Washington Monthly - September/October 2023 - 28
ment, trustees of color would still constitute a comparatively
small fraction of the board. There would be two African
Americans, for instance, on an average-size public board of
12 members, and four Black members out of 28 on the average-size
private board. To be blunt, these numbers will not
materially alter the demography of the dominant players
or the norms of the dominant culture, whereas a majorityfemale
board would. This might further explain why the
numbers on gender are worse than the numbers on race-
the stakes are higher for the current power structure.
B
oard diversity should not and probably cannot be
mandated by law, especially in light of the Supreme
Court's recent decision on affirmative action. Rather,
boards should diversify as a matter of institutional selfinterest.
Other kinds of boards are exploring what intentionally
diversifying might look like. In the years ahead,
women will remain a substantial majority, and students of
color will make up a greater fraction of the " customer base. "
Projections from the National Center for Education StatisBoards
that espouse the
virtues of diversity should
themselves exemplify
diversity. Inescapably, the
composition of a board
of trustees signals the
intensity of an institution's
commitment to diversity at
the top of the organizational
pyramid. Reality needs
to match rhetoric.
tics (NCES) indicate that between 2017 and 2028 there will
be a 14 percent increase in Hispanic students, an 8 percent
increase in Black students, and a 6 percent decrease in white
students. As a result, trustees will need to be more attentive
and responsive to the experiences and concerns of students
of color. A board demographically similar to the student
population will probably be more inclined and better
positioned to do so.
While mandates that college boards be more diverse
are probably unlawful as well as unwise, the U.S. Department
of Education, in the interest of greater transparency
and accountability, should require that every college submit
data on the demographic composition of their board and
28 September/October 2023
the degree of alignment with their undergraduate population
as part of the annual, publicly accessible IPEDS survey.
This requirement would be a minimal burden on colleges
but would unveil important information about each
school's governing body. Ironically, demographic data on
the boards of publicly traded companies is much more accessible.
For example, Nasdaq now requires that listed companies
disclose composite data on the gender, race, and
LGBTQ status of the company's board. Additionally, boards
of Nasdaq-listed companies must, with certain exceptions,
have at least two diverse board members or explain why
that's not the case.
There are other benefits to disclosure of demographic
data. First, the information would enable researchers
to study the interplay between the composition of boards
of trustees and the schools' policies, priorities, practices,
and outcomes. Second, the data would interest and benefit
journalists and the media more generally. Publications
like the Washington Monthly might even add board and student
diversity alignment as a factor in calculating rankings.
Third, the data could inform public debate and elections
and, by extension, precipitate new criteria and procedures
for trustee appointments to state colleges and universities.
And, finally, published numbers would highlight leaders
and laggards on alignment among all institutions and,
just maybe, nudge (or shame) the laggards to become better
aligned.
Boards that espouse the virtues of diversity should
themselves exemplify diversity. Inescapably, the composition
of a board of trustees signals the intensity of an institution's
commitment to diversity at the top of the organizational
pyramid. Reality needs to match rhetoric for
boards to have the credibility and moral authority to govern
effectively.
At this early stage of research on board diversity, we do
not know exactly how or if a well-aligned board enhances
the overall quality of an institution or the students' education
and experience. Additional research and time will be required
to see whether-and, if so, how-board and student
alignment impacts institutional performance and culture.
But so far, the upside seems significant without any obvious
downside.
Likewise, we do not yet know precisely and definitively
how and why some boards are well aligned with student
demographics while other boards are not. However, we do
know that roughly one-fifth of the schools we examined
have achieved that objective. So, we have proof of concept.
The goal is attainable; excuses are suspect.
Raquel M. Rall is associate professor and faculty chair at the UC Riverside
School of Education. Demetri L. Morgan is associate professor
of higher education at Loyola University Chicago. Richard Chait
is professor emeritus of higher education at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education. Research support was provided by Delaney
Rood and Jordan Gonzales.
Washington Monthly - September/October 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Monthly - September/October 2023
Contents
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