Paroon Chadha
CEO & Co-Founder, Passageways AGB OnBoard
Directors and trustees at our nation’s universities and colleges face four seemingly impossible tasks:
- Provide a world-class education that prepares the future leaders of America with a well-rounded foundation of knowledge, learning, and smarts
- Resolve both short-term and long-term issues in a transparent, forward-looking manner
- Work in a regulatory environment that is overly complex
- Answer to multiple constituencies that are all passionate and focused (i.e., faculty, staff, students, alumni, community groups)
On top of these near-impossible tasks, boards and trustees are managing an ongoing state of digital transformation. As better connection, insights, and management in the boardroom evolve from “nice-to-have” to “must-have,” digital transformation is enabling boards and trustees to successfully carry out their mission cheaper, faster, and with more efficiency.
The centerpiece of digital transformation is an underpromoted yet critical software platform: board management software (often called “a board portal”).
Staying organized
A board portal is a software platform used to assist all aspects of corporate board management. From preparing and distributing board books to providing a secure environment for sharing documents and communications, board portals are specifically designed to help board members and professionals stay organized, make timely decisions, and plan and conduct meetings effectively.
The benefits of a board portal are immediate and impactful.
It allows for effortless collaboration, putting everything in one place without having to rely on back-and-forth emails, cumbersome attachments, or unsecured channels like SMS and social media.
Board portals increase board engagement by evolving meetings from dry and slow operational presentations, into strategic working sessions focused on addressing the issues that matter most. They also allow boards to solve problems more quickly by allowing them to handle more issues between meetings, leaving facetime for “roll-up-the-sleeves” style work.
A board portal can help boards and trustees meet the standards for legal compliance. It also helps secure an institution of higher education’s treasure trove of personal information Security can often an afterthought, which is why a modern board portal has strong security built into the platform.
Changing the game
As reputational and regulatory issues continue consuming attention in this space, universities and colleges are faced with an ever-growing list of responsibilities. Getting everything done can seem impossible. That’s why board management software is a real game-changer.
Ultimately, the right software empowers leaders of higher education with the technology they need to make intelligent and informed decisions that help achieve their institution’s strategic goals.