Board of Trustees

by Cynthia Woolbright While incremental changes on boards are occurring at our colleges and universities, we are still woefully short from true diversity on our boards. The Association of Governing Board, in its Report on Consequential Boards (2014), recommended that “boards must improve their own capacity and functionality through increased attention to the qualifications and recruitment of…

James Husson (Boston College) spoke with us about best practices for working with Board advancement committees.

Presented by Cynthia WoolbrightFounder & President, The Woolbright Group Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Session Overview: In the role of a responsible fiduciary, a Board of Trustees is trusted to faithfully advance the mission and goals of the institution, steward institutional resources, participate constructively in the work of the Board and its committees, represent the institution in word and…

Ithaca College’s “ring” model is designed to set students on a path to volunteerism that takes some all the way to the Board of Trustees.

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the role that staff play in supporting the Advancement Committee or Development Committee of a Board of Trustees.

Despite the increasing diversity among students and faculty on our college campuses, Boards can remain stubbornly homogeneous. To bring greater depth of perspective, experience and effectiveness Boards need to start with a commitment to more diverse representation reflective of the campuses they govern.

Cynthia Woolbright is a seminar speaker on board development that considers the nine-step cycle. She also addresses governance as key for a board and identifies trends in this area.  Such a committee, by function, is very critical in developing a pipeline for Board members.  Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the organizational leader and board chair to develop a constructive partnership…

Interview with Carrie Collins, Chief Advancement Officer, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Book ending the conversation with Carrie on working with boards is the advice that it is of the utmost importance to forge good working relationships with each board member individually.

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the importance of board assessment and evaluation and offers tips for when and how it should be done

In this interview, President Fox shares his thoughts on relationships with key Board members, what he looks for in a CAO, the importance of board member engagement, and other presidential musings.

This article was first published January 3, 2015. A conversation with Linda Durant, Senior Vice President, University Advancement, Widener University   A Board of Trustees is the most important group of leaders on any campus. So how do we, as the Advancement team, most effectively engage them, encourage them, and bring them on board prepared to be confident and proactive fundraisers? We asked…

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the Board's role in the development of a successful campaign.

Cynthia Woolbright discusses the role of the board in the development of the Governance Committee.

This article was first published December 4, 2013. Allyson Goodwin (Northfield Mount Hermon School) spoke with us about best practices for working with Board advancement committees. Interview Transcript Cynthia Woolbright: I want to thank you again for your willingness to talk with us about best practices for the board of trustees and the advancement committee that you have there at Northfield…

To insure adequate resources for an institution, Board members must embrace a variety of responsibilities, from making personal gifts to identifying, cultivating and soliciting private support.

Phil Brach, Assistant Dean, School of Business and Economics, The Catholic University of America, July 2015 While it is understood that American universities and colleges are governed by Boards of Trustees, the purpose and role of the Board of Visitors may not be as well understood. The Woolbright Group spoke with Phil Brach at The Catholic University of America to learn more about the specific…