The governing board is ultimately responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution. It selects a chief executive officer, approves the purposes of the institution, and concerns itself with the provision of adequate funds. It establishes broad institutional policies, and delegates to the faculty and administration responsibility to administer and implement these policies. The board protects the institution from external pressures antithetical to academic freedom, to institutional autonomy, or to integrity, It differentiates among roles and responsibilities of various persons or bodies, and provides stability and continuity to the institution through an organized system of institutional planning and evaluation. The president may be an ex officio member of the board, but is not the chair.
Arrangements provide for continuity of board membership and staggered terms of adequate length.
The duties and responsibilities of the governing board are clearly defined in an official document. This document specifies the number of members, length of service, rotation policies, organization and committee structure, and frequency of meetings. After appropriate consultation, the board selects and regularly evaluates the institution's chief executive officer. The responsibilities of the governing board include securing financial resources to support adequately the institutional goals. The board approves and ensures compliance with basic institutional policies, including personnel policies.