2015 Statewide Trustees Conference

Governor Charlie Baker speaks at the 2015 Annual Trustees Conference at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center on November 4.

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Breakout Sessions Block 1
Breakout Sessions Block 2

Overview

• Conference Program

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Breakout Sessions Block 1

• Managing Risk on Campus
  Managing Risk “Staying Focused on the Mission”
  Enterprise Risk Management: Best Practices for Boards, Presidents, and Chancellor
  New Strategies for Managing Risks: A Balancing of Boards
  
  Defining and identifying risks can be the first steps toward preventing accidents and losses of all kinds. Building on this popular session from last year’s conference, Eric Seaborg from United Educators, a leading authority on higher education risk management, will discuss how to think about reducing and preventing risks in higher education institutions. National best practices will be shared during the session. The second portion of the session will be a case study from Massasoit Community College. Despite their best efforts at prevention, a crisis erupted on campus. How was it handled? How was the board involved? What questions should be asked?
  
  Eric Seaborg, Senior Risk Management Consultant, United Educators
  Pamerson Ifill, Board Chair, Massasoit Community College
  Nick Palantzas, Senior Vice President and Vice President of Canton Campus & College Advancement, Massasoit Community College
  Facilitator: Sean Nelson, Deputy Commissioner for Administration & Finance, DHE
  
  
• "What I Wish I Had Known When I Was First Appointed"
  Every new trustee brings valuable skills and experience to their position but nonetheless faces a steep learning curve as to the complexities of running a public higher education institution. Hear your colleagues share their insights and tips from their years of experience as trustees in Massachusetts public higher education, including:
  
  • the difference between public and private boards,
  • the faculty culture, and
  • operating in a union environment.
  
  Bob Richards, Trustee Emeritus, Framingham State University
  Pamela Carrington Scott, Former Board Chair, Salem State University
  Chris Johnson, Former Board Chair, Springfield Technical Community College
  Facilitator: Jennifer Perkins, Director, Office of Trustee Relations, DHE
  
  
• Board Leadership for Better Results: Do's & Don'ts for Trustees in Improving Enrollment, Retention & Graduation Rates
  Terry MacTaggert will lead a discussion about several high-profile policy issues facing higher education. Discussion will be centered around how boards can work with their administrations on affordability, access, completion and performance measurement.
  
  Terry MacTaggert, Senior Fellow, Association of Governing Boards

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Breakout Sessions Block 2

• Strategic Planning: Completing Your Plan & Keeping It Alive
  Board of Higher Education Guidelines for Review of Campus Strategic Plans
  Strategic planning is critical to any large organization. What role does the board play in ensuring a successful outcome and keeping it relevant? This session will cover the BHE's significant role in the new strategic planning process.
  
  Ira Rubenzahl, President, Springfield Technical Community College
  Barry Maloney, President, Worcester State University
  Dan Asquino, President, Mount Wachusett Community College
  Facilitator: Winifred M. Hagan, Int. Deputy Commissioner for Academic & Student Success, DHE
  
  
• Enrollment Strategies
  Highlights:2015 Enrollment Estimates
  Institutions across the system are facing stagnant or declining enrollment. The first part of this session is a numbers discussion on the enrollments throughout the system, the statewide and national trends and the future outlook. The second part of the session will be a panel discussion on successful (and not so successful) strategies being used to combat the decline.
  
  Jonathan Keller, Senior Associate Commissioner for Research & Planning, DHE
  Captain Elizabeth Stevenson, Vice President of Enrollment Management,
  Massachusetts Maritime Academy
  Paula Pitcher, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Planning & Research,
  Middlesex Community College
  Facilitator: Sean Nelson, Deputy Commissioner for Administration & Finance, DHE
  
  
• Strengthening Board Accountability: Why? For What? To Whom?
  Displaying accountability to the institution's stakeholders is important as it generates increased trust and goodwill and sets a tone of inclusion and transparency for the entire community. The OTR/DHE will focus on this topic during the year through the formation of an ad-hoc committee made up of trustees and presidents to examine how this is being done within the system and best practices that could be implemented. This session begins this year-long initiative.
  
  Terry MacTaggert, Senior Fellow, Association of Governing Boards
  Richard Covel, Former Board Chair, Massachusetts Maritime Academy
  Facilitator: Jennifer Perkins, Director, Office of Trustee Relations, DHE

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