Stanford Report, July 28, 2009

Alumni Association seeks nominations for Board of Trustees

The Alumni Committee on Trustee Nominations is now accepting applications from alumni who would like to join Stanford’s Board of Trustees, the university’s governing board.

The committee is also seeking referrals of qualified alumni candidates from fellow alums for four seats opening up on the Board of Trustees in the fall of 2010.

The four new trustees chosen through the alumni nominations process will begin five-year terms on Sept. 1, 2010. They will replace four trustees whose terms end Aug. 31, 2010.

Currently, the board has 30 members, including eight trustees selected through the alumni nominations process. A new group of alumni-nominated trustees are selected every two-and-a-half years.

Selection process

The application, which can be downloaded from the Stanford Alumni Association’s website, is the first step in a three-round selection process. The form asks for information typically found in a résumé, as well as a 250-word essay explaining why the applicant is interested in the post.

The initial application must be submitted online by Sept. 25, 2009.

Alumni may refer qualified alumni candidates by completing a referral form and submitting it online by Sept. 10, 2009.

Applicants who are selected for round two will complete a second written application, due Dec. 1, 2009. Those chosen for round three will be notified in January 2010 and receive an invitation for a personal interview. The new trustees will be chosen June 30, 2010.

The Alumni Committee on Trustee Nominations, a nine-member committee appointed by the association’s board of directors, is overseeing the process.

Stanford University Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is custodian of the endowment and all properties of the university. The board administers the invested funds, sets the annual budget, and determines policies for the operation and control of the university.

During a typical year, trustees may make decisions on a variety of issues, including strategic allocation of resources, land use, academic programs, housing and other facility planning, regulatory responsibilities, federal and public support of education, community relations, minority affairs, audit and financial controls, and fundraising planning.