Tuesday, January 3 • 8:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 4 • 7:15 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Supported by the Henry Luce Foundation
The CIC Presidents Governance Academy, held immediately prior to
the Presidents Institute, is a highly personalized and participatory
two-day program for CIC member presidents who wish to strengthen and
sustain a high-performing board of trustees. Through both time-tested
and new approaches, the Academy helps presidents strengthen
president-board relations, align board bylaws with principles of good
governance, make bylaws more effective, and sustain a high-performing
board of trustees. The Presidents Governance Academy is unique in its
exclusive focus on the perspective of the independent college president.
While it respects the distinction between the president’s and the
board’s authority, the Academy starts with the premise that the
president must have the tools and the mandate to advance efforts, with
board leaders, to develop an effective governing board. Each participant
will receive an individualized critique of the institution’s board
bylaws and will begin to draft a trustee education and board development
plan. Registration for the Academy also allows the opportunity to
consult privately by phone with the Academy’s leaders throughout the
year. Additional information is available at
www.cic.edu/2017GovernanceAcademy.
The registration fee for the Presidents Governance Academy is $400
for presidents, thanks to the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and
includes all program meals and materials. Participation is limited to 20
presidents to provide for candid exchange among participants.
Additional institutional officers, trustees, spouses, and others are not
eligible to participate. Please pre-register for this program. To add
this program to an existing registration, please contact Sherita Ashmon,
CIC conference manager, by email at
sashmon@cic.nche.edu or by phone at (202) 466-7230.
Facilitators:
Richard T. (Tom) Ingram, Senior Advisor for President-Board Relations, CIC, and former President, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
Richard J. Cook, President Emeritus, Allegheny College, and Chair, Board of Directors, Second Nature (Presidents’ Climate Commitment)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 3
8:00–8:45 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00–9:45 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
- Review of participant survey
- What are some of the most vexing challenges presidents face in working with their boards of trustees?
9:45–10:30 a.m.
Discussion Topics
- Review of key program themes, facilitator roles, ground rules, and agenda
- What distinguishes a high-performing governing board?
10:30–10:45 a.m.
Refreshment Break
10:45–11:45 a.m.
Discussion Topics
- What levers, strategies, and resources are available to presidents to strengthen the board?
- What presidential relationships are particularly key—and sometimes problematic?
- “Shared” governance and relations with faculty
Noon–1:00 pm.Lunch
1:15–2:45 p.m.
Discussion of Best Board Practices (part 1)
- Membership: size, composition, terms and term limits, committee on trustees
- Organization: committees, especially executive, and reserved powers
- Meetings
- Trustee philanthropy
2:45–3:00 p.m.
Refreshment Break
3:00–4:30 p.m.
Discussion of Best Board Practices (part 2)
- Retreats
- Orientation programs
- In-service education
- Handbook and trustee information systems
4:30–5:30 p.m.
Discussion Groups
- Overview of critiques by facilitators of participants’ bylaws
- How does affiliation with your respective sponsor, founder,
congregation, tradition, or other major influence directly affect,
positively or negatively, how your governing board is constituted,
is organized, or functions?
6:30–8:30 p.m.
Reception and Dinner
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4
8:00–8:45 a.m.
Reflections
- On yesterday’s conversations
- On a few articles in the Book of Readings you find especially helpful or provocative
8:45–10:00 a.m.
Discussion Topics
- What are best practices in performance assessment of the governing board, individual trustees, and the presidency?
10:00–10:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break
10:15–11:15 a.m.
One-on-One Bylaws Critique
(in teams of two)
11:30 a.m.–Noon
Review of Bylaws Discussions
1:15–2:30 p.m.
Pulling It All Together
- What are some effective approaches to in-service trustee education and board development initiatives that have worked for you? What approaches have not worked?
- What is your plan to strengthen governance policies and practices (explicit goals, strategy, and timetable)?
2:30–3:00 p.m.
Closing Comments and Program Assessment