Board of Governors

Board of Governors

The Board of Governors was established in 1945. Trustees are chosen by the University Board of Regents from among distinguished members of the academic community. On some occasions the Board of Governors itself may appoint its members. The Board of Governors is empowered to appoint the Rector, directors of faculties, schools and institutes. It also appoints members to the University Patrons Trust, serves as arbiter in conflicts that arise among university authorities and issues its own internal regulations.

Candidates eligible to sit on the Board of Governors must be Mexican-born between the ages of 35 and 70. Moreover, trustees shall hold a university degree and an established track record of teaching, research, prestigious academic standing and involvement in university matters, earning them the esteem of colleagues as persons of honor and discernment.

Members of the Board of Governors may be drawn only from persons holding teaching and research posts within the University. Two years after stepping down from the Board, ex-trustees will become eligible to hold the positions of Rector or directors of faculties, schools or institutes.

The organic law of the UNAM states that seats on the Board are honorary in nature. The Board of Regents shall appoint replacement trustees to fill vacancies that arise due to death, infirmity or age limit. The Board of Governors itself shall fill vacancies occurring when a trustee tenders his or her resignation.

Traditionally, the Board of Governors has been filled by the country’s most prestigious persons from an array of academic fields. The first Board of Governors included Jesús Silva Herzog, Mario de la Cueva, Mario Hernández, José Torres Torija, Manuel Gómez Morín, Ricardo Caturegli, Manuel Sandoval Vallarta, Antonio Martínez Báez, Alejandro Quijano, Ignacio Chávez, Alfonso Reyes, Gabino Fraga, Abraham González Ayala, Fernando Ocaranza and Federico Mariscal.

Process of selection of trustees to sit on the Board of Governors

The Organic Law of the UNAM states that seats on the Board of Governors are honorary in nature and that the Board of Regents will appoint a candidate to substitute the most senior trustee on the Board of Governors every year.

The following tables show the trustees who have served on the Board of Governors since 1945, their period of their service, motive for stepping down and the person filling the vacancy.

Note: Only those years that in fact produced changes in the membership are cited.

Dr. Abraham Ayala González: 1945-1958
Died in 1958
I.Q. Ricardo Caturegli: 1945-1946
Age limit
Dr. Ignacio Chávez: 1945-1953
Resignation
Dr. Mario de la Cueva: 1945-1948
Resignation
Lic. Manuel Gómez Morín: 1945-1946
Resignation
Dr. Gabino Fraga: 1945-1961
Term expired
Ing. Mariano Hernández: 1945-1948
Resignation
Arq. Federico Mariscal: 1945-1953
Age limit
Dr. Antonio Martínez Báez: 1945-1967
Term expired
Dr. Fernando Ocaranza: 1945-1946
Age limit
Lic. Alejandro Quijano: 1945-1953
Age limit
Lic. Alfonso Reyes: 1945-1948
Resignation
Dr. Manuel Sandoval Vallarta: 1945-1956
Term expired
Lic. Jesús Silva Herzog: 1945-1962
Age limit
Dr. José Torres Torija: 1945-1949
Resignation

Dr. Abraham Ayala González: 1945-1958
Died in 1958
Lic. Alfonso Caso y Andrade: 1946-1955
Term expired
Dr. Ignacio Chávez: 1945-1953
Resignation
Dr. Mario de la Cueva: 1945-1948
Resignation
Dr. Antonio Carrillo Flores: 1946-1954
Term expired
Dr. Gabino Fraga: 1945-1961
Term expired
Ing. Mariano Hernández: 1945-1948
Resignation
Arq. Federico Mariscal: 1945-1953
Age limit
Dr. Antonio Martínez Báez: 1945-1967
Term expired
Ing. Pedro Martínez Tornel: 1946-1957
Died in 1957
Lic. Alejandro Quijano: 1945-1953
Age limit
Lic. Alfonso Reyes: 1945-1948
Resignation
Dr. Manuel Sandoval Vallarta: 1945-1956
Term expired
Lic. Jesús Silva Herzog: 1945-1962
Age limit
Dr. José Torres Torija: 1945-1949
Resignation

Dr. Abraham Ayala González: 1945-1958
Died in 1958
Lic. Alfonso Caso y Andrade: 1946-1955
Term expired
Dr. Ignacio Chávez: 1945-1953
Resignation
Dr. Francisco de P. Miranda: 1948-1951
Died in 1951
Dr. Antonio Carrillo Flores: 1946-1954
Term expired
Dr. Gabino Fraga: 1945-1961
Term expired
Ing. León Salinas: 1948-1951
Term expired
Arq. Federico Mariscal: 1945-1953
Age limit
Dr. Antonio Martínez Báez: 1945-1967
Term expired
Ing. Pedro Martínez Tornel: 1946-1957
Died in 1957
Lic. Alejandro Quijano: 1945-1953
Age limit
Dr. Antonio Castro Leal: 1948-1949
Resignation
Dr. Manuel Sandoval Vallarta: 1945-1956
Term expired
Lic. Jesús Silva Herzog: 1945-1962
Age limit
Dr. José Torres Torija: 1945-1949
Resignation