Regents call in $15K consultant to talk about governing

Before the University of Hawaii Board of Regents talks about President M.R.C. Greenwood’s future at UH and a task group presents its first report on what went wrong in the Stevie Wonder concert fiasco, regents will hear today from an expert on college boards about the best practices in governing a university.

Terrance MacTaggart, a senior fellow at the Association of Governing Boards, is a consultant to university boards nationwide.

UH is paying MacTaggart $15,000, plus transportation, lodging and per diem expenses, said UH spokeswoman Lynne Waters. The UH Foundation is paying for the visit.

MacTaggart is leading three days of workshops for the board, senior UH staff and other leaders. In addition, Association of Governing Boards staff are available for phone consultation after the workshop. Waters said the workshop today is “an opportunity for regents to focus on strategic policy responsibilities.”

She said regents want to talk about board roles and responsibilities, board and executive relations, best practices in governance and “clarify mutual governance responsibilities and expectations to help maximize effective governance and executive leadership.”

Waters said MacTaggart is a nationally recognized expert who has “helped UH and other higher education systems strengthen, advocate and protect citizen trusteeship of public universities.”

The association has consulted with UH in the past, last visiting in January 2011 and September 2011 to talk about the board’s policies and to conduct a similar briefing and workshop on best practices.

Eight of the 15 regents have less than two years of experience; four joined this year. The other seven regents have served on the board from three to nine years.

The board workshop is in a public session starting at 8 a.m.