Board Committees: Charter Templates
The charters for board committees serve several significant purposes in school governance. Key committees include the Executive, Finance, Governance, and Investment Committees. Creating effective charters requires clearly defining and specifying the roles they play within institutional governance.
Board Officer Description Templates
We are often asked by our members how to draft descriptions for board officer positions. In response, we have compiled a collection of downloadable documents that can be used as templates to aid boards in outlining the roles and responsibilities of specific positions (dated January 2024). Each template provides clear delineations of board officers’ positions.
Videos & Webinars
Closing the Trust Gap
Cory Scheer, Ed.D., the founder and CEO of TrustCentric, discusses the current and very troubling condition of trust as a clarion call to action. But despite the dismal data showing pervasive organizational distrust, every organization has the opportunity to assess their current level of trust, learn and adopt a proven trust building framework, and then develop a meaningful and long-lasting plan of action.
Infographic
Wise Stewards Initiative Journey
Participation in the Wise Stewards Initiative empowers governing boards of theological schools to serve as agents of institutional change. Learn about the specific steps to enhance your journey.
Videos & Webinars
In Trust Center Resource Grants webinar
An In Trust Center Resource Grant offers member schools a chance to explore innovation at their institutions through a matching grant opportunity of up to $15,000. Listen to this 30-minute information session, including Q&A, as we provide details on eligibility requirements, funding priorities, application process. Previous grantees are eligible to apply as long as they are not within our current funding cycle.
Podcast
Ep. 58 Leadership, innovation, and what's ahead in theological education
In Trust Center President Amy Kardash and the Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada, executive director of the Association of Theological Schools, open a new series, "Inside Theological Education," discussing current trends and what schools can understand about the field from them.
Podcast
Ep. 57 - Creating cross-cultural competency in ministers
Notre Dame's Department of Theology is using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to create cross-cultural competency in students studying for vocational and lay ministry. Professor Stacey Noem, one of the grant project directors, discusses ways the school is creating space for cross-cultural ministry and how it prepares students.
Guide
Board Officer Positions Description Templates
We are often asked by our members how to draft descriptions for board officer positions. In response, we have compiled a collection of downloadable documents that can be used as templates to aid boards in outlining the roles and responsibilities of specific positions (dated January 2024). Each template provides clear delineations of board officers’ positions. Feel free to contact us for further assistance and guidance as you define these roles within your institution.
Guide
Who’s in the chair?
The board chair plays a pivotal role in guiding the board and serving as a trusted liaison for the executive leader. Given the significance of this role, it is imperative that the president and board members invest time in understanding the practices, relationships, and processes that define the position and articulate the role’s expectations.
Podcast
Ep. 53: No CEO goes alone
Just 13% of CEOs of ATS-accredited schools are women. In Trust Center President Amy Kardash discusses the pathways for women in leadership of theological schools and how boards can help women succeed.
Podcast
Ep. 51: The "trust gap" in theological education
There's a "trust gap" in the American workplace, according to Cory Scheer, Ed.D., the founder and CEO of TrustCentric. Scheer, a former pastor, academic administrator, and leader in business and nonprofits, studied trust as part of his doctoral work. The lessons can help theological schools learn how to improve performance and outcomes in their work.
Videos & Webinars
Called to the Chair: Board Leadership for Unsettled Times
Dr. Rebekah Basinger addresses the opportunities and challenges that come with chairing the board of a theological school, which include how to design effective board meetings, enhance board member engagement, and develop the board for long-term effectiveness while giving attention to the board chair and president partnership and the critical importance of call in both roles.