The Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America have the ultimate responsibility for governance and sole responsibility for fiscal affairs of the University. The bylaws and civil charter limit the board to no more than 50 members, of whom 24 must be clerics. The Archbishop of Washington, who serves as Chancellor of the University, and the president of the University serve as ex officio members. Members serve terms of four years, and typically do not serve more than three consecutive terms. Normally, all the cardinals who serve as bishops of U.S. Dioceses are members of the board.
The Executive Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board, the Chancellor, the President, and the chairmen of standing committees on Academic Affairs, Audit, Development, Finance, Student Life, Trusteeship and University Seminary, and three other at-large members elected by the membership. Non-voting membership in certain standing committees is extended to duly appointed members of the administration, faculties, and staffs, to undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students, and to externs.
As of September 1, 2013, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of 45 members:
Carl A. Anderson, New Haven, Conn.Lee Ann Joiner Brady, Skillman, N.J.Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Raleigh, N.C.Timothy R. Busch, Esq., Irvine, Calif.Joseph L. Carlini, Malvern, Pa.Archbishop Robert James Carlson, St. Louis, Mo.Archbishop Paul Stagg Coakley, Oklahoma City, Okla.Robert F. Comstock, Esq., Washington, D.C.Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, San Francisco, Calif.Leo A. Daly III, Washington, D.C.Bishop Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio, Brooklyn, N.Y.Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Houston, TexasCardinal Timothy M. Dolan, New York, N.Y.Sister Janet Eisner, S.N.D., Boston, Mass.Bishop Kevin J. Farrell, Dallas, TexasJohn H. Garvey, President, Washington, D.C.Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., Chicago, Ill.Edward W. Gillespie, Alexandria, Va.Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory, Atlanta, Ga.Stephen J. Kaneb, South Hampton, N.H.Archbishop Joseph Edward Kurtz, Louisville, Ky.Archbishop Jerome Edward Listecki, Milwaukee, Wis.Bishop Paul S. Loverde, Arlington, Va.Bishop Gregory John Mansour, Brooklyn, N.Y.Bishop Robert Joseph McManus, Worcester, Mass.James Moye, Fairfield, Conn.Mark A. Murray, Grand Rapids, Mich.Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt, St. Paul, Minn.Anne E. O'Donnell, M.D., Arlington, Va.Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, Phoenix, Ariz.Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Braintree, Mass.Bishop Joseph A. Pepe, Las Vegas, Nev.Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, Washington, D.C.Catharine Murray Ryan, Pittsburgh, Pa.Timothy C. Scheve, Philadelphia, Pa.Victor P. Smith, Esq. Burlingame, Calif.Anthony R. Tersigni, St. Louis, Mo.Bishop Thomas Joseph Tobin, Providence, R.I.Mark H. Tuohey III, Esq., Washington, D.C.Monsignor Peter J. Vaghi, Bethesda, Md.Archbishop Allen Henry Vigneron, Chairman, Detroit, Mich.Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, Miami, Fla.Anthony A. Williams, Esq., Washington, D.C.Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Chancellor, Washington, D.C.Frank G. Persico, Secretary of the Board, Fulton, Md.