In Trust has long encouraged governing boards education to engage in regular, thoughtful self-assessment. Now we have taken this encouragement a step further by developing a Board Performance Audit especially for use in seminary settings. The audit helps a board evaluate and improve the way in which it goes about its work and helps board members find their own answers to the questions:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of this board?
• What changes are needed to enable this board to be of greatest value to the school and the churches it serves?
• Do the faith commitments of the school and of individual board members show through in the deliberations of the board"

Information collected through the audit can dramatically change how your board uses its time, how it interacts with the president, and how the board, administration, and faculty work together on critical issues facing the school. Specifically, the Board Performance Audit enables your board to: 

• Consider how well it is meeting the roles and responsibilities assigned to it
• Reflect on the meaning of the school's theological heritage and ongoing commitment to its supporting churches-be that a specific denomination, religious order, or an interdenominational constituency-for the board's work
• Develop a year-long board education plan based on findings from the audit
• Establish benchmarks for tracking changes in its performance over time
• Address the governance evaluation standard of the Association of Theological Schools

Unpacking the Performance Audit 

Time Frame: Allow two to three months from your initial contact with In Trust until the presentation of the assessment report to your board. 

a. Assessment Survey: The survey is divided into six parts, each focusing on a characteristic of exemplary board performance. These are:

• Tending roots: mission, faith, and values
• Focusing forward: goals, priorities, and strategies
• Nurturing relationships: communication in and out of the institution
• Building teamwork: attention to systems and structures
• Ensuring growth: board education and learning
• Honing skills: problem analysis and strategic thinking

In addition to the 60 questions developed by In Trust, board leaders can add institution specific questions to each of the six sections. The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is designed to be administered online. In Trust can provide hard copies of the survey to board members who do not have access to the Internet. A sample demonstration of the assessment survey is available here.

b. Tabulation and Scoring: In Trust tabulates and scores the completed assessment surveys. At a predetermined date and for those schools that provide e-mail addresses to In Trust, an electronic reminder and attached survey form will be sent to board members from whom a survey has not been received.

c. Performance Audit Report: Participating boards receive a detailed summary report complete with a statistical analysis of board member responses to each question, graphical presentations of the survey findings, and recommendations for a board development action plan. 

d. Presentation Materials: Board leaders are provided with a set of customized PowerPoint slides based on the summary report.

e. Presentation Script: Board leaders also receive a detailed script, complete with talking points, to help in presenting the self-assessment findings at a board meeting or in a retreat setting. 

f. Coaching: Participating schools receive a one-hour telephone consultation with an In Trust Governance Mentor to review the survey results and to plan the presentation of the findings to the full board.

Optional Service: For an additional fee, you can bring an In Trust Governance Mentor to your campus for a one-day, in-depth working session based on the information collected through the self-assessment process.

Getting Started: For more information or to schedule a Board Performance Audit for your school, contact In Trust at 302-654-7770 or mentorservices@intrust.org.