Blog Posts

July 28, 2025 - Over the next decade, the number of traditional college-age students—primarily high school graduates—who are expected to enroll in higher education institutions is projected to decline. This “enrollment cliff” is the culmination of long-term demographic trends that are now coming to …

July 15, 2025 - *Editor’s Note: This blog post is adapted from Michael F. Middaugh, The Board’s Role in Accreditation (Washington, D.C.: AGB, 2007), 6-11. Middaugh provides some timeless advice for higher education board members with respect to planning, assessing student-learning outcomes, and promoting …

July 10, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. As America celebrates Independence Day this month, we are reminded of the enduring ideals that define our nation—freedom, opportunity, and the …

July 09, 2025 - At the AGB Council of Board Professionals convening in June, AGB consultant and senior fellow Ellen Chaffee engaged the council in a discussion centering on, “What is good governance, now?” The conversation referenced AGB’s Govern NOW initiative, supported by the …

June 27, 2025 - Welcoming new trustees to a college, university, foundation, or system board is a pivotal moment—one that can shape the effectiveness and engagement of board members for years to come. A board orientation program should be more than a formality. Board …

June 23, 2025 - In this highly disruptive and uncertain period for higher education, though governing boards and the senior leadership of colleges and universities might be fulfilling their roles conscientiously, their efforts may not be enough to ensure the long-term viability of their …

June 18, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. In this moment of profound disruption and political intensity, the governance of our colleges and universities faces a fundamental test. Across …

May 28, 2025 - Webinar recap: Heather Fehn, chief of staff at The College of New Jersey, and Matt Maxwell, senior consultant at AGB OnBoard, explored how to streamline cabinet meetings and improve alignment across executive leadership teams. Cabinet meetings offer an important opportunity for …

May 23, 2025 - Colleges, universities, and systems need to respond quickly and strategically to the rapidly changing landscape in higher education. Demographic changes, including the changing racial and ethnic composition of students, the continuing decline of traditionally aged students in some regions of the …

May 07, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. Shifting federal and state policies, unpredictable funding streams, heightened student activism, and increased public scrutiny are reshaping the higher education operating …