distinctive character to prospective financial supporters. A framework comprising eight dimensions representing a wide range of human ideals is discussed. The dimensions are: moral, intellectual, egalitarian, spiritual, socio-political, humane, personal development, and tradition. (MLW)

This guide is intended to assist directors and board members of foundations affiliated with public institutions as they manage investments and assets of their institution. Introductory information notes duties of foundation directors and legal criteria for prudent investing under the Uniform Prudent Investor Act. Suggestions for developing…

Discussing how a headmaster and his board of trustees can work together to make their school a happy, productive place, this article addresses the roles of the headmaster and the trustees, the relationship between the two, complaint procedures, and factors adversely affecting the headmaster's ability to do his job. (DS)

Consultants offer ideas to frustrated fund-raising administrators about dealing with reluctant, uncooperative, and uninformed trustees. (MSE)

A thorough review of governing board bylaws will help ensure that the fundamental framework for the institution's governance is legally sound, up to date, and appropriate for its current circumstances. Serious bylaw reviews deal with fundamental college issues, and resulting discussions frequently identify basic issues or problems previously…

Explores the roles of community college trustees and how and why these roles have changed in the past decade. Examines the external pressures that affect the behavior of boards of trustees and the relationship between boards and chief executive officers. (DMM)

In order to help trustees fulfill leadership responsibilities, presidents should help them explore three areas of knowledge (the college, trends in higher education, and trends in society), identify and explore their specific governance responsibilities and behaviors, and guide them in balancing cost effectiveness, quality, and humanism. (MSE)

A strategy for effective communication between the college public relations office and the governing board includes (1) developing a specific plan for analysis, communication, and action; (2) broadening the definition of the public relations office role to include many audiences; and (3) taking a personal role in helping trustees become more…

A trustee at both a military school and a major university finds common responsibilities and dynamics on both boards and offers suggestions to development officers in their work with both trustees and fund-raising volunteers. (MSE)

To help new regents understand the serious nature of their responsibilities, Oklahoma requires them to take 15 hours of classes, including 2 hours on ethics. The program sets a new standard for higher education governance, intended to increase committed leadership, public respect, competitive and nationally recognizable programs, and student…