MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF
THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
HELD ON JULY 2, 1968
A special meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University was held
on the 2nd day of July, 1968 at 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon
at No. 500 Mutual Building in the City of Richmond, Virginia
pursuant to due notice.
Present were Messrs. Brent, Dabney and Wilson and by
invitation Mr. Fred O. Wygal.
Mr. Brent served as Chairman of the meeting and re-
corded the minutes.
The Chairman then stated that as three members of the
Committee were absent, a quorum was not present but that he would
undertake to have the minutes of the meeting signed by all of
the members of the Committee with the hope that such action as
might be taken would be unanimously agreed to by all of the members
of the Committee in writing. With this understanding the meeting
then proceeded.
Mr. Brent thereupon stated that the President of the
Alumni Association of the Richmond Professional Institute had
directed a letter to the Board requesting that consideration be
given to the granting of a Virginia Commonwealth University diploma
to those who had received a degree from the Richmond Professional
Institute and desired a substitute. He referred the matter to
Mr. Wygal for investigation as to what has been done by other
institutions in a similar situation with the hope that sample
diplomas or certificates might be made available.
Mr. Wygal then stated that Mr. Raymond T. Holmes, Jr.,
Comptroller, had conferred with Mr. John Garber of the State
Personnel office and it appeared that the resolution adopted by
the Board of Visitors on May 7, 1968 continuing the authority of
the two Provosts would be sufficient evidence of their authority
to sign for all personnel appointments falling within their
respective divisions as they had in the past,
Mr. Wygal continued and said that heretofore the
Quarterly Allotment forms submitted to the State Budget office
have been signed by the Vice President of Business and Finance
for The Medical College of Virginia and the Comptroller for the
Richmond Professional Institute and that the Board of Visitors
had adopted a proper resolution continuing the authority of
the foregoing officers at its last meeting which has been filed with
the State along with the necessary signature papers.
The third authorization required, Mr. Wygal said, would
cover appointments to positions at the general University level
and also requests for the allotment of funds from the special
fund of $300,000 appropriated for the purpose of organizing the new
University. Of this total amount, $125,000 was made available
for the 1968-69 fiscal year and $175,000 for the 1969-70 fiscal
year.
Mr. Wygal then presented to the meeting two resolutions,
one with respect to the establishment of positions and appointment
of employees at the University level, and the other with respect
to Quarterly Allotments and other required forms with respect to
the expenditure of funds from the special appropriation which
were generally discussed, after which on motion duly made,
seconded and unanimously carried, the resolutions were adopted as
follows :
RESOLVED, that Fred O. Wygal, Executive
Administrator to the Board of the Virginia Common-
wealth University, be authorized to sign the
appropriate personnel forms for the establishment
of positions and appointment of employees to fill
these positions, as may be approved by the Board
of Visitors or the Executive Committee of the
Board of Visitors, to be established at the
university level and paid from the special appro-
priation of funds, Item 753, for setting up the
University administration in the Richmond area.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that Fred O. Wygal,
Executive Administrator to the Board of the Virginia
Commonwealth University, be authorized to sign
Quarterly Allotments and all Division of the
Budget Office forms required for expenditures from
the special appropriation of funds, Item 753, for
setting up the University administration in the
Richmond area,
Continuing his report, Mr. Wygal then said that he
had established an office in the Franklin Terrace Building at
812 West Franklin Street and that his telephone number was
358-7061, extension 327, On September 1, he said, his office
would be moved to the first floor of the President's home. He
pointed out that with the establishment of his office, it seemed
imperative that a secretary be appointed in order to assist him
and the Board. After a discussion thereof, on motion duly made,
seconded and unanimously carried, Mr. Wygal was authorized to
employ a confidential secretary at the established salary
schedule.
Mr. Wygal thereupon stated that the University had
received a letter from Mr. Emanuel Hurwitz requesting that he
be released from his contract as Research Associate to the
President, He explained that this was a new position and that
Mr. Hurwitz had not as yet arrived. He also pointed out that
Dr. Nelson had indicated that the program which would be under-
taken by Mr. Hurwitz was not ready at the present time and that he
felt it would be in the best interest of the University to
release Mr. Hurwitz. Accordingly, on motion duly made, seconded
and unanimously carried, Mr. Wygal was authorized to take, or
cause to be taken, such action as might be necessary to properly
release Mr. Hurwitz.
Mr. Wygal then stated that Dr. Nelson had strongly
recommended that the position of Assistant Vice President for
Academic Affairs be established effective July 15, 1968 for
reasons which Dr. Nelson outlined in a memorandum presented to
the meeting and which Mr. Wygal thought were sound. A general
discussion followed, after which on motion duly made, seconded
and unanimously carried, the following resolutions were duly
adopted:
WHEREAS, Chapter 6.1 of Title 23 of
the Code of Virginia establishing the Virginia
Commonwealth University in the Acts of the
Assembly of 1968 states, "The Board (of visitors)
shall appoint the President, who shall be the
chief executive officer of the University,
and all professors, teachers, staff members,
and agents, and shall fix their salaries and
shall prescribe their duties," and
WHEREAS, the academic programs of Virginia
Commonwealth University have expanded and are to
continue to expand, and
WHEREAS, the Vice-President for Academic
Affairs currently has responsibility for fifteen
academic units and for numerous other academic
related programs, and
WHEREAS, in universities of comparable size
to Virginia Commonwealth University there are
several assistant academic officers; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the position of
Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs be
established effective July 15, 1968, such position
to carry the responsibility for assisting the
Vice-President for Academic Affairs in his adminis-
tration of academic programs; therefore,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Provost,
Academic Division of Virginia Commonwealth
University, be directed to recommend a candidate
to the Board of Visitors for said position on
or before July 15 or as soon thereafter as possible.
It was then suggested that it would appear to serve a
most useful purpose if the two Provosts as well as Mr. Wygal
attended future meetings of the Board of Visitors and to the
extent required, the meetings of the Executive Committee. It
was also suggested that the Deans and other personnel might
also attend from time to time when Mr. Wygal or either of the two
Provosts considered this advisable. A general discussion then
followed after which, on motion duly made, seconded and
unanimously carried, Mr. Wygal was authorized to convey this
invitation to Dr. Nelson, Dr. Brooke and Dr. Smith.
Mr. Dabney then presented to the meeting a memorandum
dated July 1, 1968 received from Dr. Roland H. Nelson, Jr. in
which he pointed out that while The Medical College of Virginia
will in the future be referred to as The Medical College of
Virginia - Health Science Division - Virginia Commonwealth
University, in his opinion it would be desirable for that portion
of the University formerly known as Richmond Professional
Institute not to be referred to as the Academic Division of
Virginia Commonwealth University. On the contrary, he suggested
that it be referred to simply as Virginia Commonwealth University
and that the various schools be designated School of Arts and
Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University; School of Social
Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, etc. He agreed for the
purpose of making it clear that there will be two Provosts that
it was satisfactory to have a Provost - General Academic and one
for the Health Science Division. A general discussion then
followed, after which it was unanimously agreed that Dr. Nelson's
suggestion would be presented to the Board with the recommendation
that it be adopted.
Mr. Wygal then stated that he anticipated working with
appropriate personnel in the University in order to determine what
cooperative efforts might be undertaken with a view to bringing
the various disciplines of the component parts of the University
together so that duplications and overlaps might be avoided and
a stronger program available. He also indicated that he felt it
highly desirable for a "statement of purpose" to be prepared so
that future planning might be based on an agreed purpose. In
conclusion, Mr. Wygal stated that he would make every effort to
work out the details of the consolidation of the component parts
of the new University as smoothly as possible and to this end
would make recommendations to the Board for consideration from
time to time.
A general discussion with respect to the duties and
responsibilities to be assigned to Mr. Wygal then followed and
memoranda prepared in this connection by members of the Committee
were considered, after which it was unanimously agreed that Mr.
Dabney would consolidate the memoranda into one statement which
would then be submitted to the members of the Committee for
further consideration.
Mr. Dabney then stated that the Board of Visitors
in approving the appointment of Dr. Brooke as Acting Provost -
General Academic had authorized the Executive Committee to fix
his salary. He stated that Dr. Brooke had been employed at a
basic salary of $23,000 and that he recommended that this be es-
tablished as his salary for the position of Acting Provost -
General Academic. After a discussion thereof, on motion duly
made, seconded and unanimously carried, Mr. Dabney's recommendation
was approved.
There being no further business to come before the
meeting, the same on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously
carried, adjourned.
APPROVED:
