Board of Trustees Charter

PREAMBLE

The Board of Trustees of Atlas University, Inc. serves as the supreme governing authority, guardian of the covenantal mission, and steward of all institutional trust. The Board exists not merely as an administrative entity, but as a sacred fellowship of wisdom and guardianship, chosen to preserve the sanctity, excellence, and eternal purpose of Atlas University.

Each Trustee enters this office as a calling before Yahweh—to hold together spiritual revelation and institutional stewardship; to ensure that Atlas University stands forever as a living cathedral of knowledge, beauty, and truth.

Atlas University was founded on the conviction that education is worship and that every field of study is an altar upon which truth glorifies its Creator. The Trustees are therefore custodians of a divine inheritance, charged to govern this institution according to the eternal principle:

“Glorificatio Dei per Omnes Disciplinas”
The Glorification of God through All Disciplines.

ARTICLE I — AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

Section 1. Authority

The Board of Trustees derives its legal authority from the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Atlas University, and from the Florida Not for Profit Corporation Act.

Section 2. Purpose

The purpose of the Board is to:

  1. Preserve the founding mission, covenantal identity, and theological foundations of Atlas University.

  2. Govern the University with excellence, transparency, and moral courage.

  3. Ensure the institution remains faithful to its charter: to glorify God through every discipline of human inquiry.

  4. Oversee and advance the University’s position as a world-class covenantal institution, marked by academic rigor, prophetic insight, and transformative cultural influence.

  5. Guard institutional independence from ideological, political, or financial compromise.

Section 3. Nature of Trusteeship

Trusteeship is not an appointment but a consecration. Each Trustee serves as a guardian of truth, a custodian of covenant, and a watchman of institutional holiness.
The Board’s governance is an act of worship; its deliberation, a form of prayer; its stewardship, an offering unto God.

ARTICLE II — COMPOSITION AND APPOINTMENT

Section 1. Membership

The Board shall consist of not fewer than seven (7) and not more than fifteen (15) members, including the officers named herein.

Section 2. Qualifications

Trustees shall:

  • Confess the faith of Christ and uphold the covenantal anthropology of imago Dei.

  • Demonstrate spiritual maturity, integrity, and proven leadership.

  • Exhibit professional excellence in academia, ministry, finance, law, science, or governance.

  • Affirm the University’s motto — Glorificatio Dei per Omnes Disciplinas — as their governing creed.

Section 3. Appointment

Trustees are nominated by the Governance and Ethics Committee, vetted through prayer and discernment, and appointed by majority vote of the existing Board.
Terms shall be three (3) years, renewable upon vote, with no more than three consecutive terms before sabbatical.

Section 4. Oath of Covenant

Upon installation, each Trustee shall affirm the Oath of Covenant, standing before the Board and declaring:

“Before Yahweh, the eternal Judge of wisdom and truth, I covenant to govern Atlas University in faithfulness and fear, in diligence and devotion, that through every discipline this institution may glorify God. I renounce ambition, deceit, and neglect, and vow to uphold the motto: Glorificatio Dei per Omnes Disciplinas.”

ARTICLE III — POWERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. General Powers

The Board shall possess full legal and moral authority to govern and direct all affairs of Atlas University, including:

  1. Appointment and annual evaluation of the President.

  2. Approval of budgets, programs, and institutional policies.

  3. Oversight of finances, property, and endowments.

  4. Authorization of new academic degrees, centers, and partnerships.

  5. Maintenance of doctrinal fidelity and academic excellence.

  6. Enforcement of compliance with Florida law and accreditation standards.

  7. Strategic oversight of the University’s expansion nationally and internationally.

Section 2. Fiduciary Duties

Trustees shall embody the three fiduciary virtues—care, loyalty, and obedience—interpreted in the covenantal sense:

  • Care: Govern wisely, with informed diligence and moral attention.

  • Loyalty: Serve the mission of Atlas University above all personal interest.

  • Obedience: Remain subject to the divine calling and covenantal purpose established at its founding.

Section 3. Duty of Wisdom

Governance is not the exercise of power but of wisdom. Trustees must measure all decisions by their alignment with truth, fruitfulness, and glorification of God.

ARTICLE IV — STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD

Section 1. Officers

The Board shall elect from among its members:

  • Chair of the Board: Chief steward of vision and governance; leads meetings and represents the University publicly.

  • Vice-Chair: Assists the Chair and presides in absence.

  • Secretary: Oversees minutes, records, and legal compliance.

  • Treasurer: Supervises finance, audits, and stewardship of all funds.

Section 2. Standing Committees

The following standing committees are established:

  1. Executive Committee – Handles urgent business between meetings.

  2. Academic and Spiritual Affairs Committee – Ensures fidelity in curriculum and doctrine.

  3. Finance and Endowment Committee – Oversees fiscal integrity and strategic investment.

  4. Governance and Ethics Committee – Manages Trustee nominations, training, and evaluation.

  5. Institutional Advancement Committee – Oversees public relations, fundraising, and global partnerships.

Each committee shall operate under written policy, submit minutes to the Board, and act by delegated authority.

Section 3. Advisory Councils

The Board may appoint non-voting Advisory Trustees or Fellows of the Covenant to lend specialized expertise in law, medicine, theology, or technology.

ARTICLE V — MEETINGS AND DELIBERATIONS

Section 1. Regular Meetings

The Board shall meet at least twice annually, one of which must occur in Florida.

Section 2. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be convened with forty-eight (48) hours’ notice for urgent matters.

Section 3. Quorum

A majority of Trustees constitutes a quorum. Routine actions pass by simple majority; amendments to mission, creed, or charter require a two-thirds majority.

Section 4. Conduct of Meetings

All meetings shall begin and end in prayer and be conducted with solemnity, respect, and confidentiality.

Section 5. Records

The Secretary shall maintain accurate minutes, and all resolutions shall be archived within the University’s sealed Canon of Governance.

ARTICLE VI — ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Section 1. Integrity of Office

Trustees must avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Any potential conflict of interest shall be disclosed and recorded.

Section 2. Removal for Cause

Any Trustee who violates fiduciary duty, moral conduct, or the covenantal oath may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote after due process.

Section 3. Confidentiality

All deliberations and internal communications of the Board are confidential. Disclosure of sensitive information constitutes a breach of trust.

ARTICLE VII — RELATIONSHIP TO THE PRESIDENT AND FACULTY

Section 1. Presidential Leadership

The President is the chief executive officer of Atlas University and the embodiment of its mission in action. The Board appoints, supports, and evaluates the President to ensure faithful execution of all policies and vision.

Section 2. Faculty Oversight

Through the Academic and Spiritual Affairs Committee, the Board ensures that the faculty of Atlas University uphold doctrinal fidelity, pedagogical excellence, and mentorship rooted in holiness.

Section 3. Institutional Synergy

The Board shall promote collaboration between Trustees, faculty, and administration, recognizing that unity of vision is the lifeblood of institutional greatness.

ARTICLE VIII — TRANSPARENCY, AUDIT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Section 1. Financial Oversight

All financial activity shall be subject to annual independent audit, reported to the full Board and made available for public inspection according to Florida law.

Section 2. Strategic Review

Every five years, the Board shall commission a Covenantal Vision Review, evaluating the University’s fidelity to its founding motto—Glorificatio Dei per Omnes Disciplinas—and publishing recommendations for the next era of advancement.

Section 3. Public Accountability

Atlas University shall operate with the transparency befitting a global educational witness, maintaining the highest standards of academic and ethical governance.

ARTICLE IX — SUCCESSION AND CONTINUITY

The Board shall establish clear succession protocols for its officers, the President, and senior leadership to ensure enduring institutional continuity. The University’s horizon is not generational but civilizational; its mission extends into centuries.

ARTICLE X — AMENDMENTS

This Charter may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Trustees, provided that no amendment shall alter or dilute the theological or covenantal foundations of Atlas University.

ARTICLE XI — SEAL, MOTTO, AND INSIGNIA

Section 1. University Seal

The seal of Atlas University shall depict the Alpha and Omega intertwined, encircled by the official motto:

GLORIFICATIO DEI PER OMNES DISCIPLINAS
The Glorification of God through All Disciplines.

Section 2. Colors and Symbolism

The University’s colors are deep red and black, symbolizing the red of the blood of Christ and the black ink of the word of God. The seal shall appear upon diplomas, official correspondence, and all institutional decrees. The University may change colors or designs at any time.