Safeguarding Institutional Autonomy: A Tool for Boards Facing Political Interference

American colleges and universities are facing intensifying political scrutiny and intervention. Recent events have raised urgent questions about who governs our institutions, and how.

While boards always have the ultimate responsibility for mission stewardship and institutional strategy, they are now being tested in unprecedented ways that can undermine the foundations of board independence and institutional autonomy that have long defined American higher education.

In moments like these, governing boards must not defer—they must lead. This tool offers trustees a proactive, principled framework to defend governance integrity and uphold their fiduciary responsibilities when faced with external pressure.