How the Council Nominates Trustees

John H. Hatheway '48, chairman ofthe Dartmouth Alumni Council's nominating committee, has written thefollowing to explain the proceduresused by the committee in choosing anominee for Alumni Trustee of theCollege.

The Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College consists of 16 members. Of these 16, the Governor of New Hampshire serves ex-officio and by common practice the President of the College is elected to serve as a Trustee during his term of office. Of the remaining 14 members, seven are nominated and elected by the Board as Charter Trustees and serve a maximum of three 5-year terms. The remaining seven, currently referred to as Alumni Trustees, are nominated by the alumni through their representative organization, the Dartmouth Alumni Council. These seven are eligible to serve two terms of five years, retiring after that time unless selected by the Board as one of the seven Charter Trustees, with service limited to a maximum of 15 years. Mandatory retirement age is 70 for all Trustees.

Although the Trustees are nominated by two different methods, no distinctions exist with respect to their responsibilities as members of the Board—nor do they represent distinct groups, regions, or other population segments.

As vacancies on the Board of Trustees occur, procedures, which have been carefully reviewed in recent years by both the Board and the Alumni Council, are followed. They are:

(1) When a vacancy occurs on the Board among the Alumni Trustees which will require action by the nominating committee of the Dartmouth Alumni Council, that vacancy is reported in the Dartmouth AlumniMagazine. It is also reported in a bulletin to all present members of the Council and Club presidents and secretaries, together with the name and address of the nominating committee chairman and members of his committee.

(2) The nominating committee of the Alumni Council consists of seven members, including the President, Vice President and Secretary of the Council as ex-officio members. Geographic representation on the nominating committee is an objective in its formation.

(3) The nominating committee holds at least one meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to seek his views on Trustee matters and concerns.

(4) The nominating committee seeks nominations from the alumni at large and studies these nominations on the basis of factors pertinent to Trustee considerations.

(5) At a meeting of the Alumni Council, the nominating committee presents its recommendation to the Council and holds nominations open for 24 hours in advance of a call for a seconding motion, discussion, and nominations from the floor. This is followed by a vote of Alumni Council members who are present.

(6) Nominated candidates are listed in the Alumni Magazine with biographic information, and a 60-day period follows in which any group of 100 alumni may nominate other candidates. If other candidates are nominated, a ballot is prepared and mailed to all alumni. If no others are nominated, the recommendation of the Council is presented to the Board for its action. The final election to the Board of both Charter Trustees and Alumni Trustees is the responsibility solely of the Board.