In general, they operate as a board of directors, and they vary by formal name, size, powers, and membership.
In some cases, the institution might not have separate legal personhood; the trustees transact in their own name with other parties, such as students, faculty, or donors.
These boards' members' duties often include, but are not limited to, major gift cultivation and fundraising.
Governing boards of universities are of varying sizes across the United States.
[2] Four states (Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, and Nevada) elect members of some university boards by popular vote.
[1] The term "Board of Trustees" is the most commonly used name for governing bodies of universities in the United States.
Thirty-nine states have boards of regents to govern their public university systems.
[3] 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.
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.
[32] The board of regents has 11 members and governs the institutions in the University of Alaska System.
The Board of Trustees holds the institution's resources in trust and is responsible for their efficient and effective use.
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.
[45] The governing power of Oregon Health & Science University is vested in a board of directors.