The basics:

• Amy Towers re-elected chair of Rutgers Board of Governors
• James Dougherty elected vice chair
• William Tate IV begins term as Rutgers president July 1

At its June 17 meeting, the Rutgers University Board of Governors elected chair Amy Towers to a second one-year term.

Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Towers to the board in 2020. She brings an extensive background, having established The Nduna Foundation in 2007 to advance interventions in nutrition and public health, community redevelopment and human rights. Towers has also served on a number of nonprofit boards, ranging from community-based organizations to large national and multinational boards.

Towers previously served as the chair of the Rutgers University Foundation Board of Directors and currently chairs the board of MANA Nutrition.

Most recently, Towers co-chaired the presidential search committee that led to the selection of William Tate IV as Rutgers’ 22nd president. NJBIZ recently spoke to Towers about that process.

In an announcement, Towers thanked the members of the board of governors for their continued support “as we work together to lead Rutgers through these challenging times in higher education.”

“I am honored to continue to serve as chair for a second year, especially knowing the esteemed colleagues I serve with,” said Towers. “I firmly believe that Rutgers is on a strong and exciting trajectory for the future, with the impressive faculty, staff, and brilliant students creating a successful Rutgers community.”

Vice chair elected

Also, during the board meeting, James Dougherty was elected vice chair.

Dougherty is a retired veterinarian and board of trustee-appointed governor since 2020. He also is an emeritus member and former chair of the board of trustees, where he served as vice chair for two years, and an emeritus member of the Rutgers University Foundation Board of Directors. He also serves as the chair of the Rutgers-Camden Board of Directors.

“I am honored and humbled to be able to continue to serve my alma mater in this leadership role after serving on the Board of Trustees since 2012 and then the Board of Governors since 2020,” said Dougherty, who co-founded Metropolitan Veterinary Associates.

Both Towers and Dougherty begin their terms July 1 – the same day Tate begins his tenure as president.

“I am also excited to join our esteemed chair, Amy Towers, as she continues her exemplary leadership of this board, and our new president, Dr. William F. Tate IV, as he begins his tenure leading Rutgers University,” said Dougherty.

Towers added, “I look forward to working with President Tate and his administration to build upon Rutgers’ national rankings and reputation as one of the country’s preeminent public academic research institutions of higher learning.”