Vital advisory and governing boards create additional opportunities to enhance operations within an educational institution. Well-prepared board members engaged in appropriate and timely activities can make a substantial contribution to operational, financial and management success. Creating, managing and maintaining effective advisory and governing boards can be a demanding yet rewarding process. Board members have to be identified, recruited, and trained to be effective and to understand their role as individual contributors and as members of a group of advisors. To gain maximum leverage from a board, members must also remain motivated and retain a concentrated focus on the institution's mission, purpose and goals. This course will provide a blueprint, with accompanying checklists, for establishing and maintaining effective advisory and governing boards in an educational institution.

Module 1: Board Frameworks

• Identify the types of boards that function in career colleges.
• Describe the role and purpose of boards in school operations.
• Recognize the importance and benefits of effective boards.
• Differentiate between the function of advisory and governing boards.
• Introduce the concept of an effective board.

Module 2: Forming a Board

• Examine how to establish a governing board or advisory board.
• Clearly articulate the purpose of a school's board(s).
• Create a board structure consistent with a school's size and needs.
• Identify requirements and qualifications for board membership.
• Outline board member's responsibilities and develop position descriptions.
• Facilitate the board's understanding of the school's mission, goals and objectives.
• Position the board to make significant and meaningful contributions to school operations.
• Create board member selection criteria and interview questions.

Module 3: Managing Board Meetings

• Set expectations for board members.
• Develop a plan for successful meetings.
• Create ways to assure attendance at meetings.
• Stimulate participation during meetings.
• Conduct a board orientation session.
• Determine the degree to which the intended outcomes for the meeting have been met.

Module 4: Maintaining and Motivating Boards

• Create and communicate opportunities for board professional growth.
• Identify ways for board members to engage in school activities.
• Develop board participants into effective board members.
• Identify strategies for maintaining a vital and active board.
• Create a board recognition program.