Engage Strategic Consulting

David J. Shonk

Advisory boards are common within higher education as faculty and administrators face complex issues and are increasingly accountable to their stakeholders in providing high-quality academic programs. These boards, comprised of industry professionals in a particular field or industry, help programs stay relevant, assess labor markets, and help with fundraising or promoting a program. Advisory boards can be particularly instrumental as higher education continues to come under increasing scrutiny by primary stakeholders such as incoming students and their parents.

During college visits, students and parents are increasingly asking pointed questions germane to return on investment. How many years will it take to graduate? What is the starting income and how readily available are entry-level jobs in this industry? The benefits that advisory boards provide, in terms of connecting students to the industry, are a selling point for administrators and faculty. Over the last decade, college enrollment has experienced a decline, and in some states less than half of all high school graduates transition to a four-year college. Increasing tuition costs, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, only exacerbated concerns over whether investing in a college education was worth the money. Companies in industries like hospitality, technology, and manufacturing also offer incentives for students to forego college in lieu of a paycheck.          

A well-functioning and well-directed advisory board can have an incredible impact on an academic program and serve as a crucial resource to current students and new ones. However, stories also abound by administrators who inherited dysfunctional boards or the political challenges of dealing with board members who wanted to intrude in dictating curriculum and other matters that should be the ownership of faculty. These situations can leave an academic unit head (AUH) or Dean wondering if investing time in an advisory board is worth the resources. Below are some important factors to consider when working with advisory boards and avoid pitfalls.

"A Well-Functioning And Welldirected Advisory Board Can Have An Incredible Impact On An Academic Program And Serve As A Crucial Resource To Current Students And New Ones."

Set Clear Boundaries and Bylaws

Setting clear boundaries seems fairly simplistic but can be challenging, especially for administrators who inherit an existing board with an already established culture, norms, and ways of operating. Whether starting a new board or inheriting an existing one, the most strategic decision you can make is to immediately set clear boundaries and bylaws. Administrators who set clear boundaries at the beginning and then codify them in the bylaws and board training save themselves considerable conflict down the road. All documents and communications to board members must clearly specify not only their responsibilities but areas (e.g., curriculum) in which they should not be involved. Bylaws should outline the responsibilities of individual board members as well as a clear description of committees and their functions and responsibilities. The most successful board work occurs at the committee level and well-written bylaws will hold these committees and their corresponding chairperson(s) accountable.

Board Recruitment, Training, and Program Needs

It is vital that administrators know and understand their program needs and then recruit new advisory board members who can fill these needs. This must be done methodically, and a good rule of thumb for creating a strong board is to consider the one-third method, whereby:

• One-third of board members have great knowledge and practical experience
• One-third of board members are people with power and influence within the industry or field
• One-third of board members are those with money or who have access to people with money

Effective boards not only recruit well but provide training for their new members. In this respect, the best advisory boards will have training procedures for new board members as well as a mentorship program where more experienced members can mentor new board members.

Communicating and Telling Good Stories

Constant contact with the advisory board is a necessity that is not always easy for administrators who can quickly forget about the advisory board when dealing with faculty, student and parent concerns. Lack of communication with the board can turn an Advisory Board from effective to ineffective and ultimately disinterested. Some ideas for sustained engagement include having at least two annual meetings alongside an optional informal virtual meeting with board members at least once a month. Also, it is important to not only have an executive committee but to meet with them once a month.

Finally, at the heart of the most invested advisory boards are great heart-tugging stories of what is happening in and out of the classrooms in your program. In this case, administrators call upon faculty and students to tell these stories. Perhaps nothing motivates a board member to take action more than to hear of student or faculty challenges and their corresponding stories of successes!