Recent leadership changes in higher education, exemplified by the University of Virginia president's resignation, signal significant disruptions in governance models. Independent citizen trustees traditionally provided oversight and defended institutional autonomy, enabling innovation and fostering public trust. Currently, external pressures compel trustees to act as ideological agents, undermining their fiduciary roles and destabilizing governance. Consequences include weakened academic freedom, diminished authoritative power of university presidents, and politicized decision-making. Strong governance is critical for maintaining the integrity and mission of higher education in the United States.
U.S. higher education is built on a unique model of governance in which independent citizen trustees exercise fiduciary oversight, set policy, safeguard institutional autonomy, support fulfillment of the mission and act in the best interests of the university or college as stewards of the public trust.
Today, this governance model faces significant disruption. At both public and private institutions, trustees are being encouraged by policy-driven think tanks to serve as ideological agents and interfere with management rather than act as true fiduciaries.
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