AGB History final highres - March/April 2021 - ABG38

why the role of a trustee evolved
into a true leader in higher
education who must uphold
integrity, help achieve the institution's mission, and ensure that
they are earning the public's
trust.
AGB also expanded its
involvement and voice in public
policy as part of their advocacy
priority. In 2007, AGB created a
Trustee Advocacy Network to
help elected officials and policy
makers gain a deeper understanding of the effects of public
policy on higher education governance. The network, with the
consent of member institutions,
encouraged trustees to discuss
certain public policy issues with
elected officials in Congress and
the states.
One constant in these most
recent 15 years of history is the
large and growing concern about the rising
cost of higher education. In response to
these concerns, AGB launched the Cost
Project in 2006 to engage these issues as
they began. The project produced four
papers that discussed strengthening board
capacity for financial oversight over the
next few years. These papers aimed to help
colleges and universities build their ability
to effectively and strategically monitor
institutional costs. The project also led to
AGB's work in strategic finance.
AGB has continually responded to
emerging important issues facing higher
education. One critical issue that has arisen
as of paramount importance to boards is
risk management. AGB made it a priority
to address risk management in its resources
for members. On this important issue,
and others like crisis communication and
fiscal challenges, AGB has helped prepare
boards for these challenges that will arise,

focusing on board accountability in periods
of change.
The unexpected Great Recession of
2008-2009 was another moment in recent
history when AGB rose to the challenge of
serving boards in times of unprecedented
change. The recession destabilized higher
education institutions, which led to hiring freezes, travel bans, delays in building
projects, and other cost-cutting moves, not
dissimilar to moves that institutions are
having to make today. The recession also
had a major impact on funding and giving. AGB, like today, was there to support
the boards and show them how to engage
and become more informed as their work
became more central and more visible.
The recession was a catalyst for AGB
to launch the Governance for Student
Success project, supported by the Lumina
Foundation for Education. This project
was completed in 2011 and focused on

38 AGB: A CENTENNIAL HISTORY | March 2021

three main components for
success in higher education:
quality, leadership, and strategic
finance. AGB Consulting built a
new area based off the strategic
finance component. This area
of consulting focused on helping institutions monitor costs
and enhance transparency and
accountability.
Continuing to implement
new and innovative ways to
serve members, AGB established AGB Search in 2010,
which picked up on search
work AGB conducted in the
1980s and 1990s. AGB Search
has since conducted hundreds
of searches for highly qualified
presidents and top leadership.
In 2011, AGB's Board of
Directors approved a new fiveyear plan, Vision 2016. This
plan in part addressed the need
to respond to the extended period of financial uncertainty, started by the recession.
AGB planned to continue emphasizing
their leadership role as the most trusted
advisor for boards, presidents, and other
institutional leaders. It started expanding
on AGB's programs, services, and research.
This included using new technologies to
create more online resources for members.
AGB also ensured it would continue its
advocacy work and decided to focus on its
business model to ensure that the organization was effectively serving members while
also finding ways to expand commitment
to consulting and other non-membership
due sources.
Advancing its advocacy work, AGB
released the report, Front and Center, in
2011 calling for the federal government
to rethink its role in higher education.
AGB encouraged the federal government
to emphasize support for student aid and
AGB History final highres - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AGB History final highres - March/April 2021
