Alumni Trustee Recommendation Process
Any Dartmouth alumnus/a may recommend an individual to the committee at any time by completing the Alumni Trustee Candidate Recommendation Form.
The Dartmouth College Board of Trustees is made up of 26 members: the president of the College, the governor of New Hampshire (ex officio), eight alumni trustees who are nominated by the alumni body and elected by the board, and 16 charter trustees elected by the board.
The Alumni Council is composed of representatives from constituencies within the alumni body. Its mission is to sustain a fully informed, representative, and engaged exchange of information and sentiment between alumni and the College, and to enhance and inspire alumni involvement that furthers the mission of the College. It is the job of the Alumni Council’s Nominating and Alumni Trustee Search Committee to select candidates for the eight alumni trustee seats. The committee works year-round to research and maintain a pool of possible candidates. Any Dartmouth alumnus/a may recommend an individual to the committee at any time by completing the Alumni Trustee Candidate Recommendation Form.
Trustee responsibilities
In selecting candidates, the committee seeks alumni who will prioritize this stewardship role; commit to the strengths, traditions, and values of the institution; and fulfill the following trustee responsibilities that were adopted by the board on June 8, 2007, and amended April 2011:
Act as a responsible fiduciary
- Act in the best overall interest of Dartmouth.
- Make service to Dartmouth a high personal priority: participate constructively and consistently in the work of the board and its committees and working groups; accept and discharge leadership positions and other assignments; work on behalf of Dartmouth between board meetings; and attend as many Dartmouth functions as feasible.
- Prepare for meetings by reading the agenda and supporting material and by keeping informed about Dartmouth and trends and issues in higher education. Participate in rational, informed deliberations by considering reliable information, thinking critically, asking good questions, and respecting diverse points of view in order to reach decisions on the merits that are in the best interests of the institution.
- Use your own judgment in voting versus following the lead of others.
- Participate in self-evaluations and evaluations of trustee performance.
- In addition to serving on board committees, trustees act as representatives to the College’s various boards of advisors, advisory groups, and affiliated medical entities. Attendance expectations for trustees serving on these bodies are set forth in an additional statement on representation by the Dartmouth Board of Trustees to other Dartmouth and non-Dartmouth boards.
Advance the mission of Dartmouth
- Represent Dartmouth positively in words and deeds, particularly and proactively to Dartmouth constituents.
- Serve Dartmouth as a whole, rather than the interests of any constituency.
- Help Dartmouth secure the financial, human, and other resources necessary for the institution to achieve its mission.
- Contribute financially to the annual fund and to capital campaigns, within one’s means, at a level that demonstrates Dartmouth is a high philanthropic interest.
Uphold the integrity of the board
- Maintain strict confidentiality of board and committee meetings and of all information proprietary to Dartmouth.
- Speak for the board only when authorized to do so by the board chair or president.
- Refrain from directing the president or staff and from requesting special considerations or favors. The president reports to the board as a whole, and the staff to the president.
- Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof, in accordance with the board’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
- Adhere to the highest standards of personal and professional behavior so as to reflect favorably on Dartmouth.
