How University Boards Work

An expert guide designed to help university trustees become effective leaders.

Honorable Mention for Eric Hoffer Award (Business Category) by The Hoffer Project

We expect college and university trustees to hire the president, advise senior staff, manage investments and financial decisions, and oversee major strategic initiatives. Unfortunately, they sometimes come into this powerful role with little or no understanding of what they are meant to do or how their institutions work.

How University Boards Work, by Robert A. Scott, is designed to help trustees understand how to fulfill their responsibilities. Written by a widely respected leader in American higher education and former university president, How University Boards Work is the product of personal experience and considerable research. This concise, straightforward guide includes:

an explanation of the difference between governance and management
tips on how best to prepare for board decisions and discussions
examples of positive and negative board behavior
guidance about board professional development
advice on managing transitions between chief executives

How University Boards Work will prove an invaluable resource for those responsible for governing colleges and universities, whether privately financed or state funded. It will also be an illuminating read for board secretaries, campus executives and administrators, faculty leaders, alumni volunteers, and public officials, as well as anybody seeking to understand institutional governance in the light of past and current trends in higher education.