Higher-education governance is once again in the spotlight as boards, presidents and trustees assess free-speech obligations under federal scrutiny and state pressure. AGB’s Trusteeship podcast advised boards to understand the First Amendment’s limits and the different responsibilities of public versus private institutions, while university presidents publicly warned that intensified federal reviews this year are reshaping campus research and funding relationships. Officials and governance experts told trustees to sharpen policies that protect academic freedom, avoid ad-hoc interventions in faculty matters, and preserve institutional autonomy while responding to external compliance demands. The discussion matters for governing boards as they face requests for policy changes, potential funding conditionality from the federal government, and reputational pressure from alumni and state actors.