President/Trustee Retreat President/Trustee Retreats
Strategy and Board Effectiveness for Financial Sustainability and Innovation

 Friday, December 7, 2018
9:45 am – 3:00 pm
(Orientation at 8:30 am)
Mills College, Oakland, CA

Click here for a draft of the program schedule.

WSCUC’s 2018 President/Trustee Retreats will highlight presidential and board leadership on innovation and financial sustainability. Lucie Lapovsky, former college CFO and CEO and current researcher and consultant, will draw on her extensive experience and guide a session entitled “Lessons from the Field: A Consultant on Strategy, Financial Sustainability & Board Effectiveness Tells All.” Campus presidents and board colleagues will share a variety of related models and strategies from their institutions to probe together.

In addition to ample time for discussion and networking, WSCUC President Jamienne S. Studley will present an overview of the rapidly evolving federal and regional policy scene and invite your suggestions for how WSCUC can better serve our students and your institutions.

About the Presidents and Trustees Retreats

Our annual gatherings for presidents and their trustees serve multiple purposes – they’re an opportunity for trustees to learn about WSCUC and regional accreditation; they offer stimulating guest speakers on cutting-edge topics in higher education; and they provide a collegial venue for presidents and trustees to hear from the WSCUC president about national and state policies and pending legislation that may affect higher education. Attendees have consistently found these events highly informative and helpful in framing priorities for trustees and top administrative leadership.

Overview of the Agenda

The one-day retreat runs from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, with an optional New Trustee Orientation Breakfast at 8:30. Registration includes a continental breakfast, lunch and informational materials.

Retreat Facilitator

Lucie Lapovsky

Lucie Lapovsky is a consultant whose practice specializes on issues related to higher education finance. She has served as President of Mercy College, a multi – campus institution of 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students in New York and CFO of Goucher College in Baltimore. Dr. Lapovsky serves on the boards of the American Public University System, Cedar Crest College KnowledgeWorks Foundation and the Tuition Exchange. She is the co-editor of three books and the author of more than 200 chapters and articles. She blogs for Forbes and is afrequent speaker at major higher education conferences. She received her B.A. degree from Goucher College, and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Who Should Attend?

Consider bringing a team that includes your board chair, chairs of key board committees, and members of the president’s cabinet. We also encourage president and trustee pairs from institutions of all kinds to attend, and many chairs or senior board leaders have found the retreat valuable.

New Trustee Orientation to WSCUC Breakfast (8:30am – 9:30am)

Join us for an optional New Trustee Orientation to WSCUC Breakfast (8:30 – 9:30am) prior to the 9:30 am workshop start time. You may select this breakfast session for a $35 supplemental fee, not included in the workshop registration fee. New or recently appointed trustees and their presidents are encouraged to attend. If you would like to participate, please select this option in the agenda section of the registration process.

Registration fee: $395/person (optional $35 new trustee orientation breakfast).  After the registration deadline, if space is available, late registration fee will be $450/person.

Registration deadline:  November 15, 2018

This educational program has been developed by national and regional experts and is offered as a service to WSCUC member institutions and others who wish to learn about good practices applicable to all institutions. It is entirely optional, and our hope is that member institutions will find it helpful. WSCUC staff will be present to answer questions related specifically to accreditation expectations.