Board of Trustees

The charter to operate, manage, control, and maintain the university was granted to the Board of Trustees by the Illinois General Assembly in 1949, and extensively amended in 1951. The Board sets university policies while their execution is the responsibility of university administrative officers acting under its general supervision.

The Board consists of 7 voting members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and 2 nonvoting student members, elected from and by the student bodies of the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses, respectively. No more than 4 of the appointed members can be affiliated with the same political party. Terms of appointed members are for 6 years, with appointments staggered so that the terms of 2 or 3 trustees expire in each odd-numbered year. Students serve terms of 1 year beginning July 1. Reporting to the Board of Trustees and functioning within the president's office are Board Treasurer (also serving as Vice President for Financial Affairs), Board General Counsel, and Board Executive Secretary.

The Board generally meets on the second Thursday of each month; it must meet at least once every 3 months on a campus of Southern Illinois University. Meetings of the Board are open to the public in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.