MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
HELD ON FEBRUARY 27, 1969
A special meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University was held on the 27th day of February,
1969 at 10:00 o'clock in the forenoon at No. 910 West Franklin
Street in the City of Richmond, Virginia pursuant to due notice.
Present were all of the members of the Board.
Present by invitation were Messrs. Fred O. Wygal,
Executive Administrator; Dr. Warren W. Brandt, President-elect;
Messrs. Heil, Crooks, Watts and Lyons of the Medical Center, and
Messrs. Brooke, Mapp, Lodge and Edwards of the Academic Center,
and Mrs. Edna F. Hodges.
Mr. Dabney served as Chairman of the meeting and Mr.
Brent as Secretary thereof.
The Rector then stated that as Dr. Brooke would have
to leave the meeting early, he would depart from the prepared
Agenda and begin with Item 4, the Report of the Academic Center.
He then called on Dr. Brooke.
Dr. Brooke thereupon introduced Dr. Richard Lodge who
presented a Report with respect to the School of Social Work,
and Mr. John A. Mapp who presented a Report in connection with
the Evening School.
Dr. Brooke then referred to the memorandum concerning
faculty matters dated February 20, 1969 and stated that the
memorandum had been approved by the Executive Committee but that
it had been necessary to make one correction thereto. This, he
said, related to the appointment of Charles Itzkovitz, Assistant
Professor of Social Work, who has an effective date of appoint-
ment of July 1, 1969 for 12 months with a salary of $11,520 in-
stead of September 1, 1969 for 10 months. On motion duly made,
seconded and unanimously carried, the faculty memorandum approved
by the Executive Committee as corrected was ratified, affirmed
and approved.
Dr. Brooke then explained that because of the pressure
of time, it would be desirable to mail employment contracts to all
members of the faculty of the Academic Division promptly but with
the clear understanding that such contracts would be subject to
the approval of the Board. He explained that the material in
connection therewith was not ready for presentation at this time.
It was unanimously agreed that it would be proper for Dr. Brooke
to proceed in the indicated manner with the understanding that
the employment of faculty would be brought to the next meeting
of the Board for consideration and action.
In concluding his report, Dr. Brooke stated that faculty
salary ranges and administrative supplements were being reviewed
and worked out with Dr. Brandt and that the recommendations
heretofore brought to the Board might be modified.
Proceeding with the regular order of the Agenda, Mr.
Wygal then referred to his written report and submitted by
title for the information of the Visitors that portion thereof
relating to the Comprehensive Planning Study of the University.
He then turned to the proposed Plan for merging the two
Schools of Nursing which was discussed in detail and after which
on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the matter
was carried forward to the next meeting with the request that in
the meantime, Dr. Brandt review the proposal in order that he
might submit a recommendation with respect thereto to the next
meeting of the Board.
Mr. Wygal then reviewed that portion of his report
relating to the Proposal for Awarding Honorary Degrees and after
consideration thereof, the granting of Honorary Degrees was
approved in principle with the Administration being requested to
appoint a Committee including a representative of the Board of
Visitors to develop policy and guidelines in the granting of such
Degrees, such policy and guidelines to be submitted to the Board
of Visitors for approval.
In concluding his Report, Mr. Wygan then presented by
title for the information of the Board a "Report of Out of State
Students with Tuition Grants Provided by their Respective State
Governments", the "Status of Negotiations between VISR and VCU",
and the "Progress Report of the Identification Implementation
Committee."
In connection with the VISR matter, Mr. Wygal stated
that it appeared highly desirable for one member of the Board
to be appointed to work with a counterpart from the Board of the
Institute in order that the arrangement between the two
Institutions might be formalized. In connection with the
Identification Implementation Committee, Mr. Wygal stated that
Mr. Brent had been asked to determine what action would have to
be taken to protect the Identification Symbol and Seal of the
University.
Thereupon, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously
carried, the meeting went into Executive Session.
On behalf of the Property Committee Mr. McGehee thereupon
reported that the Universal Leaf Tobacco Company had inquired
as to whether the University would be interested in Universal
constructing a dormitory on approximately 4.4 acres of land owned
by it on the east side of Belvedere Street between the State
Penitentiary and the War Memorial with a view to the same being
leased to the University. After a discussion thereof, on motion
duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the proposal was
referred to the Administration for investigation and recommendation
to the Committee with Board action to follow if necessary.
Mr. McGehee then stated that the plans for the proposed
Education Building had not been approved by the State Art
Commission because the University did not have available a
Master Site Plan. The need for such Plan was generally discussed,
after which on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried,
the Master Planning Committee was asked to re-examine the matter
in cooperation with the Administration and to move ahead as
quickly as possible in arranging for a Master Site Plan to be
developed.
With further reference to the report of the Property
Committee, Mr. Crooks then reminded the Board that the American
Tobacco Company had offered to sell its research laboratory
property at Maury Street and Petersburg Pike, with a value of
approximately 1,000,000, to the University for 250,000. As
the matter had not been fully developed, on motion duly made,
seconded and unanimously carried, action in connection therewith
was deferred and the proposal was carried forward to the next
meeting in order that the desirability of the University acquiring
the property might be more fully explored.
With further reference to the Property Report, Mr.
McGehee stated that the Administration proposed that Lee, King
and Poole be appointed as Architects for the construction of the
dormitory to be located in the block bounded by Main, Laurel,
Cary and Pine Streets. He stated that the Administration also
desired permission to file application for the maximum loan
available from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare
for construction of the dormitory which would amount to approxi-
mately $2,580,000. He stated that both proposals met with the
approval of the Property Committee and on motion duly made, se-
conded and unanimously carried, the appointment of Lee, King and
Poole as Architects for the proposed dormitory and the application
for the maximum loan available from the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare in connection with the construction thereof
were both authorized and approved.
Additional discussion then followed with respect to the
Master Site Plan, the observation being made that it was
important for all of the buildings being constructed by the
University to be related to an overall plan in functional as
well as aesthetic respects.
Continuing with the Property Committee Report, Mr.
McGehee stated that it was proposed that Rhoads Hall be air
conditioned at a cost of approximately 100,000. He explained
that the building had been designed to accommodate air conditioning
but that the additional money was needed to complete the work in
this respect. Thereupon, on motion duly made, seconded and
unanimously carried, air conditioning of Rhoads Hall at a cost of
approximately 100,000 was authorized with the necessary funds
to be borrowed from the Campus Development Fund and repaid without
interest at the rate of 20,000 per year from the additional
income which will result from the air conditioning of the building.
Thereupon, on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously
carried, the following dormitory charge schedule recommended by
the Property Committee was approved:
REGULAR SESSION
(Rates for the School Year)
Present Propose
Rhoads Hall (Air conditioned) 410 440
Johnson Hall 400 4l0
Other dormitories for women 400 400
Dormitories for men350 -. 400
SUMMER SESSION
(Rates per Week)
Rhoads Hall (Air conditioned) Double 12 15
Single 18
Other dormitories
(not air conditioned)
Double occupancy $ 12 12
Single occupancy 15
Mr. McGehee then reviewed the current status of the
proposed widening of Harrison Street which he stated was
scheduled to be considered by City Council later in the day. The
proposed widening was considered in some detail after which on
motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, the Property
Committee was requested to have a Representative of the University
present in order to request that the proposed widening be deferred
until such time as the University's Master Site Plan was developed
but with the understanding that no buildings would be constructed
in the meantime along Harrison Street which might interfere with
such widening without the City being advised of such construction.
It was then stated that the Richmond Metropolitan Authority
had agreed to permit the University to use its right-of-way
between Harrison and Belvedere Streets for parking and recreational
purposes without any charge, the use of such property, however,
to be subject to cancellation on 30 days' notice from the Authority.
The University would assume, it was explained, the cost of
grading or any other improvements necessary to make the land
usable as well as the cost of liability insurance coverage.
With respect to the Student Activities Committee, Mrs.
Thalhimer stated that the position of the University with respect
to the use of alcoholic beverages on the campus did not appear
to be entirely clear. On motion duly made, seconded and
unanimously carried, it was then determined that the University
should conform to the requirements of state law in this respect
and that the Administration should in addition adopt such
regulations as it deemed to be necessary.
In concluding her report, Mrs. Thalhimer also stated
that the students were giving active consideration to the
establishment of sororities and fraternities on the campus and
that it appeared that a proposal might be presented to the Board
in this connection in the not too distant future.
Mr. Wayne then advised the Board that as he expects to
be out of the City for approximately 10 weeks beginning March 1,
he felt compelled to resign as Chairman of the Executive
Committee.
The Rector then announced that he had appointed Mr. Eppa
Hunton to replace Mr. Wayne as Chairman of the Executive Committee
to serve until the Annual Meeting of the Board to be held in May.
Mr. Wayne then stated that he had received a memorandum
from Colonel Heil requesting that further consideration be given
to the designation of the Health Sciences Complex as the "Medical
Center, Virginia Commonwealth University", whereupon, by unanimous
consent the matter was referred to the Executive Committee for
consideration and recommendation.
On motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried,
the meeting then continued in open session.
On behalf of the Health Sciences Division, Colonel Heil
then stated that various faculty matters had been approved by
the Executive Committee as well as the Memorandum of Gifts, Grants
and Contracts which he therefore submitted by title for the
information of the Visitors.
Colonel Heil then called on Dr. Lyons, Dean of the Dental
School, who reviewed the work of his School and its history. This
was followed by a presentation by Dr. Watts, Dean of the Graduate
School in connection with the work of his Department and what
might be expected in the future.
Mr. Crooks then presented his Report and called attention
to the fact that a proposed loan from the Commonwealth of
$400,000 in connection with the additional floors being added
to Sanger Hall and of $800,000 in connection with the new Dental
Building had both been approved by the Executive Committee as well
as the report of the Hospital Accounts Committee, all of which
were therefore presented by title for information.
Dr. Brandt then commented briefly on the affairs of the
University and advised the Board that he had reserved February
4, 1970 with the Clerk of the House of Delegates for a meeting of
Representatives of the University with members of the General
Assembly.
The Rector then announced that the next meeting of the
Board would be held on March 27, 1969 at 10:00 o'clock in the
forenoon in the Board Room, Sanger Hall, Medical Center.
There being no further business to come before the meeting,
the same on motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried,
adjourned.
