Governing board leaders and trustees gathered at Association of Governing Boards events this month to emphasize a shift from oversight toward direct action on student success. AGB programming — including a National Conference on Trusteeship and a webinar with Excelencia in Education — centered on data‑driven board oversight, evidence‑based student success programs, and aligning board strategy with institutional outcomes. Speakers including university presidents and AGB researchers urged trustees to prioritize retention, equitable outcomes and metrics that boards can reliably monitor. The sessions framed board responsibility as ensuring institutional value through measurable gains for Pell‑eligible and underrepresented students, and stressed coordination between trustees and presidents on resource reallocation. Governance experts said the AGB emphasis reflects trustees’ recognition that enrollment and workforce demands now require boards to engage with curricula, investments in student services and long‑term academic strategy rather than only fiscal stewardship.