University of Denver Board of Trustees Records

The Board of Trustees is the governing body for the University of Denver. On March 4, 1964 Territorial Governor John Evans signed an ''Act to incorporate Colorado Seminary.'' There were twenty-eight original incorporators, and that number is continued in the number of trustees. Governor Evans was the first president of the Board of Trustees. The University of Denver was organized in 1880. Its constitution gave its aim as conferring degrees. It was described as a society, the members being four representatives of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the President of Colorado Seminary, and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Colorado Seminiary. A 1977 Memorandum outlines the reasons for two annual meetings by describing the role of the University of Denver as authorizing and conferring degrees, nominating trustees and electing officers. The Board of Trustees of Colorado Seminary meets four times yearly for the purpose of handling business relating t the University as a corporation, such as deeds, contracts and formal documents.

Certain functions of the board are delegated to subordinate committees. The first both in time and importance is the executive commmittee which exercises the powers of the Board between meetings. Other areas of governance have been delegated to committees. for example, in 1999 the Trustees provides guidance and oversight in the following areas: Athletic Affairs; Audit; Building and Grounds; Faculty and Educational Affairs; Finance and Budget; Investment; Student and Alumni Affairs; Trustee Affairs; and University Advancement.