Governing Public Colleges and Universities

80% percent of all students now attend a public college or university. So the effective governance of these institutions should be of immense concern to all of us. But what are the characteristics of effective boards and how can trustees ensure they are fulfilling their stewardship roles responsibly? In this essay, author Phyllis Krutsch outlines those challenges and sets forth a public trustee’s perspective on the nature of strong and effective boards. Ms. Krutsch was twice appointed to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and served as chair of the Education Committee for three years.