Advice for University and College Governing Board Members on Sexual Misconduct Issues

The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) has issued an Advisory Statement on Sexual Misconduct. The AGB believes that members of university governing boards must keep abreast of important issues in higher education and that the issue of sexual misconduct on campus is one of growing importance.

The new statement says that “governing boards have a duty to become and remain informed about sexual misconduct on campus, and to satisfy themselves that administrators are addressing the issue in a way that protects their institutions against potential adverse financial and reputational consequences.”

The statement offers an overview of laws and government policies governing sexual misconduct and offers governing board members a series of questions they should be asking of their educational institution’s administration.

The AGB, founded in 1921 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., represents more than 36,000 individuals at 1,200-member institutions. The AGB’s statement on sexual misconduct may be downloaded here.