MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
Held on October 1, 1970
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University was held on the 1st day of October at ten o'clock in the forenoon
in the President's Dining Room of the Hibbs Building on the Academic
Division campus.
Present were all members of the Board except Dr. Mullen; Messrs.
McGehee and Obenshain.
Present by invitation were Drs. Brandt, Brooke, Burgart, Smith,
Weaver, Wilson, Woods; Messrs. Edwards, Holmes, Imirie, Ware; and
Miss Wilkinson.
Mr. Wilson served as Chairman due to the resignation of Mr.
Hunton; Miss Wilkinson served as Acting Secretary in the absence of
Mr. Obenshain.
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried the minutes
of a regular meeting on June 4, a regular meeting on July 23 , a meeting of
the Finance Committee on July 30, and a special meeting of the Board on
August 3 were approved as distributed.
Mr. Wilson announced that Mr. Hunton had resigned from the
Board of Visitors as a result of the recent Conflict of Interest Laws. He
then asked Mr. Dabney, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, to present
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the recommendations of the Nominating Committee to fill the vacancies
as a result of Mr. Hunton's resignation. His report follows:
Your Nominating Committee submits the following
names for officers of the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University:
Rector Mr. Robert A. Wilson
Vice Rector Mr. S. Buford Scott
And for the vacancy on the Executive Committee:
Dr. Owen Gwathmey
Signed:
C. Coleman McGehee
John H. Temple
Virginius Dabney
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried the report was adopted.
Mr. Wilson then appointed a committee, chaired by Mr. Turnbull to suggest
appropriate gestures of appreciation to Mr. Hunton for his many years of
service to MCV and VCU. Mr. Scott and Mr. Temple were appointed to
serve on this committee. Mr. Wilson requested that the committee prepare
its recommendations to be presented to the Executive Committee within
approximately two weeks.
Mr. Wilson, assuming his new duties as Rector of the Board,
thanked the members of the Board for the confidence expressed in him by
electing him to this new position.
Dr. Herbert J. Burgart, Dean, School of the Arts, and Dr.
Warren E. Weaver, Dean, School of Pharmacy, presented interesting and
informative reports regarding the progress of their schools.
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The Rector then called on the President to present his report,
a copy of which is attached to the minutes.
Following the President's Report, Dr. Brandt presented a set
of Interim Rules and Procedures for the approval of the Board of Visitors.
He explained that the Attorney General's Office had advised the adminis-
tration to draw up a statement which would stand up in the courts; the
current rules and procedures were inadequate. Being late in the summer
with many people away on vacation, members of the administration, with
legal advice from the Attorney General's Office, developed the set of
Interim Rules and Procedures to be used until a permanent set of rules
can be drawn up with the input from all elements of the University
community. Mr. James Elam, President of the West Campus Student
Government Association; his assistant, Mr. George Gardner; and Dr.
Thomas O. Hall, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Rules and
Procedures, were invited to participate in this part of the meeting. Mr.
Elam presented an amended statement of Interim Rules and Procedures
which had been developed by the SGA of the Academic Division with
legal assistance. Dr. Wilson then proposed the substitution of some of
these amendments into the original set of Interim Rules and Procedures.
The Interim Rules and Procedures, with the amendments proposed by Dr.
Wilson, were adopted on motion made, seconded, and unanimously
carried. A copy of the Interim Rules and Procedures is attached. The
Student Government Association was commended for its work by Dr.
Wilson and Mr. Temple on behalf of the Board.
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Mr. Temple expressed hope that this type of cooperation
from the Student Government Association would continue, rather than
that which was indicated in earlier publications from the SGA Office.
The following resolution was adopted on motion made,
seconded, and unanimously approved:
WHEREAS, Virginia Commonwealth University,
a public educational institution, organized and existing
under and by virtue of the laws of the Commonwealth
of Virginia (herein called the "Grantee"), has heretofore
submitted an application to the United States of America,
Department of Housing and Urban Development (herein
called the "Government"), for a Grant under Title IV of
the Housing Act of 1950, as amended, for the purposes
designated in the said application; and
WHEREAS, the Government has approved the
said application subject to certain conditions and has
submitted to the Grantee a certain Grant Agreement
dated as of September 1, 1970, (herein called the
"Grant Agreement"), for approval and execution by the
Grantee, which said Grant Agreement is satisfactory,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by
the Board of Visitors of the Grantee that the said
Grant Agreement is hereby approved. The Vice
President for Finance is hereby authorized and
directed to execute the said Grant Agreement in the
name and on behalf of the Grantee, in as many
counterparts as may be necessary, and the Secretary,
is hereby authorized and directed to affix or impress
the official seal of the Grantee thereon and to attest
the same. The proper officer is directed to forward
the said Executed counterparts of the said Grant
Agreement to the Government, together with such
other documents evidencing the approval and
authorization to execute the same as may be required
by the Government.
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A proposed reorganization of the School of Dentistry was
adopted on motion made, seconded, and unanimously passed.
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried, the
report of gifts and grants was adopted.
The Hospital Accounts Committee report was adopted on
motion made, seconded, and unanimously passed.
The following resolution was adopted on motion made,
seconded, and unanimously passed:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Visitors
of Virginia Commonwealth University hereby delegate
to the President or his designate the power to make
any rules and regulations and orders relating to
parking, regulation of traffic, the operation of motor
vehicles, on and upon the property awned by Virginia
Commonwealth University, including the establish-
ment of signs and the publication of rules, which
power is conferred upon the Board of Visitors by
Section 23-9.2:3 (A) (3) of the Code of Virginia of
1950 as amended. The President or his designate
shall not establish any rules, regulations, and
orders which conflict with the laws of the Common-
wealth or ordinances of the City. Penalties for
violating such rules and regulations and orders
shall be fixed by general order of the President or
his designate.
The faculty appointments and changes of status were adopted
on motion made, seconded, and unanimously carried.
The By-laws, Rules, and Regulations of the Medical Staff
of the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals were approved on motion
made, seconded, and unanimously carried. Changes included substitutin
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the word "active" in all places where "full-time" had been used; and
"adjunct" to replace "associate."
Mr. Temple requested that members of the Board actively
support the new constitution.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:55.
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE BOARD OF VISITORS
October 1, 1970
1. Dr. Brandt distributed an organization chart for the information of the
Board members.
2. Dr. Brandt indicated that he had met with the Appropriations Committee
again.
3. Enrollment figures from each campus were passed out and reviewed.
The total students on both campuses for the 1970 fall term was
14,182.
4. The Student Retreat was held the weekend of September 26. Dr.
Brandt reported that the members of the administration felt it
was a beneficial meeting. Mr. Sheffield, who also attended,
also felt it was a good meeting. He pointed out several areas
of concern to the students at the present time.
5. With regard to the building activities, Dr. Brandt reported that the
physical education building on the West campus is in use; the
gym on the East campus should be completed within the next couple
of months. The library is open, and the student usage of this
facility is amazing. Also, we are moving into more detailed
planning on the dormitory.
6. The Master Site Plan is in the Governor's Office. It is scheduled
for presentation to the Art Commission tomorrow. Doug Hamner,
State Director of Engineering and Buildings, has communicated
a list of 42 areas in which there are objections to the Plan.
7. Dr. Brandt attended a meeting of the National Action Committee
for Drug Education to which he was recently appointed. He
indicated that this has been a very interesting experience for him.
8. Gradual progress is being made in the computer area.
9. The Budget which was approved by the Board at its last meeting
was presented to the Budget Office last week.
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10. The Richmond Symphony is financing one-half of the expense in
order to bring a String Quartet to VCU.
11. During the past year, a Student Affairs Committee of the Board
of Visitors was appointed to meet periodically with students.
This was handled extremely well and proved to be quite beneficial. Dr. Brandt recommended that this be continued. He also
indicated that this type of communication with the faculty might
prove beneficial. The Council on Faculty Affairs of the Univer-
sity Assembly recommended to the Assembly that it propose to
the Governor the appointment of faculty members to the Board of
Visitors. Dr. Brandt met with members of the Council regarding
the proposal and found that this is, more or less, an attempt to
strengthen communications with the Board. The Council is
working up an ultimate recommendation.
12. A disability income plan has been made available to the faculty;
this is not a benefit financed by the University.
13. Student voting for visitation in the dormitory has taken place and
the Visitation Policy is being implemented with no real complica-
tions.
14. Fund raising is underway to finance the televising of some of
the VCU basketball games.
15. A public hearing regarding the Veterans Administration Hospital
was held last week; there was some very good support present.
16. Dr. Brandt indicated that plans would be made to take members
of the Board on an educational tour of each division of the
University and of the hospital. This will be planned on three
separate days.
17. The campaign to raise $600,000 for a Real Estate Chair is
progressing. Since the Eminant Scholars Fund will match the
funds raised, the effort is to raise $300,000.
18. When asked about the dedication of the James Branch Cabell
Library, Dr. Brandt indicated that this would be done at a
later date.
