Duke is governed by a board of 37 community members, many of whom hold prominent positions in business and government. What does the Board of Trustees do, and who are the members who oversee the University?
What does the board do?
The Board of Trustees is “responsible for Duke’s long-term health, overseeing and aligning its strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations with the mission of the University.”
The board is composed of seven committees, which include trustees, faculty and students. Each committee has a focus where it can “engage deeply,” through which the board performs “much of its work.”
The board meets four times each year, with interim meetings held by members of the Executive Committee.
The 13-member Executive Committee “can exercise all powers of the Board of Trustees” between board meetings, oversees the managements and operations of University-affiliated organizations and monitors the performance of the Presiden
The board’s other committees include the Audit and Compliance, External Engagement, Finance, Governance, Graduate and Professional Education and Research, and Undergraduate education.
During the 2024-25 academic year, the board approved a 4.4% increase in the total undergraduate cost of attendance, created the Carolinas Financial Aid Initiative offering full tuition aid to North Carolina and South Carolina residents and evaluated the University’s approach to the use of artificial intelligence in education.
Who is on the board?
The board is chaired by Adam Silver, Trinity ‘84 and the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He began his term July 1.
As NBA Commissioner, Silver presides over the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League. Notably, Silver has contributed to the global development of basketball through the creation of NBA China and NBA Africa.
President Vincent Price, also on the board’s leadership, took on his role when he assumed the role of the University’s 10th president in 2017. He came to Duke from the University of Pennsylvania where he served as the university’s provost, bringing an extensive background in public policy and political communication.
The Board has two vice chairs: Mary Barra and Carmichael Roberts, Jr, Trinity ‘90 and Graduate School ‘95.
Barra, has served as the CEO of General Motors since 2014 and was elected Chair of the General Motors Board of Directors in 2016. Barra also serves on the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Company.
Roberts co-founded the technology fund Material Impact, a “fund that builds valuable companies that solve real-world problems using innovative materials technology.” He has been recognized for his contributions to technology innovations, ranking No.1 on Boston Globe’s Tech Power Players 50 list.
Other prominent members of the board include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Grant Hill, Trinity ‘94 and former Duke men’s basketball player.
Drew Greene, Trinity ‘24, currently serves as the Undergraduate Young Trustee and Rickard Stureborg, Graduate School ‘24, as the Graduate Young Trustee.
The full list of board members can be found on the Board of Trustees’ website.
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