If you’re not convinced that oversight and openness on the part of higher-education governing boards merit scrutiny, consider the following excerpts from a stunning report from The Chronicle of Higher Education regarding members of the Board of Trustees of American University (which was chartered by Congress):

Members . . . ignored damaging audit findings on lavish spending by the university’s former president, disregarded possible Internal Revenue Service sanctions, and proposed retribution against a whistle-blower, according to…Sen. Charles E. Grassley. . . .
“It says volumes about problems of AU governance that students, faculty, and supporters often have to learn about the work of the AU board from the U.S. Senate Finance Committee rather than from the board itself,” said Mr. Grassley…
[He] also blasted trustees for apparently shoving aside worries about possible IRS penalties because any resulting fines they might face were thought to be small…According to Mr. Grassley, the Senate investigation revealed “shocking” comments by American’s trustees that the rules could be disregarded because fines would be minimal” (Cf. “U.S. Senator Threatens Legislative Action Against American University’s Governing Board,” May 18, 2006).

Is it any wonder that many students take cheating and plagiarism lightly?