Blog Posts

October 08, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. Higher education leadership has never been more challenging or more essential. Presidents, board chairs, and board members are navigating shrinking budgets, …

September 29, 2025 - Campus safety is about creating living and learning environments that allow everyone to thrive. Sadly, however, threats to the safety of students, faculty members, staff, campus visitors, and other institutional stakeholders are real. Considering the growing incidence of tragic events …

September 24, 2025 - Webinar recap: Heather Fehn, vice president, chief of staff, and secretary to the board of trustees at The College of New Jersey; Martha Tassiello, chief of staff at Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University (and former …

September 19, 2025 - Intercollegiate athletics are a highly visible part of many colleges and universities that can advance an institution’s mission. For example, a successful athletics program might offer scholarships that provide pathways to degrees for student athletes. A winning team could enhance …

September 09, 2025 - On August 7, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive memorandum stating in part, “Greater transparency [in admissions data] is essential to exposing unlawful practices and ultimately ridding society of shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies. … It is therefore the policy …

September 03, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. Governing boards of colleges and universities carry consequential responsibility and authority. Their fiduciary duty to act with care, loyalty, and obedience …

August 25, 2025 - Higher education governing boards are uniquely positioned to champion research work by incorporating marketing and communications into their strategy.

August 13, 2025 - At its core, a fiduciary relationship is built on confidence and trust. Board members of colleges, universities, foundations, and systems are fiduciaries of their organizations. This means that governing boards are stewards responsible not only for tangible assets such as …

August 06, 2025 - You are viewing the Institution and Systems version of this CEO Update. An Institutionally Related Foundation version is also available. As new trustees participate in onboarding and orientation processes this month, I want to underscore the importance of fiduciary duty as …

July 31, 2025 - Higher education institutions have faced a barrage of disruptions over the recent years: a global pandemic, inflationary pressures, macroeconomic uncertainty, geopolitical and trade tensions, and policy uncertainty stemming from our nation’s capital. These disruptions have had a direct impact on organizational …