In this episode, Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn interview Lauren Zalaznick, a former Brown University trustee, about her new book compiling over 100 years worth of letters from Brown’s board members. It is a tradition for outgoing Brown trustees to write letters of reflection, which provide clear insights into the university’s transformation amidst changing academic, social, and political events. As higher education faces continued challenges, Selingo, Horn, and Zalaznick discuss how boards are uniquely positioned to ensure colleges foster civic growth, provide students with relevant skills, and regain public trust.
“It is a fiduciary responsibility,” Zalaznick says, reflecting on the role of trustees. “But more than that, I think the trustees and fellows are charged with and take very seriously the mandate to create a community and create an academic environment that enables undergraduates to be brought into the real world…to lead lives of value.”