The board of trustees has the following twelve standing committees whose responsibilities are outlined in the by-laws. These committees meet from one to five times per year, often in conjunction with meetings of the full board.

The board periodically has special committees. For example, approximately every five years there is a committee to coordinate the Institutional Assessment.

Audit Committee
Gina M. Raimondo (chair), Kathleen E. Walsh, Douglas A. Warner, Michael Warren

Buildings & Grounds Committee
John Rice (chair), Joshua Bekenstein, Catharine Bond Hill, Ann Miura-Ko, Annette Thomas, Michael Warren, Lei Zhang

Compensation Committee
Catharine Bond Hill (chair), Paul L. Joskow, William E. Kennard, Douglas A. Warner

Development & Alumni Affairs Committee
Joshua Bekenstein (chair), Charles W. Goodyear, William E. Kennard, Ann Miura-Ko, David Sze

Educational Policy Committee
Paul L. Joskow (chair), Catharine Bond Hill, Eve Hart Rice, John Rice, Joshua L. Steiner, Annette Thomas, Lei Zhang

Finance Committee
William E. Kennard (chair), Joshua Bekenstein, Charles W. Goodyear, Catharine Bond Hill, Paul L. Joskow, Ann Miura-Ko, John Rice, Joshua L. Steiner, Douglas A. Warner, Lei Zhang

Honorary Degrees Committee
Eve Hart Rice (chair), Annette Thomas, Michael Warren, Lei Zhang

Institutional Policies Committee
Charles W. Goodyear (chair), Paul L. Joskow, William E. Kennard, Gina M. Raimondo, Eve Hart Rice, Joshua L. Steiner, David Sze, Kathleen E. Walsh, Douglas A. Warner

Investments Committee
Michael J. Cavanagh (chair), Charles W. Goodyear, Joshua L. Steiner

Investor Responsibility Committee
Kathleen E. Walsh (chair), Catharine Bond Hill, Michael Warren

School of Medicine Committee
Joshua Bekenstein (chair), Paul L. Joskow, Eve Hart Rice, Annette Thomas, Kathleen E. Walsh, Douglas A. Warner, Lei Zhang

Trusteeship Committee
Catharine Bond Hill (chair), Joshua Bekenstein, Paul L. Joskow, William E. Kennard, Eve Hart Rice, John Rice, Kathleen E. Walsh, Douglas A. Warner