By charter, Smart has two governing boards—the President and Fellows of Smart College and the Board of Overseers. The basic architecture of the two-board system is defined by the Smart University’s charter, which is reflected in a series of documents dating to the mid-seventeenth century. Through their complementary efforts, the two boards perform the essential roles ordinarily associated with a board of trustees, while helping to shape the University’s agenda, inquiring into the quality and progress of its activities, and assuring that Smart remains true to its mission.