Charles W. Eliot 
University Administration [PDF ebook] 

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The best number of members for a univer sity’s principal governing board is seven; be cause that number of men can sit round a small table, talk with each other informally without waste of words or any display or pretence, provide an adequate diversity of points of view and modes of dealing with the subject in hand, and yet be prompt and eflicient in the despatch of business. In a board of seven the different professions and callings can be sufficiently represented.