(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto sponsored to reduce the membership of the Rutgers board of trustees and eliminate dual membership on the Rutgers board of trustees and Rutgers board of governors was approved 66-0 Thursday by the Assembly, giving it final legislative approval.
Under current law, the board of trustees of Rutgers University includes charter trustees, alumni trustees and public trustees. Of the 11 public trustees appointed by the governor, six are also members of the Rutgers board of governors.
This bill (A-3988) removes from the board of trustees the six trustees who also serve on the Rutgers board of governors.
Also under current law, the Rutgers board of trustees appoints from among its members seven trustees to also sit on the board of governors. The bill provides that a trustee appointed by the board of trustees to sit on the board of governors will cease being a member of the board of trustees immediately upon taking the oath of office as a member of the board of governors. The resulting vacancy in the board of trustees will be filled in accordance with existing law.
The bill codifies a recent decision made by the Rutgers Board of Governor.
“I’ve long advocated for reform at Rutgers University so it can better keep pace with an ever-changing higher education landscape, so I’m very pleased to see the recent recommendations from the university’s boards to streamline governance and move the university into the 21st century,” said Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen). “With these changes, Rutgers will be positioned to become even more successful as it continues to expand and innovate in the years to come. I’m very encouraged by the university’s willingness to become more efficient and look forward to an even better Rutgers University.”
