In accordance with provisions of the charter, as amended most recently in 2014, the Board of Trustees of Amherst College consists of twenty-five members: the president of the college is an ex officio member so long as he or she shall continue in office; eighteen members elected by the board as term trustees, for six-year terms, and limited to two such successive terms; and six members chosen by the alumni of Amherst College for terms of six years each, in accordance with the regulations for the election of trustees by the alumni as adopted by the Society of the Alumni and the Board of Trustees in July 1874 and subsequently modified by amendment.
There are two advisory committees to the Board of Trustees on which faculty members serve: the Advisory Committee on Term Trusteeship and the Advisory Committee on Honorary Degrees.
There are four regular meetings of the board, known as the Fall, the Winter, the Spring, and the Commencement meetings. Meetings of the board take place in Amherst or at a place as may be designated by the chair and secretary of the board, but special meetings may be held at the call of the chairman at any time or place that he or she designates. A majority of trustees then in office constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Full details concerning the officers, the duties, the standing committees, and the appointees of the board are to be found in the charter and bylaws of the Trustees of Amherst College as adopted May 13, 1922, and as amended since. The bylaws can be obtained from the secretary of the board of trustees.