This report presents results of a national survey of college and university governing board assessment policies and practices, and describes a "typical" board assessment process constructed from the most frequent survey responses. The survey included 1,348 presidents and 571 board chairs. The typical assessment includes the following: the board has charged the chair with responsibility for board self-assessment; although an assessment was probably conducted in the last five years, the board has no policy requiring periodic assessments; the most recent review was conducted at a retreat and did not engage the services of an outside facilitator; trustees completed written surveys or were interviewed as part of the assessment; the board retreat had a positive effect on reviving trustee commitment, clarifying trustee roles and responsibilities, and establishing board priorities; and the chair usually reported the board's performance as "very satisfactory." The survey questions addressed policies, guidelines, and practices; the role of the president; the president and the board; outcomes reported by presidents and board chairs; and assistance for future reviews. Each of the survey questions is analyzed with a table showing answers for both public and private institutions. Also provided is information on the survey methodology, including data collection and the survey population. (Contains 38 references.) (DB)