MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
Held July 15 , 1971
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University was held Thursday, July 15, 1971, at 10:00 a.m. in the President's
Dining Room in the Hibbs Building on the Academic Division campus.
Present were all members of the Board except Miss Keyser, Mr. McGehee,
Dr. Mullen, Mr. Sheffield and Mr. Turnbull. Present by invitation were
Drs. Brandt, Brooke, Fleshood, Neal, Westermann, Willett, Wilson, Woods
and Yingling; Messrs. Dunn, Felder, Holmes, Imirie and Ware; and Miss
Cosby.
Mr. Wilson called the meeting to order. The Minutes of a Regular
Meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University were
corrected as follows: Page 2, Paragraph 2, should read, "Mr. William O.
Edwards" instead of "Mr. William D. Edwards." On motion made, seconded,
and unanimously passed, the following minutes were approved: A Regular
Meeting of the Board of Visitors held May 20, 1971, and a Special Meeting of
the Executive Committee held June 22, 1971.
There was a discussion on the Statement of Tenure, and the final
copy of the document was distributed.
Dr. Harland W. Westermann, Dean of the School of Community Services,
presented a Program Review of the School of Community Services. There was
some discussion on his plans for the school.
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Dr. Doris B. Yingling, Dean of the School of Nursing, was introduced
by Dr. Brandt. A report on the School of Nursing was distributed, and Dr.
Yingling stressed the School's need for better facilities.
Following a discussion on Dr. Yingling's report, Mr. Tyree Felder,
Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, discussed the varied problems in the
personnel field. A discussion was held on the innovations that VCU could
make in the field of Adult Education for its employees. Mr. Felder announced
that the east campus Employee Learning Center is already in operation and that
the Center on the west campus will be operating some time after August 1, 1971
The Hospital Accounts Report was presented by Mr. Raymond T. Holmes,
Jr. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously approved by
the Board.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously approved
the Report on Gifts, Grants and Contracts.
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously adopted, the Faculty
Appointments and Changes in Status were approved.
There was discussion concerning the appointment of high-ranking
University officials without the Board having previously met them. There was
general concurrence that the Board does not have to meet any new appointees
below the rank of Vice President, but that Board members should be given an
opportunity to meet high-ranking appointees as soon as possible after their
appointments.
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The recommendations relating to the Richmond Eye and Ear Hospital
were presented by Dr. Brandt. Dr. Pinson Neal discussed some of the feelings
of the department head at MCV. Most are strongly in favor of a cooperative
effort between MCV and the Richmond Eye and Ear Hospital. It was suggested
that Page 2, Item 2, of the recommendations, should be changed to read, "That
all physicians who participate in the hospital be qualified to be MCV/VCU
faculty. . ." Also, the second paragraph on Page 2 should be changed to
read, "It is also recognized that if it is not possible to reach essentially
this type of agreement, the educational purposes and objectives of MCV/VCU
will require the development of its own facility." On motion duly made and
seconded, the Board unanimously approved the recommendations with the above
changes. The Board asked the administration to proceed with the recommen-
dations as soon as possible.
Mr. Wilson announced that the Governor had reappointed three Board
members: Mrs. Stone, Mr. Scott and Mr. Dabney. The Governor also
appointed Mr. George William Norris to the Board; he will replace Dr. James
W. Mullen, H.
Mr. James Dunn presented a Report on Annual Fund Planning which had
been requested at the previous Board meeting.
The report of the Nominating Committee was presented by Dr. Gwathmey.
The committee presented the following recommendations for the officers of the
Board during the ensuing year: Rector - Mr. Wilson; Vice Rector - Mr. Scott;
Secretary - Mr. Obenshain. On motion duly made and seconded, the
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recommendations of the Nominating Committee were adopted and these
officers were unanimously elected. The Nominating Committee proposed the
following members to serve as the Executive Committee during the ensuing
year: Dr. Gwathmey and Messrs. Dabney, Obenshain, Scott, Sheffield,
Turnbull and Wilson. On motion duly made and seconded, the foregoing were
unanimously elected. Mr. Wilson expressed his feelings that the Rector
should have a short term and stated that, therefore, this will be his last
year as Rector.
There was a brief presentation of the Sorority and Fraternity Statement
by Dr. Brandt and some discussion concerning the off-campus housing policy.
On motion duly made and seconded, the Fraternity and Sorority Statement was
adopted, with Mr. Obenshain dissenting.
The Role in Health Care Delivery Systems was presented. There was
some discussion as to the extent to which a medical school should be involved
in the delivery of health care in the community. Dr. Woods gave some back-
ground on the nature of the operation of a health maintenance organization.
Dr. Blanton stated that the last request for a Federal grant was hurried, that
it was not presented to peer groups before it was released and that this type
of operation is so large that it should not remain strictly in the Department of
Preventive Medicine. It was generally agreed that other medical groups in
the Richmond area should be informed about the project. There was general
concurrence that the Health Sciences Division should develop a model for
health care and that funds for this type of development be obtained through
any channel that seems appropriate.
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The following resolution was unanimously adopted on motion made
and seconded:
WHEREAS the Board of Visitors is vested by statute with
the responsibility for hiring members of the faculty and other
personnel and for terminating such appointments; and
WHEREAS the Board has been advised that this responsi-
bility may be delegated to the President of the University;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Visitors
delegates to the President of the University the responsi-
bility for terminating faculty appointments and for termin-
ating the employment of other personnel, in the manner
set forth in the Statement of Tenure adopted by the Board of
Visitors on May 20, 1971.
On motion made, seconded, and unanimously passed, the Budget for
1971- 72 was approved.
There was a suggestion that the buses that run between the campuses
be painted so that VCU will make a better impression on the community.
In response to a question, the Board was informed that during the
coming year, the basketball team will play three games at the Coliseum.
Dr. Brandt informed the Board that the University calendar for 1972-73
will have the first semester completed before Christmas. Students will return
about mid-January, and commencement will be held in one program at the
Coliseum around mid-May.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
The next regular meeting of the Board will be held on Thursday,
September 16, 1971, at 10:00 a.m. in the Board Room of Sanger Hall on the
Health Sciences Division Campus.
APPROVED:
Secretary
Report of the President to the Board of Visitors
July 15, 1971
Dr. Brandt described the visit of the Governor and the Advisory Committee on
the Budget to tour both campuses. The Capital Outlay Request was made to
the Governor and the Committee at that time. There was a change in scope of
the hospital from an $18 million facility to a $35 million facility. Architectural
firms have been interviewed recently. By November 1, 1971, we must have a
very solid definition of what is going to be in the hospital so that the Governor
can present it to the legislature in January, 1972.
Dr. Brandt has received a letter of encouragement from the Governor concerning
the VA Hospital. Appointments have been set up in Washington, D. C., with
various Senators and Congressmen to work with us on this project. If any of
the Board members could contact Congressmen or any officials in the VA, it
would be very helpful.
With regard to the Cancer Research Institute, Dr. Brandt feels that it will be
detrimental to our interests to have UVa in on the planning. To have a Board
of the Institute would help considerably. There has been a suggestion to
name it after J. Sargeant Reynolds.
The Belle Bryan Day Nursery will be closing August 31, 1971. We have a
request in to the Division of Engineering and Buildings to acquire the property.
Mr. Dabney and Dr. Brandt met at the Seaboard Building for the State Council
of Higher Education with regard to enrollment projections for the next ten
years. The Capital Outlay Request for 1972-74 is in accord with the projections.
The State Council of Higher Education has been looking at low-productivity
graduate degree programs. VCU has a number of such programs. A detailed
letter to Dr. Roy McTarnaghan has been prepared by Dr. Brandt, and a copy
of it will be sent to the Board members.
If Board members wish to use the Library, they need only identify themselves
as Board members, and they will be accorded faculty privileges.
As of this time, the Wayne Medal is not in medal form. The original cast of
the medal is to be presented to Mr. Wayne. A note was read from Mr. Eppa
Hunton thanking the Board for the Edward A. Wayne Medal of VCU.
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A service pin for VCU is being developed. There will be a fall celebration
to honor the first recipients of the pin, which will be white on yellow gold
with the Seal of the University on it.
The student situation has been quiet this summer. There will probably be
more of the black-white confrontation this coming year than we had last year.
People have begun to move into the Pollak Building. The School of Business
building is doing well, but following the strike, it never has gotten back on
schedule. We are hoping to have some classrooms completed by the opening
of school in the fall. No offices will be completed by that time, nor will the
Computer Center. The architectural firm has been selected for the Education
and Science Building. The dormitory is beginning slowly because Lee, King,
& Poole have been chosen for so many projects now at VCU. There is no
architectural firm as of yet for the Fine Arts Center. The library on the east
campus is under construction. The construction on Sanger Hall is out for
bids, due back August 15. The planning group is still working on the parking
facilities.
This summer, Dr. and Mrs. Brandt have been trying to make the Richmond
community more aware of what VCU is doing. They have had two successful
dinner-theater parties and are planning more.
An inventory of equipment is being taken, due to the need for Federal grants.
A problem in the telephone area has been identified.
An Institutional Self Study will be made during the coming year. After it has
been completed, the Southern Association will come to VCU with a team of
about 25 persons to see if the evaluation has been done effectively.
Dr. Brandt then gave the Board a brief overview of the concept of a "University
Without Walls." There was general concurrence that VCU should request funds
in the budget for such a study and that VCU is probably the most logical place
in the State for such a program.
The computer situation was discussed at length. We are having many difficulties
in obtaining an adequate computer system.
Dr. Harry Lyons and Dr. Brandt have had one meeting about making Dr. Lyons
a liaison man in Washington, D. C. He would spend about one day a week
in Washington and help VCU personnel with any problems they have there.
Also, he would keep his eye on any new funds that become available.
Presidents of State institutions are collecting non-State funds for a campaign
this fall to sell higher education to the public in Virginia. There will be a
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preliminary meeting on July 29, 1971, for the Rector and the President. On
September 1, 1971, a meeting will be held for the Presidents and as many of
their respective Board members as possible on this joint informational effort.
.
Since State agencies have been asked not to entertain the members of the
legislature this year while it is in session, plans are being made to contact legislators during November and December.
legislators during November and December.
Mr. Gerard McCabe has expressed his appreciation to Mr. Virginius Dabney
for his gift of books to the James Branch Cabell Library.
