MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
HELD ON JANUARY 9, 1969
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University was held on the 9th day of January, 1969
at 10:00 o'clock in the forenoon in the Board Room of Sanger Hall,
Health Sciences Division of the University in the City of Richmond,
Virginia, pursuant to due notice.
Present were all of the members of the Board of
Visitors except Mrs. Charles G. Thalhimer.
Present by invitation were Mr. Wygal, Executive Adminis-
trator, Messrs. Brooke, Holmes, Whitesell, Burgart, Fleshood, Thomas,
Renneisen and Coppedge from the General Academic Division, and Messrs.
Heil, Crooks and Nelson from the Health Sciences Division. Present also
were Mrs. Hodges, Secretary to the Executive Director.
Mr. Dabney served as Chairman of the meeting and Mr.
Brent as Secretary thereof.
On motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried,
the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board held on November
21, 1968 were approved in the form distributed to all of the
members of the Board.
Dean Whitesell thereupon presented a report dated
January 9, 1969 with respect to the School of Arts and Sciences
updating his previous report of May 14, 1968 which was generally
discussed, with Dr. Whitesell being complimented on the progress
being made. Thereupon, Dean Burgart of the School of Art presented
his report dated January 9, 1969 which was likewise well received
by the Board.
Turning to the Agenda, Mr. Coleman McGehee, Chairman of
the Property Committee, with the assistance of Dr. Arnold
Fleshood, Dean of the School of Education and Messrs. McElroy
and Parris, Architects, then displayed and explained the plans for
the proposed School of Education Building to be built on the
General Academic campus. The Property Committee recommended that
the Board of Visitors approve the proposed plans subject to the
approval of the State Art Commission which recommendation, on motion
duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, was approved.
The Chairman then called on Dr. Thomas, Chairman of the
Psychology Department, who presented and reviewed a detailed
memorandum with respect to a proposed program leading to the
awarding of a Ph.D. Degree in General Psychology. Various questions
which were propounded in connection therewith were answered after
which, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the
proposed program was approved with the Administration being
authorized to forward the proposed program to the State Council
on Higher Education for consideration.
The Executive Administrator thereupon presented a
report with respect to the Virginia Institute for Scientific
Research, observing that such action as was required in connection
with his report had been recently taken by the Executive Committee.
He continued and explained the status of the long range study, no
action being required in this connection.
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In concluding his report, Mr. Wygal then stated that the
Provost of the General Academic Division and the Health Sciences
Division joined with him in suggesting that separate commencement
exercises be held by the two Divisions of the University in 1969 and
1970 primarily due to the lack of facilities to accommodate both
ceremonies at the same time. Hopefully, he said, in 1971 the new
Richmond Coliseum would be available. He also stated that the
Executive Committee recommended that the suggestion be approved
by the Board of Visitors and after a discussion thereof, on motion
duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, separate commencement
exercises for the years 1969 and 1970 were approved.
Colonel Heil then reported on behalf of the Health
Sciences Division and stated that various faculty matters as well
as gifts and grants for November had been considered and approved
by the Executive Committee and that information in connection there-
with had been distributed to all of the Visitors.
Colonel Heil then presented Dr. Kinloch Nelson, Dean of
the School of Medicine, who presented a report with respect to
admissions and enrollment which was reviewed with interest by the
Board of Visitors, no action in connection therewith being required.
Moving to the next item on the Agenda, The Chairman
asked Dr. Brooke to present the report of the General Academic
Division. Dr. Brooke then explained that various faculty matters
had been approved by the Executive Committee and information with
respect thereto distributed to the Visitors. He also stated that
faculty salary ranges and administrative supplements as proposed
by him had been considered by the Executive Committee and approval
thereof was recommended. The matter was then developed in some
detail by Dr. Brooke with the assistance of Mr. Crooks, after which
on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the proposed
salary ranges and administrative supplements were approved subject
to approval by the State Division of Personnel.
Mr. Holmes of the General Academic Division then presented
a general report with respect to the affairs of his office which
required no action.
The meeting then adjourned for lunch following which
Representatives of the firm of Schechter & Luth, Inc. made a
visual presentation to the Board of various designs which would not
only be used by the University in its seal but would also be
adapted to various other visual presentations intended to convey the
image of the University. One design was tentatively approved with
some change being suggested, with an additional presentation to be
made on January 24, 1969.
Thereupon, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously
carried, the meeting went into Executive session, after which Mr.
Wayne explained that while the Screening Committee had continued to
interview nominees for the position of President, a recommendation
could not be made at this time but that he was most hopeful that
when the Board meets on January 24, 1969, the Committee will be in
a position to present a nominee with a recommendation that he be
selected.
Mr. Dabney then read to the meeting a letter received
from Dr. R. Blackwell Smith dated January 8, 1969 in which he
tendered his resignation as Provost, Health Sciences Division,
effective July 1, 1969 "or as soon as an appropriate successor
can be appointed and take office." On motion duly made, seconded
and unanimously carried, the resignation of Dr. Smith was
accepted with regret, such resignation to be effective at the time
set forth in Dr. Smith's letter.
Mr. Dabney then proceeded and read a recommendation from
Dr. Paul S. Larson, Head of the Department of Pharmacology, stating
that Dr. Smith's present appointment as Professor of Pharmacology
would terminate June 30, 1970 and that it was his desire to extend
the appointment for six years beyond that date, granting to him the
salary of a full Professor, beginning July 1, 1969, or on whatever
other date his resignation as Provost becomes effective. The
recommendation of Dr. Paul S. Larson was thereupon, on motion duly
made, seconded and unanimously carried, approved and authorized.
It was then determined that a special meeting of the
Board would be held on January 24, 1969, no further notice thereof
being required.
There being no further business to come before the meeting:
the same on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried,
adjourned.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES of
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
PURPOSES
Virginia Commonwealth University shall endeavor to provide an
educational environment nurturing and stimulating teaching, research
and service. Sensitive to the needs of urban life in the Commonwealth,
it will strive to promote the pursuit of knowledge and the dissemina-
tion of professional skills.
OBJECTIVES
1. To identify and anticipate urban problems; to advance
experimentation and open-ended attitudes in their solution through
appropriate research, and to develop the university as a planning and
resource center for urban living.
2. To commit itself to creative and varied programs of
teaching, research, and consultation, contributing to the improvement
of the quality of life within urban communities.
3. To promote and develop programs of continuing and graduate
education relevant to contemporary society.
)4 To provide an educational climate which will stimulate
in the student a lifelong commitment to learning and service; which
will develop competence and motivation to work toward the
realization of individual and community potentials; and which will
set for the student an example of excellence.
5. To develop and maintain an environment of educational
excellence that will attract and motivate faculty to pursue their
work in accordance with the highest educational standards.
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6. To recognize the imaginative power of the arts and
humanities in reflecting the problems and aspirations of society and
of the human condition; to acknowledge the role of the arts in
changing behavior, and to provide opportunities throughout the
University and the Commonwealth to maximize their relevance, both
individually in the self-realization of the student, and publicly,
in exhibition and performance.
7. To complement existing institutions of higher learning
by providing programs of a uniquely urban character, thus enhancing
the educational opportunities of the Commonwealth.
