Board committee nominates two emeritus trustees

The governance and nominating committee of Pitt’s Board of Trustees held a public meeting on Monday to nominate two emeritus trustees.

Louis Cestello, the committee’s chair, announced a resolution recommending that the Board appoint two former trustees as emeritus trustees. This status applies to former trustees who “have made exceptional contributions to the progress and welfare of the University and have served with distinction and devotion as Trustees of the University.”

The committee nominated Robert Hernandez, a 1966 Pitt alumnus who served on the Board of Trustees from 2002-20, and Jack Smith, who completed his residency in orthopedics at Pitt in 1978 and served on the Board of Trustees from 2012-20, to receive this status. 

According to University bylaws, emeritus trustees are elected for life and may attend Board meetings, but are not entitled to vote except on committee business. Emeritus trustees cannot serve on the governance and nominating, executive, or compensation committees.

The committee voted unanimously in favor of electing Hernandez and Smith as emeritus trustees. The full Board will meet Friday morning to cast its vote on the matter.

A previous version of this story said Hernandez graduated from Pitt in 1996. He graduated in 1966. The article has been updated to reflect this change. The Pitt News regrets this error.