New governance model would help reinvent higher ed itself
Preview:
Higher education's governance structures are under unprecedented strain from partisan legislatures, federal pressure, and donor influence, yet the sector's response has been largely defensive rather than structural. Drawing on the Ben & Jerry's model of a mission-protecting independent board insulated from outside interests, Campus college has built a governance framework that ties growth explicitly to student outcome standards. The piece argues that governance in higher education is fundamentally a design problem, and that values-driven structural innovation is long overdue.
Originally published: April 3, 2026
Author: Ralph Wolff
Position: Former President
Institution: Western Association of Schools and Colleges' Senior College Commission
Published by: University Business