An at-a-glance directors' resource.

• Author: Joseph, Stephanie R.

As a director, you may have access to all the information you need about the company on whose board you serve or are being invited onto. But given that board missteps make for headline news - not to mention the basis for costly shareholder-initiated litigation -- you owe it to yourself to stay current on issues of corporate governance. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information and services available to directors. We compiled a list of the noteworthy U.S. organizations that are dedicated to serving the needs of corporate board members. Each of the organizations listed below offers a brochure or pamphlet for more detailed information that can be obtained by calling the telephone number provided.

Academic Institutions

Several of the nation's most distinguished graduate schools have expanded their executive education curriculum to include specific courses on corporate governance. A survey of the top law and business schools identified several programs:

Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration offers a four-day workshop, "Making Corporate Boards More Effective," that explores critical issues facing CEOs and boards today, including board accountability, the role of the board in strategic planning and CEO evaluation and compensation. Next workshop: June 26 - 29, 1996. Cost: $5,000 per participant. Tel: (617) 495-6555.

Northwestern University's J.L Kellogg Graduate School of Management cosponsors a Corporate Governance Conference with consultants Booz-Allen & Hamilton and the executive search firm Spencer Stuart. It is an annual two-day event for CEOs, directors, and institutional investors that each year focuses on different aspects of corporate governance, such as the pros and cons of "poison pills" and whether and how nonexecutive directors should meet with institutional investors. Next conference date: April 30 - May 1, 1996. Attendance by invitation only, with no registration fee. Tel: (708) 467-4135.

Stanford Law School hosts "The Directors' College," a two-day, intensive program tailored specifically to the needs of directors of publicly traded companies, general counsel, outside counsel, and corporate secretaries. The program offers a series of plenary sessions attended by all participants and a set of "breakout" sessions in which smaller groups discuss difficult boardroom issues and work through practical problem-solving exercises. Next session is March 28-29, 1996. Cost: $2,950 per attendee. Tel: (415) 723-5905.

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