College and university trustees often come from the business or civic community, appointed or elected to serve because of their deep experience overseeing complex enterprises. But higher education institutions do not operate under a typical corporate model. The deliverables they produce (teaching, learning, and scholarly research) have intangible benefits that are difficult to quantify, and even their language of business operations is unlike that of any other sector. Nonetheless, governing board members have a fiduciary duty to ensure that the institution is stewarding its resources efficiently and appropriately to its mission.
Higher Ed by the Numbers: Critical Questions Trustees Must Ask encourages trustees to ask their administrative leadership a series of critical questions designed to provide a framework for evaluating institutional performance across every major area of campus operations, including applicants and enrollment, financial health, curriculum, and graduation rates.
Among the critical questions trustees should be asking are:
Read the full guide HERE.
Published through ACTA’s Institute for Effective Governance®, this guide builds on ACTA’s longstanding work helping trustees fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities and promote academic excellence and accountability.
Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.
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