Regents of The University of California

The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California. The Board has 26 full (i.e., voting) members:

• The majority (18 Regents) are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms.
• One Student Regent is appointed by the Board for a one-year term.
• The remaining 7 Regents are ex officio members. They are the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the State Assembly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC, and president of the University of California.

The Board also has two non-voting faculty members. By custom, the incoming Student Regent serves as a non-voting Regent-designate from the date of appointment (usually in September) until beginning his or her formal term the following July 1.

The vast majority of the Regents appointed by the Governor historically have consisted of lawyers, politicians and businessmen. Over the past two decades, it has been common that UC Regents appointees have donated relatively large sums of money either directly to the Governor's election campaigns or indirectly to party election groups.

As with almost all other public university systems nationwide, the board of regents is treated as the real party in interest for all purposes under California law. All actions of the university are done in their name, all degrees are conferred in their name, all UC property is held in their name (and is marked by signs indicating "Property of the Regents of the University of California"), all bank accounts are held in their name (and all checks must be written as payable to "UC Regents"), and all lawsuits involving the University always refer specifically to the regents. This is notable because most corporations (especially private ones) are treated by the law as a legal entity separate from their boards and employees, and lawsuits against them are addressed to the corporation or university itself, not its board of directors or trustees.

Administrative support is provided to the Regents by the Office of the Secretary of the Regents of the University of California, which shares an office building with the UC Office of the President in Oakland.