Online program management is more important than ever before since nearly every student in America has now taken online classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions can no longer afford not to learn, master, and perfect the creation, marketing, and enrollment of online college programs. In this podcast, Andy Lounder, AGB’s associate vice president of programs, speaks with Greg O’Brien, the chief growth officer for Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), about the state of online education and enrollment today.

Trusteeship Radio

Graduate Online Enrollment Marketing

In early 2021, trustees representing every public university in Colorado joined together to form the Colorado Trustee Network (CTN). This coalition’s mission is to support Coloradan trustees in enacting meaningful change related to Colorado’s investment in higher education, the state’s equity gap, and the alignment of postsecondary education and the workforce. In this podcast, Morgan Alexander, AGB’s associate director of public policy and strategic communications, speaks with three founding members of CTN: Alison Griffin, the chair of the board of trustees of Colorado Mesa University; Russell Noles, the vice chair of the Metropolitan State University of Denver Board of Trustees; and Chris Romer, a trustee of Colorado Mountain College.

The Colorado Trustee Network

This past spring, AGB published the Principles of Trusteeship to enhance the effectiveness of all board members. These nine principles empower each and every board member to serve as strategic thought partners in governance and leadership with their boards, presidents, and leadership teams. In this podcast, Merrill Schwartz, AGB’s senior vice president of content and program strategy speaks with Marla Bobowick, project director for the Principles of Trusteeship working group, and Jim Lyons, a former university president and member of the working group about the process of developing the principles, how to utilize the principles as a board development tool, and their favorite principles.

The Principles of Trusteeship

 What is the board’s strategic role in advancing justice, equity, and inclusion? AGB’s own board of directors considered this question and recently published the AGB Board of Directors’ Statement on Justice, Equity, and Inclusion and Guidance for Implementation to guide governing boards in their efforts to implement this important governance work.   In this podcast, AGB President and CEO Henry Stoever speaks with the organization’s board chair, Shauna Ryder Diggs, and board member Leo M. Lambert about the process, anticipated outcomes, and key to success as boards examine and address barriers to justice, equity, and inclusion in their own work, at all levels of the institution, and beyond the borders of the campus.    

Strategic Board Leadership for Justice, Equity, and Inclusion

In November 2020, the Lumina Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation developed a framework to help policymakers make strategic budget decisions for higher education post-COVID. With Scott Jenkins of Lumina and Travis Reindl of Gates, Kristin Hultquist of HCM Strategists discusses how the framework can help states and boards lead through and after the crisis.

Higher Education Budgets in the Post-COVID Era

In this podcast, AGB Senior Fellow and George Watt interviews Oakton Community College President Joianne Smith and Chief Advancement Officer Katherine Sawyer as Oakton prepares to launch its first fundraising campaign.

Launching a Fundraising Campaign at a Community College

How do institutions fund and staff their fundraising campaigns? Tom Mitchell, vice president for advancement of the University of Florida, co-edited AGB’s forthcoming publication, Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Governing and Foundation Boards, and in this podcast, interviews chapter authors Lisa Eslinger of the Iowa State University Foundation and Zach Smith of WittKieffer on financing and staffing the campaign.

Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education Part II: Financing and Staffing the Campaign

What do board members need to know about fundraising campaigns? AGB’s 2021 publication, Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education: A Practical Guide for Governing and Foundation Boards, offers board members a thorough grounding in the basic principles of successful comprehensive campaigns. John Lippincott, president emeritus of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, co-edited the book and in this podcast, interviews chapter authors Charlie Phlegar of Virginia Tech and Sergio Gonzalez of Brown University on campaign foundations and structure.

Fundraising Campaigns in Higher Education: Part I

What makes a foundation innovative? How does a foundation catalyze innovation if the institution doesn’t have a culture of innovation? AGB's publication, The New Realities for Public Higher Education Foundations, focuses on the opportunities and risks institutionally related foundations face in a dynamic and uncertain higher education environment. In this podcast, former AGB President Rick Legon edited the book and interviews Gretchen Buhlig, CEO of the Arizona State University Foundation and author of the New Realities chapter, “The Innovative Foundation.”

Innovative Foundations

Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Board of Trustees recently voted to establish a Committee on Sustainable Racial Justice. This standing committee at the regional public institution will provide board-of-trustee oversight of the university’s efforts to eradicate systematic racism. In this podcast, MSU Denver’s Board Secretary David Fine discusses the work behind the new committee with trustees Mario Carrera and Albus Brooks, the board members who called for the formation of this committee.

Board Leadership for Racial Justice

 During this time of unprecedented challenges, the financial health of colleges and universities is a critical concern. Boards, investment committees, institutional leaders, and their advisors must work together to assess and plan for both the short- and long-term implications of the Covid-19 crisis, which is accelerating many of the negative trends that were already underway for higher ed.  In this podcast discussion, Tim Yates, President of Commonfund Asset Management and head of the firm’s OCIO practice, discusses with AGB’s George Watt the challenges institutions are facing, shares the key questions they need to address, and offers strategies to help them face these challenges. 

The Key Endowment Questions for Challenging Times

Join AGB’s George Watt and Bank of America’s Bill Jarvis in a conversation on governance issues facing investment committees and institutional / foundation boards as campuses gradually reopen. Regardless of your institution’s specific situation, Bill emphasizes the importance of knowing three crucial things: Where you stand – the risks to which your investment portfolio and institution are exposed, and the effect on them of potential future scenarios; Why you stand there – the rationale behind portfolio and institutional structures and how they are intended to work together Where you are going – the intersection between science and society that will determine the investment and operational regime in which you will be operating This conversation is intended to provoke productive thought at a time when decisions are being made in an environment that remains uncertain and very fluid. Speakers: Bill Jarvis, Managing Director, Bank of America (William_Jarvis@bofa.com) William Jarvis is a managing director with Bank of America based in New York, responsible for strategic thought leadership with institutional and private philanthropic clients. He joined Bank of America in 2017 from Commonfund, where, as the executive director of the Commonfund Institute, he led that firm’s educational, research and professional development activities. He holds a BA in English literature from Yale University, a JD from the Northwestern University School of Law, and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He does not provide legal advice in his role at Bank of America. George P. Watt, Jr. AGB Senior Fellow George Watt joined AGB as a senior fellow in July 2017, with a focus on AGB’s support of institutionally related foundations. In this role, he assists and advises on programs and research supporting the work of public university foundation boards and business operations, including AGB’s annual Foundation Leadership Forum, which brings together hundreds of board members and CEOs from across the country for a three-day program focused on governance practice, endowment management, and fundraising leadership. Prior to joining AGB, Mr. Watt served as executive vice president of institutional advancement at the College of Charleston (SC) and executive director of the College of Charleston Foundation. Mr. Watt came to the College of Charleston from the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, where he served for nearly nine years as the joint president and chief executive officer. Mr. Watt previously held executive positions with First Union Corporation’s Enterprise Solutions Group, as well as IBM Consulting Group’s North American Financial Services practice. He is a 1973 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and holds the retired rank of Captain, U.S. Navy.

Building the Bridge: Endowment Governance and Philanthropic Support During and After the Pandemic

 Corvias Founder John Picerne explores how colleges and universities can transform themselves through strategically partnering with an innovator in the private sector, allowing for the monetization of existing resources and eradication of debt.

Solutions Through Partnerships: Higher Education & The Private Sector

In this episode, AGB examines how University of Washington Alumni Association engaged with the state legislature and other policymakers to support university priorities through the work of UW Impact, the advocacy arm of the Alumni Association. Featuring Paul Rucker (executive director of the University of Washington Alumni Association) and Courtney Acitelli (program director of UW Impact), this episode explores the strength of engaging with alumni, community leaders, businesses, and other higher education institutions to promote higher education initiatives with lawmakers.

Engaging Alumni in Advocacy

Academic research played a role in some of the most transformative technologies today, in medicine, communications, and a host of other disciplines. However, skepticism of higher education and budget fears are cause for concern, encouraging policymakers and the public alike to question the value of university research. AGB interviewed former University System of Maryland Regent and former CEO of Lockheed Martin Norm Augustine, as well as former Emory University President Jim Wagner, to dig into the value of university research.

Understanding the Power of Research

Trusteeship Radio, the podcast from the Association of Governing Boards, provides perspective on the issues facing the nation's universities and colleges. Through insider insight and expert analysis, Trusteeship Radio (formerly Higher Education Nation) helps leaders in this vital sector advance the public trust in higher education.

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Trusteeship Radio

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