About the Board of Visitors
The Board of Visitors (BOV) of George Mason University was created in April 1972 by an act of the General Assembly when the university became an independent institution. The board is a corporate body serving under the leadership of a rector, vice rector, and secretary. The 16 members of the board are appointed by the governor of Virginia on a rotating basis to serve four-year terms. The Faculty Senate Chair and the Staff Senate Chair sit on the Board as nonvoting representatives. As a result of their respective elections to the positions of president of the Student Government and president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association, two non-voting student representatives are appointed by the Board of Visitors each year at the May meeting to serve a one-year term.
Without limiting the generality of its powers, the Board of Visitors exercises its authority principally in policy-making and oversight. With the exception of meetings convened in executive session, meetings of the Board of Visitors and its committees are open to the public. The board recognizes as official observers eight faculty representatives that are elected by the faculty at-large. Two faculty representatives sit on each of the following committees: Academic Programs, Diversity, and University Community Committee, Finance and Land Use Committee, Development Committee, and Research Committee. A faculty liaison may be appointed to the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee.