Cornell Alumni-Elected Trustees

Announcing the 2013 Alumni-Elected Trustees!

What do the trustees do?

The Board of Trustees is vested with "supreme control" over the university, including all of its colleges and other units. Trustees have a fiduciary responsibility to the university as a whole. Among other responsibilities, the board elects the president, adopts an annual plan of financial operation, and establishes degrees to be awarded.

The board consists of 64 voting members. In addition to board-elected trustees, Cornell students, employees, faculty, and alumni elect individuals to serve on the board with full voting privileges. Four ex-officio members—the president of the university, the governor of the state of New York, the speaker of the state assembly, and the president of the state senate—also have voting privileges.

How do I nominate an alumnus/a for the position of Alumni-Elected Trustee?

First, consider these suggested skills, attributes, and experiences of trustees:

• Contributions to the Board of Trustees
  • Recognized level of success
  • Demonstrated commitment to Cornell
  • Acknowledgement of the importance of higher education
  • Strong integrity and exemplary conduct
  • Diversity
  • Satisfaction of both broad and specific needs of the board
• Personal skills and characteristics
  • Interpersonal ability in both one-on-one and group settings
  • Good judgment and strong analytical aptitude
  • Fervent yet not dogmatic convictions
  • Proven leadership
  • Vision and perspective, and the ability to articulate them
  • Common sense and pragmatism
• Effectiveness as a prospective trustee
  • Ability to put the university ahead of special interests or constituencies
  • Undivided allegiance (e.g., concurrent service on another Ivy board would probably not work)
  • Availability to attend all the meetings and participate in committee work
  • Collegiality (i.e., shares ideas and decision-making)
  • Ongoing commitment to offer financial support to Cornell
Then, complete the nomination tool.