MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
HELD ON MAY 7, 1968
An adjourned meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University was held on the 7th day of May, 1968 at
10:00 o'clock in the forenoon in the Board Room of the Medical
College of Virginia, Medical Education Building, 11th and Marshall
Streets in the City of Richmond, Virginia, no notice thereof being
required.
Present were Mrs. James B. Bullard, Mrs. Charles G.
Thalhimer and Messrs. Andrew J. Brent, Virginius Dabney, Eppa
Hunton, IV., C. Coleman McGehee, Dr. James W. Mullen, Buford S.
Scott, James E. Sheffield, John H. Temple, J.K. Timmons, B. Walton
Turnbull, Edward A. Wayne and Robert A. Wilson.
Mr. Virginius Dabney, Rector, served as Chairman of the
meeting, and A.J. Brent as Secretary thereof.
The Rector then reported that as directed, the Officers
had met to consider the various Committees. He pointed out that
the Act creating the University required the Visitors to elect the
Executive Committee and that the remainder of the Committees
were being appointed by him after consultation with the other
Officers. He further stated that a suggested draft of By-laws
had been prepared and that the Standing Committees which would be
appointed were consistent with those set forth in the proposed
By-laws.
Thereupon, the Officers placed in nomination the names
of Messrs. Andrew J. Brent, Eppa Hunton, IV., James E. Sheffield,
Edward A. Wayne and Robert A. Wilson, with the Rector as an ex-
officio member, to serve as the Executive Committee. On motion
duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, those persons
nominated for election to the Executive Committee of the Board of
Visitors were duly elected to serve until the next annual meeting
of the Board and/or until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.
The Rector thereupon appointed the following Standing
Committees:
Finance Committee:
B. Walton Turnbull, Chairman
C. Coleman McGehee
S. Buford Scott, Jr.
Property Committee:
C. Coleman McGehee, Chairman
J. K. Timmons
S. Buford Scott, Jr.
Mrs. Charles G. Thalhimer
Academic Policy Committee:
Dr. James W. Mullen, Chairman
Dr. Richard A. Michaux
Mrs. James B. Bullard
Edward A. Wayne
Student Activities Committee:
Mrs. Charles G. Thalhimer, Chairman
James E. Sheffield
John H. Temple
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Development and Public Relations Committee:
Robert A. Wilson, Chairman
Eppa Hunton, IV.
John H. Temple
Mrs. Charles G. Thalhimer
Thereupon, the Rector appointed the following Special
Committees:
Development of Master Plan Committee:
Eppa Hunton, IV., Chairman
Robert A. Wilson
Dr. Richard A. Michaux
Dr. James W. Mullen
James E. Sheffield
Library Facilities Committee:
S. Buford Scott, Jr., Chairman
Mrs. James B. Bullard
J.K. Timmons
B. Walton Turnbull
John H. Temple
Mr. Brent thereupon presented to the Board suggested
By-laws, pointing out that he had drawn heavily on the Richmond
Professional Institute, Medical College of Virginia, William and
Mary and University of Virginia By-laws, as well as the Act of
Assembly creating the University. Mr. Brent also stated that he
of the Attorney General's Office for his comments. Mr. Brent then
had forwarded a copy of the By-laws to Mr. Robert D. McIlwaine, lll.
suggested that the By-laws be carried forward to a later meeting
for action and that in the meantime it would be most helpful
if the Visitors would let him have such comments as they might care
to make.
Attention was then called to the fact that one or two
of the Visitors had found Tuesday to be an inconvenient time for
the meetings of the Board. A brief discussion then followed, after
which it was unanimously agreed that future meetings would be
held on Mondays at 11:00 o'clock in the morning to be followed by
lunch. It was also suggested that after the meeting on May 14,
that it would only be necessary for the Board to meet every other
Monday during its organizational phase. Ultimately, it was pointed
out, the Board would probably need to meet only every other month
and this thought was expressed in the By-laws.
Moving to the next item of business, the Rector stated
that it had been determined that the Executive Committee of the
Board would serve as the Committee for the selection of a new
President. Mr. Wayne said that it was his thought that the
Committee would serve only as a Screening Committee, with, of
course, the final selection and election of the President to be
by the Board. After further discussion, it was unanimously agreed
that the Executive Committee would report its plan of procedure
to the next meeting of the Board.
The Rector thereupon distributed copies of an editorial
from the Proscript, the Richmond Professional Institute's student
newspaper, and expressed interest in the attitude of the students
toward responsible leadership.
Mr. Brent then stated that the Administration of the
Medical College of Virginia had very generously made available to
the Board the services of Mrs. Louise Billings, who would assist
the Board during the weeks ahead and that she would be available
to handle correspondence, to arrange meetings and to perform
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other secretarial functions. It was generally concluded that it
would not be necessary for the Board to have office space at the
present time and that future meetings of the Board would be held
at such places as might be specified by the Rector.
Dr. R. Blackwell Smith, Jr., President of the Medical
College of Virginia, then joined the meeting and presented an
orientation program with the assistance of Mr. L. Daniel Crooks,
Vice President, Business and Finance, Mr. Franklin Bacon, Dean of
Students, Dr. Thomas C. Barker, Director, School of Hospital
Administration, Dr. Daniel T. Watts, Dean, School of Graduate
Studies, Dr. Doris B. Yingling, Dean, School of Nursing, Mr. C.
Eugene White, School of Pharmacy, Dr. Harry Lyons, Dean, School
of Dentistry, Dr. Kinloch Nelson, Dean, School of Medicine and
Mr. William F. Morrison, Jr., Director, the College Hospitals.
In conclusion, Dr. Smith stated that a tour of the
facilities of the College had been arranged and that guides would
be available immediately upon conclusion of the meeting.
There being no further business to come before the
meeting, the same on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously
carried, adjourned to May l4, 1968 at 10:00 o'clock in the
forenoon in the President's dining room of the Richmond Professional
Institute, no further notice thereof being required.
