§4605 Board of Directors

Summary

The Institute’s powers are held by a Board of Directors. The Board has 15 voting members: the Secretary of State (or a Senate‑confirmed designee), the Secretary of Defense (or a Senate‑confirmed designee), the president of the National Defense University (or the vice president), and 12 people the President picks with Senate approval. No more than eight voting members may be from the same political party. The 12 presidential appointees must have practical or academic experience in U.S. peace and conflict resolution and cannot be federal officers or employees. The 12 appointees serve four‑year terms, but six of the first group serve two years as the President designates. Initial terms began January 20, 1985; the President had to send 11 initial nominees within 90 days after that date and must replace any rejected nominee within 15 days. Appointees may serve no more than two terms. A term starts only after Senate confirmation and swearing‑in. The President may remove an appointed member for a felony, misconduct, persistent neglect, inability, or after recommendation by eight voting Board members or by certain House and Senate committees. Members must not vote on matters that directly and financially benefit them or organizations they were formally tied to in the past two years (ex officio public officers may vote on matters about their public body). The Board elects a Chair every three years (the first Chair was named by the President for three years), meets at least twice a year, uses a majority for a quorum, and normally holds open meetings with Federal Register notice but may close parts by majority vote to protect ongoing peace work or other exempt information. Presidential appointees get pay equal to the daily rate of the GS‑18 annual pay for days worked and may receive travel expenses and per diem under section 5703(b) of title 5.