Rutgers Trustees Call Emergency Meeting

Rutgers University's board of trustees has called an emergency meeting as the state Legislature considers a bill that would eliminate the body.

The bill, announced Tuesday by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, would give the trustees' power to the university's Board of Governors.

The trustees passed a resolution Wednesday night opposing abolishing the board.

Gov. Chris Christie says he supports the concept as Rutgers prepares to absorb most of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey on Monday.

The 59-member board of trustees is mostly advisory but controls some private assets that were managed by Rutgers before it became a state university in 1956.

The Board of Governors has 11 members.

It's not clear whether lawmakers will vote on the bill during their voting sessions scheduled for Thursday.

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