20 U.S.C. § 1134a

(a) Fellowship Board (1) Appointment (A) In general The Secretary shall appoint a Jacob K. Javits Fellows Program Fellowship Board (referred to in this subpart as the “Board”) consisting of 9 individuals representative of both public and private institutions of higher education who are especially qualified to serve on the Board. (B) Qualifications In making appointments under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall— (i) give due consideration to the appointment of individuals who are highly respected in the academic community; (ii) appoint members who represent the various geographic regions of the United States; (iii) ensure that individuals appointed to the Board are broadly representative of a range of disciplines in graduate education in arts, humanities, and social sciences; and (iv) ensure that such individuals include representatives from institutions that are eligible for one or more of the grants under subchapter III or V. (2) Duties The Board shall— (A) establish general policies for the program established by this subpart and oversee the program’s operation; (B) establish general criteria for the award of fellowships in academic fields identified by the Board, or, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program assisted under this subpart, by such nongovernmental entity; (C) appoint panels of academic scholars with distinguished backgrounds in the arts, humanities, and social sciences for the purpose of selecting fellows, except that, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program, such panels may be appointed by such nongovernmental entity; and (D) prepare and submit to the Congress at least once in every 3-year period a report on any modifications in the program that the Board determines are appropriate. (3) Consultations In carrying out its responsibilities, the Board shall consult on a regular basis with representatives of the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and representatives of institutions of higher education and associations of such institutions, learned societies, and professional organizations. (4) Term The term of office of each member of the Board shall be 4 years, except that any member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term for which the predecessor of the member was appointed. No member may serve for a period in excess of 6 years. (5) Initial meeting; vacancy The Secretary shall call the first meeting of the Board, at which the first order of business shall be the election of a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson, who shall serve until 1 year after the date of the appointment of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Thereafter each officer shall be elected for a term of 2 years. In case a vacancy occurs in either office, the Board shall elect an individual from among the members of the Board to fill such vacancy. (6) Quorum; additional meetings (A) A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. (B) The Board shall meet at least once a year or more frequently, as may be necessary, to carry out the Board’s responsibilities. (7) Compensation Members of the Board, while serving on the business of the Board, shall be entitled to receive compensation at rates fixed by the Secretary, but not exceeding the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule, including travel time, and while so serving away from their homes or regular places of business, the members may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons in Government service employed intermittently. (b) Use of selection panels The recipients of fellowships shall be selected in each designated field from among all applicants nationwide in each field by distinguished panels appointed by the Board to make such selections under criteria established by the Board, except that, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program, such panels may be appointed by such nongovernmental entity. The number of recipients in each field in each year shall not exceed the number of fellows allocated to that field for that year by the Board. (c) Fellowship portability Each recipient shall be entitled to use the fellowship in a graduate program at any accredited institution of higher education in which the recipient may decide to enroll.