Articles

AGB Webinar:

Constructive Board Governance through Spring 2024 Campus Protests

In this “just-in-time” webinar from the Association of Governing Boards, Simon and Jen serve as panelists providing crisis management and communications advice to college & university administrators who may be:

  • experiencing campus unrest presently, as it is unfolding;
  • concerned about protests and responses in relation to imminent commencement ceremonies and/or board meetings;
  • intent on adding value at the board level regarding organizational preparedness for and/or learning from campus unrest, throughout 2024.


Bloomberg:

Protests Are Upending Cherished Rituals at $100,000 Elite Colleges

Simon Barker offers crucial insights into the escalating challenges surrounding upcoming commencements in higher education. He notes a surge in schools seeking guidance on navigating protests while upholding free speech and maintaining order. The article explores the delicate balance institutions must strike to avoid alienating stakeholders and attracting unwanted attention from governing bodies.


AGB Trusteeship:

Between Oversight and Overreach—The Appropriate Role of the Board In Crisis

In the Associations of Governing Board’s January/February issue of Trusteeship, Simon underscores the critical need for boards to define their roles during crises and provides four key lessons that will help you prepare your institutions effectively and maintain credibility. “Between Oversight and Overreach—The Appropriate Role of the Board In Crisis” emphasizes the importance of timely information sharing, balancing legal risks with transparency, and understanding the impact of communications on your community.


AGB Trusteeship Podcast:
Campus Activism and Protests

In AGB’s most downloaded podcast of the season, BMCG’s Simon Barker and Pam Roskowski discuss how the upcoming fall semester may bring challenges, and how boards plan to address these challenges over the summer. With an expected higher level of student activism when students return to campus in the fall, what can institutions expect and how can governing boards and administrations plan—together—to be prepared?


AGB Trusteeship:
The Role of the Board in Reducing Reputational Risk

In the Associations of Governing Board’s November/December issue of Trusteeship, Simon explores the role of the board in reducing reputational risk and poses three key questions that will help you move your institution from passive acceptance to proactive management of reputation risk. “The Role of the Board in Reducing Reputational Risk” identifies fundamental challenges affecting the industry, provides recommendations on how to approach reputational risk, and offers a maturity model to evaluate plan


University World News: Good News:
Crisis Management is Actually Not an Oxymoron

University World News recently published Simon’s Article, “Good News: Crisis Management is Actually Not an Oxymoron” in which he presents and explores the idea that the effectiveness of an institution’s response is the largest single determining factor in the impact of a crisis on the reputation of an institution. Simon emphasizes the importance of effective crisis response, poses challenging questions, and provides guidance on how to link decision-making to institutional values.