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Stanford
Board of Trustees

Committees of the Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees convenes a number of committees to make recommendations and advise the Board.


Standing Committees
The standing committees of the Board are the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Student, Alumni and External Affairs, the Committee on Development, the Committee on Land and Buildings, the Committee on Audit, Compliance and Risk, and the Committee on Trusteeship.

Special Committees
The special committees of the Board are the Agenda Committee, Special Committee on Investment Responsibility, the Special Committee on Compensation, and the Special Committee on Athletics.

Committee on Finance
The committee makes recommendations to the Board relating to the fiscal and general business management of the university, including budgets and financial statements, debt policy and matters relating to the management of university assets and including the activities of the Stanford Management Company as it exists and may hereafter exist by resolution of the Board.

Committee on Student, Alumni and External Affairs
The committee provides advice to the President and Provost on matters related to the university’s students and alumni and to external affairs.

Committee on Development
The committee makes recommendations to the Board on matters pertaining to development. The committee receives reports on the procurement of gifts and bequests to the university and reviews and revises plans for increasing the financial resources of the university through gifts and bequests.

Committee on Land and Buildings
The committee has oversight of and makes recommendations to the Board on the use of land, including the university’s academic and non-academic land-holdings, and the designation of income-producing or other lands to be managed by Land, Buildings, and Real Estate. It recommends appropriate overall and specific land use plans and monitors their implementation and effectiveness.

The committee has oversight of and can make recommendations to the Board on programs that directly support the university’s academic mission with regard to operation, maintenance and repair of buildings, grounds, utilities and parking and transportation systems.

The committee reviews the annual Capital Plan and makes recommendations to the Board on individual capital projects, including faculty and staff housing developments, and on development projects for use by the university and entities affiliated with the university at concept, site, design, and construction phases of the project, as appropriate. It reviews commercial projects developed on vacant land or when development requires a change in land use.

Committee on Audit, Compliance and Risk
The committee on Audit, Compliance and Risk advises the Board of Trustees in connection with the Board’s responsibilities relating to the quality and integrity of the university’s financial reporting, compliance with government rules, and overall systems of internal control and risk mitigation. The committee has the authority to arrange for the conduct of special reviews and investigations deemed necessary by the Committee Chair and approved by the Chair of the Board.

Committee on Trusteeship
The committee is responsible for nominations of Trustees and Board Officers and other matters relevant to trusteeship. The committee shall submit to the Board each year nominations for officers for the ensuing year. The committee shall set up the process to bring forward the nomination of new Chairs of the Board.

The committee shall from time to time review a list of persons who may possess the necessary qualifications to serve as Trustees and shall make nominations to the Board as vacancies occur in positions filled by election by the Board in accordance with the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees. The committee is also responsible for reviewing and recommending to the full Board nominees for affiliated Boards of Directors.

The committee shall have general supervision of all matters arising under the Rules Governing Election of ACTN-Nominated Trustees and shall advise the Chair and the Board with respect to all questions connected therewith.

Special Committee on Compensation
The committee, on behalf of the Board, shall establish the compensation of the President. The President and other responsible university officials will set the salaries for all other employees of the university; however, the President may submit for the Compensation committee’s review and approval the salaries of senior university officers and certain other highly-compensated individuals. The committee may consult and advise the President and other senior university officers on other policies and issues related to compensation and benefits.

Special Committee on Investment Responsibility
The committee has oversight of and shall make recommendations to the Board regarding ethical concerns related to the investment of the university’s assets.

Agenda Committee
The Agenda Committee participates in setting the agenda for the Board meetings and discusses issues to come before the Board.

Special Committee on Athletics
The committee receives reports and advises the Board with respect to activities of the Department of Athletics and other matters concerning athletics.

Other Committees and Subcommittees
The Chair or the Board may appoint such other ad hoc and special committees as are deemed appropriate, and the chair of any duly constituted standing, ad hoc or special committee may appoint such subcommittees as are deemed appropriate.

Source: Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, April 9, 2019

Student Participation on Board Committees

Up to two students (normally one undergraduate and one graduate student) may be invited to serve annual terms as full, voting members on each of the following committees of the Board of Trustees:

  • Development
  • Finance
  • Land & Buildings
  • Student, Alumni & External Affairs

Please see the attached summary of the student member selection process.