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Pitt trustees reelect leaders, approve trustee transitions and adopt new trustee-commitment statements
Summary
The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees reelected John Verbanek as board chair and Lisa A. Golden as vice chair for one-year terms beginning July 1, 2025; it also approved several trustee elections and transitions and adopted separate statement-of-commitment documents for voting, nonvoting ex officio and emeritus trustees.
The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees reelected John Verbanek as chairperson and Lisa A. Golden as vice chairperson for one-year terms beginning July 1, 2025. The governance committee presented the recommendation after soliciting expressions of interest from eligible trustees and reviewing candidates’ qualifications.
The board also approved several trustee elections and category changes recommended by the Governance, Nominating and Trusteeship Committee. The committee recommended the reelection of term trustees Sunday Bridget Jones and Adam C. Walker, and recommended that three special trustees—Majdi B. Abulaban, Deborah Sen and Brian S. Saleski—be moved into term-trustee status under the board’s previously approved three-year transition plan.
Trustees voted to elect seven individuals to honorary Emeritus trustee status, as recommended by the Governance, Nominating and Trusteeship Committee. The committee presented those names in the meeting materials and moved the resolution to approve the honorary appointments; the motion was seconded and the board approved the resolution.
The board also approved a set of revised governance documents and separate statements of trustee commitment and responsibility for each membership category: voting term trustees and Commonwealth trustees (the voting trustees identified in the Commonwealth Act), nonvoting ex officio trustees and honorary emeritus trustees. The changes were developed following a February 2024 board resolution directing the committee to draft bylaw revisions and updated commitment statements. Tom Hitter, assistant vice chancellor for policy development and management, supported the committee’s drafting work.
Committee leadership thanked trustees who are transitioning to Emeritus status and those who will serve in new roles. The board’s actions were presented in committee meetings held publicly in April and May 2025 and were approved by voice vote during the public meeting. Where recorded in the public proceedings, a small number of trustees registered abstentions on particular votes; for example, Adam C. Walker recorded an abstention on his reelection. The approved materials and a roster of trustees and Emeritus appointees appear in the meeting packet distributed with the board materials.
