• Declassification is a corporate governance term referring to a board of directors in which all directors run for re-election in the same year. Conversely, a classified board where directors are elected “staggered” is a board where only some of the directors can be re-elected in any given year. According to several corporate governance studies, there is an association between board composition and “lower company value and/or worse corporate decision making.” In particular, studies have shown that (1) chess board reduces firm value and (2) in the context of hostile takeovers, chess board acts as a takeover defense that cements management, deters potential buyers, and ensures lower profits. shareholders. In contrast, declassified boards increase board accountability because declassification allows shareholders to respond more quickly (with their votes) if the board’s current decisions and actions appear to be unfavorable to shareholders’ interests. Perhaps in response to such findings, the boards of directors of public corporations have become increasingly declassified over the past decade.