The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) appointed Ross Mugler as its president and CEO after a year in the interim role. Mugler, a former city commissioner and long‑time university trustee at Old Dominion University, pledged to strengthen nonpartisan governance support for trustees and to defend institutional autonomy. AGB’s board highlighted Mugler’s experience in governance and operational stewardship during a period of heightened scrutiny of higher‑ed boards. Mugler committed to a minimum three‑year term and said he will split time between Washington, D.C., and Virginia to remain accessible to members. The appointment signals AGB’s emphasis on bolstering board capacity, legal protections for trustees, and sectorwide responses to policy pressures that threaten governance independence.