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

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!

Discover how a Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant helped Kairos University cement a legacy of competency-based education and much more.

In Trust Center President Amy Kardash reflects understanding our shared mission.

Here are a few resources to help your institution define and discuss shared governance and ensure that everyone has a clear role in stewarding the institution.

Most theological schools have boards that make the big decisions: to close, merge, or reorganize; to hire or fire a president; to make major financial or curricular changes. But in some seminaries and theological schools, the board is subject to another authority, such as a bishop or council of church leaders. How can boards that do not have the final word on some very important matters operate effectively?

In North America, shared governance is a central component of higher education. Yet plenty of research showsthat shared governance is not clearly understood by many who are tasked with it.

Effective shared governance is hard work." That's how a new article focusing on shared governance in this month's Trusteeship magazine begins. This is no surprise to anyone familiar with the practice of shared governance, but it's certainly nice to read the words and appreciate that others struggle with the practice too.

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.

Join consultant Dr. Rebekah Basinger to gain an understanding of shared governance, including definitions, delineations of roles and responsibilities, and strategies for adapting governance practices to your school's new now.

Rebekah Basinger leads a discussion on board governance as part of the Wise Stewards Initiative's Governance Between the Times Seminar.

Delores Brisbon says that for shared governance to succeed, an institution needs to follow five key steps.

Dr. Rebekah Burch Basinger considers the "invisible balance sheet" - things that institutions are responsible for that may not be on the actual balance sheet. With candor and years of experience, Basinger offers insight on how a board might consider the welfare of an entire institution.

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.

During his tenure as interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, Dr. David Rowe was challenged with merging the school while preserving its mission. Rowe and Elizabeth Palmer Bennett, former CFO at Lancaster, discuss the genesis of the merger, share their insights, and reflect on the lessons they learned in the process.

Dr. Rebekah Basinger and Dr. Marsha Foster Boyd discuss shared governance from multiple vantage points, emphasizing the importance of trust, transparency, and effective communication in the process.