New center provides research-based tools to help boards and campus leaders navigate complex challenges and advance their missions

As higher education faces unprecedented pressures from political interference, budget constraints and evolving student needs, the University of Michigan and University of California Riverside launch the new Center for Strategic and Inclusive Governance.

With a resource hub designed to strengthen governance at every level of the campus community, the center provides university leaders with research-based tools to make mission-centered decisions and safeguard financial health, preventing the costly consequences of poor and politically driven leadership that puts the entire community at risk.

Founded by governance researchers Demetri Morgan of the University of Michigan and Raquel Rall of UC Riverside, the center addresses a critical gap: the need for timely, actionable and accessible resources that help boards and those who work with them—presidents, senior administrators, board staff, faculty leaders and student representatives—make effective, mission-centered decisions.

“CSIG represents the best of what research universities can offer—translating scholarly insights into practical tools that strengthen governance across the campus community,” said Elizabeth Birr Moje, dean of the Marsal Family School of Education and the George Herbert Mead Collegiate Professor of Education. “This work couldn’t be more timely or important.”

The center’s launch comes at a pivotal moment for higher education, as boards and governance leaders grapple with new legislative mandates, demographic shifts and questions about institutional value and purpose. The center will continue to expand its offerings in the months ahead, including rapid-response toolkits developed in collaboration with partner organizations.

The CSIG Resource Hub debuts with more than 30 research-based tools organized into three categories:

• Strategy Resources—Immediate guidance for boards navigating complex issues, such as Board Guide: Preserving Mission-Centered Independence
• Education Resources—Explanations and frameworks that build governance capacity, including FAQ: Implementing Inclusive Governance Practices
• Operational Resources—Practical tools for implementation and assessment, like the Board Guide: Governance Self-Assessment

“CSIG ensures that boards have the research-based resources they need for effective governance, with open access that empowers every stakeholder invested in the institution’s mission—presidents, board staff, faculty leaders, students—to engage constructively in the governance process,” said Morgan, CSIG co-director and U-M associate professor of education.

Key features of CSIG’s approach include:

• Research-to-Practice Translation: Converting academic insights into actionable guidance
• Timely Guidance: Resources that respond quickly to emerging governance challenges
• Movement Building: Creating a community of practice around mission-centered governance
• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Amplifying work from multiple organizations and researchers
• Continuous Evolution: Regular content updates shaped by user feedback and emerging needs

“Good governance isn’t about choosing between strategic thinking and inclusive values—it’s about recognizing that you can’t have one without the other,” said Rall, CSIG co-director and UCR associate professor of education. “When boards make decisions that serve their entire campus community, they’re making the strategic choice that strengthens their institution’s long-term viability and impact.”