Governing boards of colleges and universities in the United States#Regents

Governing boards of universities are of varying sizes across the United States. Smaller boards may have about ten members, while larger boards can have over 50 members.{{cite book | last1=Freedman | first1 = James O. |editor-last=Ehrenberg |editor-first=Ronald G. |title=Governing Academia: Who is in Charge at the Modern University? |date=2016 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=9781501704758 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FEuGCwAAQBAJ&q=board%20of%20regents%20responsibilities&pg=PA9 |access-date=1 November 2018 |language=en | pages=9–15}} In 2016, the average public university board had 12 members, while the average private university board had 29 members.

Some university governing boards are composed entirely of alumni of that university. Other boards contain various elected officials, often the state governor, as ex officio members.

Members of the governing board can be selected in a variety of ways. Members of public university boards are most often selected by the state governor.{{cite book |last1=Kelchen |first1=Robert |title=Higher Education Accountability |date=2018 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=9781421424736 |pages=133–141 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0DZRDwAAQBAJ&q=elected%20board%20of%20regents%20michigan%20colorado%20nevada&pg=PA135 |language=en}} Four states (Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, and Nevada) elect members of some university boards by popular vote. Boards of private universities can be selected either by an alumni vote or by the existing members of the board.

The term "Board of Trustees" is the most commonly used name for governing bodies of universities in the United States.

All schools within the Ohio Higher Education System are governed by individual boards of trustees, including Miami University and Ohio State University. The governing body at Duke University is known as the board of trustees, while each college and the graduate school maintains its own board of visitors.{{cite web|url=http://www.trustees.duke.edu/ |title=Board of Trustees at Duke University |publisher=Trustees.duke.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} The University of South Carolina{{cite web|url=http://trustees.sc.edu/brdvisitors.html |title=USC: Board of Visitors |publisher=Trustees.sc.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Michigan State University,{{cite web|url=http://trustees.msu.edu/ | title=Board of Trustees - Michigan State University}} Indiana University,{{cite web|url=http://trustees.iu.edu/ | title=Indiana University Board of Trustees}} University of Notre Dame,{{Cite web|last=Dame|first=University Communications {{!}} University of Notre|title=Board of Trustees|url=https://www.nd.edu/|access-date=2020-11-14|website=University of Notre Dame|language=en}} and the University of Connecticut{{cite web|url=http://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/ |title=University of Connecticut Board of Trustees |publisher=boardoftrustees.uconn.edu |access-date=June 19, 2012}} are also governed by boards of trustees.

Thirty-nine states have boards of regents to govern their public university systems.{{cite web |title=Is a board of trustees the same as a board of regents? What is a board of governors? |url=https://www.agb.org/faq/is-a-board-of-trustees-the-same-as-a-board-of-regents-what-is-a-board-of-governors |website=Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges |access-date=1 November 2018 |language=en |date=27 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101095747/https://www.agb.org/faq/is-a-board-of-trustees-the-same-as-a-board-of-regents-what-is-a-board-of-governors |archive-date=November 1, 2018 |url-status=dead }}

The Regents of the University of California govern the University of California system, with one exception: the original endowment that allowed for the creation of UC's Hastings College of the Law stipulated that it could not be governed by the regents. However, Hastings diplomas are issued on the recommendation of the Hastings faculty in the name of the UC regents and are signed by the UC president.

The Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York oversees all public education, including the State University of New York (SUNY), affiliated community colleges, and the K–12 public school system (run by the New York State Education Department) via the Regents Examinations. High school graduates may receive Regents Scholarships to defray expenses at SUNY universities.

The boards of the University System of Georgia, University of Hawaii, University of Michigan,{{cite web|url=http://www.regents.umich.edu/ |title=Regents of the University of Michigan}} University of Minnesota,{{cite web|url=http://www.regents.umn.edu// |title=Regents of the University of Minnesota}} University of Texas,{{cite web |url=http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/ |title=University of Texas System – Board of Regents |publisher=Utsystem.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127212427/http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/ |archive-date=November 27, 2011 |df=mdy-all}} Texas Tech University, University of Wisconsin System,{{cite web|url=http://www.uwsa.edu/bor/ |title=University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents |publisher=uwsa.edu |access-date=May 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511130729/http://www.uwsa.edu/bor/ |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all}} Texas A&M, University System of Maryland, University of Colorado, University of New Mexico, University of Houston System,{{cite web|url=http://www.uhsystem.edu/board-of-regents/|title=UHS - Board of Regents - University of Houston System|website=www.uhsystem.edu}} University of North Texas,{{cite web |url=http://untsystem.unt.edu/regents/index.htm |title=UNT System Board of Regents |publisher=Untsystem.unt.edu |date=November 16, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715182810/http://untsystem.unt.edu/regents/index.htm |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |df=mdy-all}} St. Olaf College,{{cite web|url=https://wp.stolaf.edu/president/board-of-regents/ |title=Board of Regents |publisher=stolaf.edu |date=April 6, 2017 |access-date=April 6, 2017}} University of Washington, and Washington State University are known as the board of regents.{{cite web|url=http://www.tamus.edu/regents/ |title=Board of Regents » The Texas A&M University System |publisher=Tamus.edu |date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011}}

The governing bodies of the University of North Carolina and the Colorado State University system are known as their "board of governors". Public institutions in Rhode Island are also governed by a board of governors.{{cite web|url=https://www.northcarolina.edu/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/ |title=Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina |publisher=Northcarolina.edu |access-date=September 3, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=BOARD OF GOVERNORS|url=https://csusystem.edu/board-of-governors/|access-date=2021-06-30|website=CSU System|language=en-US}}

There are five public institutions in Missouri that are not part of the UM System, such as the Missouri State University and the University of Central Missouri, that are overseen by boards of governors.{{cite web |url=https://www.ucmo.edu/about/bog/ |title=Board of Governors |publisher=University of Central Missouri |access-date=November 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715015813/http://www.ucmo.edu/about/bog/ |archive-date=July 15, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.missouristate.edu/BOG/ |title=Board of Governors |publisher=Missouri State University |access-date=November 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mssu.edu/board-of-governors/ |title=Board of Governors |publisher=Missouri Southern State University |access-date=November 8, 2015}}{{cite web |title=Board of Governors |publisher=Missouri Western State University |access-date=September 3, 2020 |url=https://www.missouriwestern.edu/about/bog/|df=mdy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.truman.edu/about/our-people/board-of-governors/ |title=Board of Governors |publisher=Truman State University |access-date=November 8, 2015}} The two largest universities in West Virginia (West Virginia University and Marshall University){{cite web|url=http://bog.wvu.edu/ |title=Board of Governors | BOG Home |publisher=Bog.wvu.edu |date=September 21, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.marshall.edu/board/ |title=Board of Governors |publisher=Marshall.edu |date=June 30, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011}} also maintain boards of governors.

A rare term is that of curators, used by the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri and Lincoln University.

The Harvard Board of Overseers (more formally The Honorable and Reverend Board of Overseers) is one of Harvard University's two governing boards, with the other being the President and Fellows of Harvard College (also known as the Harvard Corporation).

The Fellows of the University of Notre Dame are a self-perpetuating body that retains the core powers of the university and selects the members of the other governing board, the board of trustees.{{Cite web|last=Dame|first=University Communications {{!}} University of Notre|title=Fellows|url=https://www.nd.edu/|access-date=2020-11-14|website=University of Notre Dame|language=en}}

The following institutions have boards known as a "board of visitors". These include the United States Military Academy,{{cite web|url=http://www.usma.edu/bov/SitePages/Home.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221192532/http://www.usma.edu/bov/SitePages/Home.aspx |archive-date=21 February 2013 |title=United States Military Academy at West Point Board of Visitors |publisher=Usma.edu |access-date=21 February 2013 }} United States Air Force Academy,{{cite web|url=http://www.usafa.af.mil/superintendent/bov/ |title=United States Air Force Academy – BOV |publisher=Usafa.af.mil |access-date=November 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204122623/http://www.usafa.af.mil/superintendent/bov/ |archive-date=December 4, 2011 |df=mdy-all}} United States Naval Academy,{{cite web|url=http://www.usna.edu/PAO/BOV.htm |title=Board of Visitors |publisher=Usna.edu |date=October 26, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011}} The Citadel, The Military College of SC,{{Cite web|url=http://www.citadel.edu/root/bov|title=The Citadel Board of Visitors (BOV) |publisher=The Citadel |access-date=2018-07-01}} and some universities in Virginia such as the University of Virginia, University of Mary Washington, George Mason University, Virginia State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Longwood University, Washington and Lee University, the College of William and Mary, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, James Madison University, and Virginia Tech.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama governs the three universities that are part of the University of Alabama System. Auburn University is governed by the Auburn University Board of Trustees.{{cite web |title=Auburn University Board of Trustees |url=https://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/ |website=Auburn University |access-date=5 September 2020}}

The board of regents has 11 members and governs the institutions in the University of Alaska System.{{Cite web|title=Members {{!}} Board of Regents {{!}} Board of Regents|url=https://www.alaska.edu/bor/members/|access-date=2020-09-12|website=www.alaska.edu}}

The Florida Board of Governors is a 17-member governing board that establishes the regulations for all institutions in the State University System of Florida, which includes all public universities in the state of Florida. Each institution has its own Board of Trustees which "is the public body corporate of the university. It sets policy for the institution and serves as the institution's legal owner and governing board. The Board of Trustees is responsible for high quality education programs within the laws of the State of Florida and Regulations of the Florida Board of Governors. The Board of Trustees holds the institution's resources in trust and is responsible for their efficient and effective use."{{cite web |title=Trustee Appointments & Development |url=https://www.flbog.edu/trustees/trustee-appointments-development/ |website=Flbog.edu |publisher=State of Florida |access-date=19 May 2023}}

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is the oversight authority for twenty-six universities and colleges in the state of Georgia (including the University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology) along with the state archives and the state public library system.{{cite web|url=http://www.usg.edu/regents/ |title=Board of Regents - University System of Georgia |access-date=January 20, 2015}}

The Board of Regents of the University of Guam is the governing board for the institution.

In the State of Louisiana, the governing board of each of the four public university systems is known as the board of supervisors.{{cite web|url=http://www.lsusystem.edu/index.php/board-of-supervisors/ |title=Board of Supervisors |work=lsusystem.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602061129/http://www.lsusystem.edu/index.php/board-of-supervisors/ |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}

The governing board of the University of Missouri System and each individual campus in that system is known as the Board of Curators.{{cite web| url=http://www.umsystem.edu/curators/ | title=Board of Curators | access-date=2024-02-20}} This terminology is also used by another Missouri public institution, Lincoln University.{{cite web|url=http://www.hssu.edu/sp_index.cfm?wid=66 |title=Office of the President: Board of Curators |publisher=Lincoln University (Missouri) |date=November 8, 2015}}

However, the state's other public institutions use different terms. Five use Board of Governors (as noted above), and three use board of regents.{{cite web|url=http://www.hssu.edu/sp_index.cfm?wid=66/ |title=The HSSU Board of Regents |publisher=Harris–Stowe State University |access-date=November 8, 2015 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/regents/index.htm |title=Northwest Board of Regents |publisher=Northwest Missouri State University |access-date=November 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.semo.edu/board |title=Board of Regents |publisher=Southeast Missouri State University |access-date=November 8, 2015}}

Institutions in North Carolina use several different names for their boards. The University of North Carolina—which includes all 16 four-year public institutions in the state, plus a residential high school—is overseen by a board of governors.{{cite web|url=http://www.northcarolina.edu/bog/index.htm |title=Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina |publisher=Northcarolina.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Some individual campuses within the system, such as East Carolina University,{{cite web|url=http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/bov/ |title=East Carolina University Board of Visitors |publisher=Ecu.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} North Carolina State University,{{cite web|url=http://www.ncsu.edu/about-nc-state/university-administration/board-of-visitors/index.php |title=North Carolina State University :: Board of Visitors |publisher=Ncsu.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have boards of visitors.

Oregon's public universities—the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, the Oregon Institute of Technology, Western Oregon University, Eastern Oregon University, and Southern Oregon University—are all governed by boards of trustees.[https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_352.054 ORS 352.054(2)] The governing power of Oregon Health & Science University is vested in a board of directors.[https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_353.040 ORS 353.040(1)]

Governance of the six public institutions of higher education in the state of South Dakota is constitutionally granted to the South Dakota Board of Regents.{{cite web |title=South Dakota Board of Regents - The Board |url=https://www.sdbor.edu/the-board/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=11 February 2021}} The board of regents also governs the South Dakota School for the Deaf and the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The three tribal colleges, Oglala Lakota College, Sinte Gleska University, and Sisseton Wahpeton College are each governed independently by boards.{{cite web |title=Oglala Lakota College - About |url=http://www.olc.edu/about.htm |access-date=11 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=Sinte Gleska University - Board of Regents |url=http://www.sintegleska.edu/board-of-regents.html |access-date=11 February 2021}}{{cite web |title=Sisseton Wahpeton College - Governance |url=https://www.swcollege.edu/index.php/records-policy-reports-forms/swc-govren |access-date=11 February 2021}} All public technical colleges are governed by the South Dakota Board of Technical Education under the South Dakota Department of Education.{{cite web |title=State of South Dakota - Boards and Commissions |url=https://boardsandcommissions.sd.gov/Information.aspx?BoardID=192 |access-date=11 February 2021}}

Boards governing public institutions of higher education in the state of Virginia are known as the board of visitors. This includes the College of William & Mary,{{cite web|title=Board of Visitors web page of The College of William and Mary|url=http://www.wm.edu/about/administration/bov/index.php|access-date=30 September 2014}} University of Virginia,{{cite web|url=http://www.virginia.edu/bov/ |title=Board of Visitors web page of the University of Virginia |publisher=Virginia.edu |date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Virginia Tech,{{cite web|url=http://www.bov.vt.edu/ |title=Board of Visitors web page of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |publisher=Bov.vt.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} James Madison University,{{cite web|author=The College of William & Mary |url=http://www.wm.edu/administration/index.php |title=Administration web page of the College of William and Mary |publisher=Wm.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Radford University,{{cite web|url=http://www.radford.edu/bov/ |title=Board of Visitors web page of Radford University |publisher=Radford.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} University of Mary Washington,{{cite web|url=http://www.jmu.edu/visitors/ |title=James Madison University – Board of Visitors |publisher=Jmu.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.umw.edu/bov/default.php |title=University of Mary Washington | Board of Visitors Home Page |publisher=Umw.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Longwood University,{{cite web|url=http://www.longwood.edu/president/4565.htm |title=Board of Visitors – Longwood University |publisher=Longwood.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}} Virginia Military Institute,{{cite web|url=http://www.vmi.edu/Administration/BOV/Board_of_Visitors/ |title=VMI Board of Visitors|publisher=VMI.edu |access-date=June 17, 2015}} Virginia Commonwealth University,{{Cite web|url=https://www.president.vcu.edu/board/|title=Board of Visitors – VCU Office of the President|website=www.president.vcu.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-07-30}} and George Mason University.{{cite web|url=http://bov.gmu.edu/ |title=George Mason University-Board of Visitors |publisher=Bov.gmu.edu |access-date=November 29, 2011}}[http://about.cnu.edu/leadership/boardOfVisitors.cfm Board of Visitors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511220539/http://about.cnu.edu/leadership/boardOfVisitors.cfm |date=May 11, 2008 }} Christopher Newport University Terminology for private institutions can vary. Regent University once used "board of visitors", but now uses "board of trustees".{{cite web |url=http://www.regent.edu/about_us/president/trustees.cfm |title=About Regent: Board of Trustees |publisher=Regent University |access-date=August 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012044606/http://www.regent.edu/about_us/president/trustees.cfm |archive-date=October 12, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}

The University of the Virgin Islands is governed by a Board of Trustees.

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Category:Academic administration

Category:Higher education in the United States