Ep. 112: New research, new thinking on advisory bodies

Send us Fan MailWhat makes an advisory body effective? Some of the conventional wisdom about advisory bodies has changed, thanks to new research. In this episode of the Good Governance podcast, In Trust Center President Amy Kardash and the Rev. David Rowe, Ph.D., the Governance Initiative project director and president of  Windermere Consulting, explore new findings from the Center’s research into governance in theological education. The findings offer some surprises for embedded theological schools. Kardash and Rowe discuss why clarity about an advisory body’s role matters, why fundraising emerged as an important focus, and why some seemingly beneficial connections between advisory bodies and university governing boards actually correlated negatively with institutional effectiveness.They also consider the value of fresh perspectives, larger advisory bodies, and what Rowe calls “semi-autonomy” – allowing theological schools to benefit from being part of a larger institution while maintaining the identity and focus needed to advance their own mission.You can find more about the Governance Initiative here.