1.3 The Corporation

The governing body of the Institute is a board of trustees known as the Corporation, over which the Chair of the Corporation presides. Its members include approximately 75 distinguished leaders in science, engineering, industry, business, education, and public service. The MIT Corporation membership consists of no more than 25 life members, no more than 40 term members, five persons nominated by recently graduated classes, and eight ex officio members: the Chair, President, Treasurer, and Secretary of the Corporation, the President of the Association of Alumni and Alumnae of MIT, and three representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Secretary of Education. Former Presidents of MIT and Chairs of the Corporation, who are life members of the Corporation, are not counted toward the limit on the number of life members. Life members become life members emeriti (non-voting) on the July 1 following their 75th birthday, and many continue their active participation in trustee affairs.

The Corporation convenes at least four times during the academic year. Between quarterly meetings the Corporation functions through its officers and its Executive Committee.

The Corporation has the following standing committees: Executive, Governance and Nominations, Risk and Audit, Development, the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs (CJAC), and 31 visiting committees.  It also has a Screening Committee responsible for nominating individuals to serve as recent graduate members of the Corporation.  The Executive Committee appoints a Board of Directors for MIT’s investment management company, which includes Corporation member representation.

The Corporation visiting committees are a part of the Institute's governance and are appointed for each academic unit and for certain of the other major divisions of the Institute. These committees include Corporation members, alumni, and subject matter experts. They make recommendations to the administration concerning unit activities and, in turn, provide counsel to the units.

Please refer to the Corporation website for additional information, including membership listings for the Corporation and its committees, the Corporation Bylaws, and the Acts and Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the Charter of incorporation for the Institute).