Mention the words "institutional health" and board members' thoughts turn immediately to annual operating revenues, student enrollment, and endowment earnings -- and for good reason. Numbers do matter and financial solvency is essential to mission fulfillment. However, a healthy school is about much more than can be measured by the bottom line.

Institutional health shows up in commitments to planning, to caring for the people who've chosen to align with the institution, and in the reputation of the academic program. The health of a school is obvious in the appearance of campus buildings, it is read in the pages of faculty scholarship, and it is lived out in the ministries of its graduates.

No wonder, then, that presidents and boards are in constant pursuit of institutional health, although it may seem an elusive goal. In fact, few theological schools are, or ever will be, completely healthy. Institutional health is an inherently dynamic process, not an end point. As Jim Collins observes in Good to Great and the Social Sectors, tending to an organization's condition requires disciplined planning, decisive governance, and strategic allocation of resources.

Purpose and benefits of the Institutional Health Checklist

Just as a doctor can tell a lot about a person's overall health from simple measurements like blood pressure, weight, and temperature, so a few basic questions about an institution's performance in four operational zones (authority structures, enrollment management, finances, and educational systems) can speak volumes about the overall condition of the school. The statements included in the Institutional Health Checklist, though far from an exhaustive representation of a healthy theological school, provide the board with powerful diagnostic information about the institution and suggest where preventive medicine may be in order.

In Trust's prescription for improved institutional health combines best practices and benchmarks. Best practices are drawn from the Association of Theological School's Standards for Accreditation, as well as the advice of researchers and educational leaders about running effective and financially sound institutions. Benchmarks are the descriptive or measurable indicators of how well a particular theological school is doing at living up to the best practices. Specifically, the Institutional Health Checklist assists boards in:

• Identifying informational blind spots in their understanding the school's operations and financial situation.

• Taking action to improve the school's performance in specific program and operational areas.

• Developing strategic (dashboard) indicators for tracking progress toward mission fulfillment.

Promoting shared governance

Collaboration is the best protection against governance ills. By inviting faculty and administrators to join in completing the Institutional Health Checklist, board members demonstrate their commitment to collaborative goal-setting and problem-solving through shared governance. An In Trust Governance Mentor leads a candid discussion based on perceptions by each of the governance partner groups of the school's health. Armed with this understanding, the board, administration, and faculty can move forward in common purpose. 

Administration of the Institutional Health Checklist

In Trust administers the checklist, gathers and tabulates the results, and formats the responses for easy distribution to board members. We can provide paper copies of the checklist to board members who do not have access to the Internet.  

Demo of the online Institutional Health Checklist

Scheduling the Institutional Health Checklist

Time frame

Although the online format of the Institutional Health Checklist allows for quick distribution via e-mail and prompt and accurate compilation of results, you should plan on two to three months from your initial contact with In Trust until the presentation of the Institutional Health Checklist report to your board.

Cost: $4,000 member rate; $5,500 non-member rate  

The fee charged for the Institutional Health Checklist includes distribution, collection, and analysis of the Institutional Health Checklist, a detailed report and recommendations for improved institutional structure and functioning, and a half- or full-day workshop facilitated by an In Trust Governance Mentor. The workshop is an excellent vehicle for your board to explore the key findings from the Institutional Health Checklist and to take the first steps to a stronger future for the school. We work with you to select the right mentor for your board from our team of former presidents and higher education professionals.

The school is also responsible for reasonable and necessary expenses for the mentor's travel (airfare, mileage, car rental, and/or train fare), lodging, and meals during his or her trip to the seminary. All travel expenses will be procured at the lowest cost available.

Getting started

For more information or to schedule the Institutional Health Checklist at your school, contact us at 302-654-7770 or mentorservices@intrust.org.