If your board is not holding an executive session during every board meeting, maybe it should.

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.

This is "the" guide for people governing theological schools. As the introduction says, "How well a theological school is governed is key to the institution’s overall effectiveness and its fidelity to its mission. In the midst of change and discontinuity, the governing board is the steward that nurtures the purpose and vision of a theological school across the span of time." Download the guide and get started!

Seminary governance expert Bob Landrebe presents a guide on the complexities of shared governance for theological school leaders.

Top 3 on-demand webinars, shared governance, and much more.

The Jesuit School of Theology's Pathways project aims to unite various educational groups in the Western region by providing accessible, high-quality education and training for Latina/o pastoral ministers and those serving Latina/o congregations.

In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects on finding better ways to engage an institution's board.

Reducing expenses, decreasing enrollment, increasing costs, and shrinking revenue. These are the current realities of higher education. Are your board members asking the right questions in response?

Board members often lament the lack of time in board meetings to focus on strategic issues and trends that really affect the future of the institution. Many boards struggle with spending too much time on the present, or even on the past. They prioritizereports from staff and committees but leave little time for robust discussions about moving forward.

A recent issue of Trusteeship magazine features an article by Peter Smithtitled "How Should Boards Respond to Disruption." The article was written primarily for boards of universities and colleges, but itgoes right to the heart of what it will take to lead a seminary through the next 30 or 40 years.

When an issue of Trusteeship magazine has the theme of "Institutions in Crisis," you know you're in for some great articles on board governance. Handling crises — whether postponing them, mitigating their effects, or managing the fallout — is a big part of leading an institution. And there are all sorts of events and circumstances that may qualify as a crisis.

Theological school boards are responsible for all aspects of the school they serve, including the spiritual formation of their students. But how can boards know for sure whether spiritual formation is being adequately addressed?

Schools accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) that are considering a merger should download and peruse a key ATS petition early in the process.

The complaint we hear more than any other from nonprofit execs and/or board chairs is this:

Board members disappear between meetings. Poof! They're gone. Most can't even be bothered to respond to my message with a one-word reply: "received."

Sound familiar?

Board members are typically recruited for their leadership, business acumen, and networks. Dr. Rebekah Basinger, project director of the In Trust Center’s Wise Stewards Initiative, will discuss how strategic questioning and interrogation skills are essential for effective board stewardship.

With any organizational plan, certain pivotal individuals – both internal and external – hold significant influence over our goals. To ensure the success of a program, initiative, or on-going strategy, we must prioritize these “Audiences of One” differently from larger audiences. Learn how the “Stakeholder Management Plan” tracks the status of these relationships to help boost overall success.

Webinar 1 of a two-part series provides a change management framework to include best practice for leading change initiatives and common pitfalls to avoid. This session includes a consideration of institutional readiness for change, especially around the use of a strategic finance lens.

Dr. David Rowe, creator of TransformingCollege.com and former interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, will lead this series, helping participants turn mental models that explain how theological education is being disrupted into frameworks for overcoming that disruption.

Dr. David Rowe of AGB Consulting will introduce a new area of sustainability each week, leading discussions on strategic transformation and financial sustainability in theological schools.

The wisdom, professional expertise, and life experiences of the folks seated around your board table are worth their weight in gold to your school and its mission. Without clearly stated expectations of board members and ongoing education and encouragement to match, there isa chance you areleaving riches untapped.

What does it take to raise money? At its heart: generosity. In her career, Dr. Carla Maxwell Ray has helped raise more than $1 billion for a variety of organizations, institutions, and schools, and she encourages fundraisers to invite people into the opportunity to be generous. In this episode, Ray discusses ways to help people see generosity as a spiritual virtue and the opportunity to be part of the good work that is happening across the world.

Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is investing millions of dollars in theological education in North America. The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the In Trust Center are co-coordinating the initiative, and in this episode, the In Trust Center’s Amy Kardash and the Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Deasy of ATS discuss the emerging trends, interesting projects, and how coordination works.

In the final episode of the Wise Stewards series podcast, discover the pivotal role of engagement in the success of a theological school board through well-crafted meeting agendas, trustee feedback, and diverse perspectives, which nurture the skills and interests of board members.

Listen as leading theological school board experts share best practices for building a culture of assessment with helpful insights on the who, what, and why of assessment.