Changing a Board of Trustees

From Futile

to Fertile

William G. McGinnis

Existing Governing Board Climate

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1. Dysfunctional 2. Varies between Functional

and Dysfunctional 3. Functional Most of the

Time 4. Varies between Functional

and High Performing 5. High Performing

Common Signs of Dysfunction

• Adverse Conflict / Divided Board

• Lack of Trust

• Lack of Respect

• Single Issue Focus

• Political Connections / Ambitions

• Micromanagement

• Disengagement

Does your Board have other issues that adversely impacts their performance?

50%50%

Yes No

1. Yes

2. No

Impacts of a Dysfunctional (Futile) Trustee Board

• Lack of vision for the college• Frequent turnover in CEO position• Accreditation problems• Audit / Financial problems• Criminal problems• Employee Activism / Labor Strife• Law suits• Poor student success

Steps for Improvement

• Restructure Governing Board Agenda • Cultivate a Board focus on Vision / Future• Build / establish trust• Communicate appropriately • Facilitate Board accountability • Expand Board’s role to leadership• Provide opportunities for thoughtful

reflection & discussion

Board Agenda Issues

• Agenda Format management

• Educate Board members on agenda format and issues

• Develop focused issued-centered agendas

• Connect issues to vision / mission / strategic plan goals

What Percentage of your Board’s agendas for the past year have been allocated to discussing the vision and/or

strategic plan of your college?

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1. More than 80% 2. Between 60 to

80% 3. Between 40 to

60% 4. Between 20 to

40% 5. Less than 20%

How much time is spent at each Board meeting on Report Items (when the Board receives written and verbal reports from others)?

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– Less than 30 minutes

– Between 30 minutes to 1 hour

– Between 1 hour and 2 hours

– Between 2 hours and 3 hours

– More than 3 hours

Traditional Agenda • Opening• Reports

– Faculty Senate– Classified Senate– Students– President– Public Comment– Trustee Reports

• Financial Agenda– Approval of Expenditures– Approval of Transfers– Approval of Contracts

• Personnel Agenda– Appointments– Dismissals– Retirements– Labor Relations– Benefits Report

• Action Agenda– Resolution authorizing signatures on accounts– Course Approval

• Executive Session on litigation• Adjournment

Leadership Agenda Format

• Opening• Consent Agenda

– Financial Items– Personnel Items– Resolution on signatures– Resolution on course approvals

• Public Comment• Action / Board Discussion Agenda

– Future Financial Goals– Proposed College/K-12 partnership for student success

• Executive Session on Litigation • Adjournment

Focus on Vision

• Build consensus

• Develop a common vision / mission

• Manage discussions to overall arching issues

• Focus on “what” not the “how”

• Tie agenda issues to vision / mission.

• Talk about the future

Has your Board participated in any trust building exercises since it was formed?

50%50%

Yes No

1. Yes

2. No

Build & Maintain Trust

• Create an environment in which trust can be developed and maintained

• Board Chair’s role in maintaining a respectful meeting to maintain levels of trust

• Build consensus rather than scoring wins

• Communicate openly and honestly

• Focus on the future

Has your administration identified the style or manner in which each Trustees prefers to communicate

50%50%

Yes No

1. Yes

2. No

Communication

• Open and timely information

• Lack of surprises

• Communicate in the form the listeners need

• Sufficient / not too much / not to little – information

• Benchmarks – leading and lagging

Which of the following is completed annually by your Board?

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1. Board self-evaluation, establishment of Board Goals, and periodic discussions on the agenda throughout the year such goals

2. Board self-evaluation and establishment of Board Goals

3. Board self-evaluation

4. None of the above

Accountability Issue

• Focus Board attention on issues affecting Vision / Mission / Strategic Plan

• Measures that are tied to vision / mission / strategic plan goals

• Leading / lagging indicators• Scorecards / Dashboards• Establish Board Goals • Facilitate Board Self-Evaluation & Follow up

Has your Board identified any leading indicators that can be used to measure student success?

50%50%

Yes No

1. Yes

2. No

Sample Benchmarks

• Transfer Rate to Universities

• Placement in desired occupations

• Success of 1st yr students in English & Math

• Student Engagement survey

• Efficiency Rating of Student Enrollment

• Facility Condition Index

• Community Survey

Expand Board’s Role

• Fiduciary Role / Activities

• Strategic Role / Activities

• Leadership Role / Activities

• Percent of work in each area

• Restructure in the future

Time to Discuss / Lead

• Open certain meetings to discussion / leadership activities

• Create an environment conducive to discussions

• Manage conflict to remain constructive• Create visions of “what” not focus on

“how”

What is the most important major issue facing your College today that requires the Board’s attention?

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1. Long term finances

2. Employee Turnover & Replacement

3. Improving Student Success

4. Improving student participation

5. Other

How frequently has or will your Board discuss this major issue?

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1. Every Board Meeting

2. Once a Quarter

3. Twice a year in retreats

4. Once a year – maybe

5. Never

Benefits of a Fertile Board

• Attracts high performing administrators

• Creates an environment of trust conducive of change

• Creates an environment focused on the future supportive of innovation

• Creates a community climate of respect for the college

• Leads to student success

How to Start

• Help the Board build trust – Among their members– Between the Board and the CEO

• Change the Agenda– Less Wasted time– Fewer Fiduciary matters– More time for Leadership

Maintain Performance

• Thru Board Retreats review Board Performance

• Hold Board training whenever a new member is seated

• Board Chair to hold members accountable

• Revisit Board commitment when necessary

QUESTIONS

Conclusion

• From Futile to Fertile, as in Farming,

the role of the farmer whose success is directly affected by his knowledge of the impacts of his stewardship of the environment; the success of our colleges is directly connected to their Boards’ knowledge of the impacts of their stewardship of the institutions.