Board Competency and Governance Responsibilities of Selected Higher Education Institutions: Basis for Board Development Program

Abstract

The purpose of this correlational study was to investigate the board competency and governance responsibilities practices of selected higher education institutionsin Southern Asia-Pacific territory and to determine their relationship to governanceresponsibility performance. The study used purposive sampling with questionnaireand a supplementary interview to gather the data from 115 respondents composedof board officers, board members, and school representatives. The empiricalevidence has shown the positive relationship of six competency factors, namely:strategic, contextual, analytical, political, educational, and interpersonal togovernance responsibilities such as: fiduciary, strategic, and generative. The boardcompetency factors were appropriate variables to measure governanceresponsibility performance. Two consistent variables of educational and strategiccompetencies emerged as strong predictors to influence governanceresponsibilities. It was implied that the school and board leadership should committo a strategy to educate the board and to consciously create opportunities for trusteeeducation. Seven relevant themes emerged from the interview that served asguidelines to enhance board competency and governance responsibilities namely,orientation, competency qualification requirement, strategic planning, boardeducation, evaluation of the president, generative leadership, and board evaluation.The diversity of gender and position of members in the board revealed a significantdifference towards board function where male and female board members playedan important role in governance responsibility. The intervention of the demographic variables showed a significant challenge to SDA board of trustees to improve therepresentation of gender in the trusteeship and to empower those members in key positions for the advantage of the school. Consequently, a recommended guideline for the development program was proposed to enhance board competency andgovernance responsibility performance.