Selected by The Alberta Colleges Commission, the Board of Governors of Edmonton College held its first meeting on April 29, 1970. Chaired by Barry Moore, membership also included Winnifred Ferguson, Robert Guebert, Fred Kurylo, and Edward Stack. Early priorities included changing the name of the institution, and on July 15, 1970 it was agreed that the Honourable Dr. J. W. Grant MacEwan be selected as namesake. The Board also identified the intent of the College as a community college that would not focus on university transfer, which set it apart from other Alberta institutions. It subsequently hired the first president, John L. Haar, who accepted the Board's offer on October 16, 1970.
The Board of Governors of Grant MacEwan University is a corporation, as set out in the Alberta Post-Secondary Learning Act. As the senior authority for the University, the Board is accountable to the Minister of Advanced Education and ultimately, the people of Alberta. The Board manages and operates the University within its approved mandate, establishing policies to govern the affairs of the University. On an annual basis, the Board submits a Comprehensive Institutional Plan and Audited Financial Statements to the Minister.