The Provost as Decision Architect: Framing the Decision Before the Debate Begins

The success of a major academic decision is often determined long before it reaches a faculty senate meeting, governing board, or campus committee. How a decision is framed shapes which options appear possible, how stakeholders respond, and whether leaders build momentum or resistance before implementation even begins.

This interactive session introduces the first step of EAB’s Decision Architecture Framework, helping provosts strengthen the way they define and communicate complex institutional decisions. Participants will apply a practical decision framing rubric to a real issue facing their campus, uncover hidden assumptions, clarify tradeoffs, and develop a stronger foundation for governance and stakeholder engagement.

Participants will explore how to:

• Define a complex academic decision in a way that clarifies the real choice leaders need to make
• Surface assumptions that may be shaping the decision before stakeholders formally provide input
• Recognize framing patterns that can limit options, obscure tradeoffs, or heighten resistance
• Reframe a current institutional challenge to preserve flexibility while making the case for action
• Draft a stronger decision statement to support governance conversations and stakeholder engagement

This session is designed for provosts who were unable to attend EAB’s Provost Roundtable and offers a practical opportunity to workshop a real institutional challenge with colleagues. Participants will leave with a stronger decision framing statement that can guide governance discussions, stakeholder engagement, and implementation planning in the months ahead. We also invite provosts who did join us to send a senior delegate to see the content.

Session

Click the Register button to sign up.

Attendance is limited to provosts and a senior delegate. Registration for each session is limited to one attendee per institution.

• Monday, August 10, 2026 | 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time