MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
September 21, 1972
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University was held on Thursday, September 21, 1972, at 9:00 a.m. in the
Board Room of Sanger Hall.
Present were all the members of the Board except Mr. Shumate, Mrs.
Stone and Dr. Thornton. Also present were Drs. Brandt, Brooke, Thomas Hall,
Smith, Willett, Wilson and Woods; Messrs. Ender, Holmes and Imirie, and
Misses Bobbitt and Cosby.
Dr. Blanton called the meeting to order. The following minutes were
approved on motion duly made and seconded: Regular Meeting of the Board of
Visitors, held July 20, 1972; Special Meeting of the Executive Committee,
held August 1, 1972; and Special Meeting of the Property Committee, held
September 5, 1972. There was some discussion of the Property Committee
meeting and the selection of the site for the PNAH building.
Following the report of the President, Mr. Sheffield asked what is
being done with the large amount of money given to the University to recruit
minority students. Dr. Brandt stated that there would be an answer to this
question at the next meeting of the Board.
Dr. Blanton mentioned that the notebooks distributed at the beginning
of the meeting were prepared in response to suggestions of the Executive
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Committee of the Board. The books will be brought up to date before each Board
meeting. It was suggested that the number of black students in the East Campus
schools be shown. Also, the amount of grant money the University receives should
be shown in the budget.
Dr. Blanton reported that he had appointed a committee composed of himself,
Mr. Dabney, Dr. Gwathmey, Mr. McGehee, Mr. Norris, Mr. Scott, Mr. Sheffield,
Mr. Temple and Mr. Turnbull to investigate the hospital situation so that a reply
could be made to the Governor before the end of September. He described the
meetings that had taken place and distributed copies of the committee's report.
He stated that the covering letter will be written soon. The committee hopes to
obtain an audience with the Governor to present the report and to answer any
questions. Mr. McGehee and Mr. Sheffield mentioned that they had been im-
pressed by the number of blacks in supervisory positions in the hospitals.
Mr. Obenshain suggested that the covering letter underline the Board's
confidence in the University administration and in the President. Also, the
letter should emphasize the responsibility of the Governor's staff to participate
in correcting some of these problems. On motion duly made and seconded, the
Report to the Governor was unanimously approved.
Mr. Scott, on behalf of the Hospital Committee, expressed appreciation
to Dr. Blanton for doing an excellent job as chairman of the Committee and for
preparing the material himself.
On motion duly made and seconded, the following resolution was unani-
mously adopted:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that paragraph 2.02(a) of Section 2
of the By-Laws of Virginia Commonwealth University be,
and it hereby is, amended by striking out said paragraph
in its entirety and by substituting in lieu thereof the
following:
"(a) Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the
Board of Visitors shall be held in each month on
such date and at such place in the City of Rich-
mond as may be set by the Rector. The July
meeting shall be deemed to be the Annual Meeting."
The Report on Gifts, Grants and Contracts was approved unanimously.
With regard to the hospital accounts, Mr. Holmes noted that about
$500,000 had been written off as uncollectable to date last year. The report
only shows $100,000 written off this year because of the change to the SHAS
system. Upon motion duly made and seconded, the report on Hospital Accounts
was unanimously approved.
Dr. Brandt described the need for a Division of Trauma. Dr. Gwathmey
suggested that there be a full-time surgeon in the Division of Trauma, and Dr.
Woods noted that the surgeon brought in next year would be assigned to the
emergency room full time. Following a lengthy discussion, it was moved,
seconded and unanimously approved to establish a Division of Trauma.
Dr. Gwathmey asked for an explanation of the difference between the
salaries of Dr. Boyd Haynes and Dr. Michael Flaherty. It was noted that in-
coming surgeons are usually given a larger base salary because they do not
have as large private practice income as those who have been with the institu-
tion for some time. Miss Keyser asked if any attempt is being made to hire
female professors outside the field of nursing. Dr. Brooke mentioned that
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there is pressure on the department chairmen to interview and hire women and
blacks. Mr. Scott questioned Dr. Giovannoni's part-time salary of $1,600
(20% of full time). Dr. Brooke said he would find the answer. On motion made
and seconded, the Faculty Appointments and Changes of Status were approved
unanimously.
Dr. Brandt presented the proposed enrollment projections that will be
submitted to the State Council of Higher Education. The enrollment projections
become the basis of the budget request and capital outlay projects. Mr. Temple
mentioned that, as an urban university and one created to meet educational needs
state-wide, we have different needs than most four-year institutions. It was
explained that these projections are re-done every two years in much greater
detail for such two-year period. It was moved, seconded and unanimously
passed to approve the enrollment projections limited to the total figure of
23,003 in the Fall of 1982.
It was moved that the proposed increase in hospital rates be adopted.
Following discussion, the motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
Dr. Thomas O. Hall, Jr. , with two members of the Ad Hoc Rules and
Procedures Committee, Miss Katherine Bobbitt and Mr. Kenneth Ender, presented
the Rules and Procedures document for approval. Following a lengthy discussion,
it was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the Rules and Procedures
become effective January 1, 1973. Mr. Turnbull, on behalf of the Board, expressed
appreciation to the Ad Hoc Committee for the work involved in writing the Rules
and Procedures.
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On motion duly made and seconded, the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, Wachovia Services, Inc. , of Winston-Salem,
North Carolina, is the billing and collection agent for National
Defense Student Loan accounts and Health Professions Loans
for the University
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Wachovia Bank and Trust
Company, N. A. Winston-Salem, N.C. (hereinafter called
Wachovia) be and hereby is designated a depository for these
funds and Wachovia is hereby authorized and requested to
honor and to charge to this University checks, drafts, and
other orders for the payment of money drawn in the name of
this University against funds of the University on deposit
with Wachovia when bearing the signatures of any one of
the following four (4) or their successors:
Raymond T. Holmes, Jr. , Vice President for Finance
Walter P. Lossing, Comptroller
W. Carter Childress, Treasurer
William J. Cosby, Chief Accountant (West Campus)
RESOLVED further that the provisions of this resolution
shall remain in full force and effect until specifically
rescinded or modified by resolution of the Board of Visitors
of Virginia Commonwealth University and a certified copy of
such resolution has been filed with Wachovia Bank and Trust
Company, N.A.
The Board expressed its apology to Dr. Watts for not being able to
hear his presentation.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m.
APPROVED: Secretary
Chairman
Report of the President to the Board of Visitors
September 21, 1972
Dr. Brandt discussed the progress on the new hospital. Mr. Craigie wants
to present the total project to the legislature at one time and show them the
schedule for issuing bonds. A schedule will be set up for administrators from
VCU to meet with legislators during the late fall.
We moved back into 910 West Franklin Street about the first of September.
Workmen are still in the building, but it is almost completed.
There is a definite space problem on the East Campus. We have rented some
space in the downtown area to house some of the hospital business operations.
The January session of the legislature is scheduled to be a revenue session.
We have been asked to provide a list of items of a "critical" nature for the
budget and a "mini-budget" request. Two things concern us a great deal: low
salaries and a service charge from the City of Richmond.
The Self-Study is moving along more slowly than we had anticipated. February
25, 26, and 27 are the dates for the site visit by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools. The printed document should be out before Christmas.
John Imirie reported on a problem which has been developing in the anesthesia
area of the hospital. We have met with the Executive Committee about this.
The salaries are not competitive with other hospitals in the area, and we keep
losing people. The long-term solution to this is to form a non-profit corporation
to contract nurse anesthetists to us. Right now, we are trying to get as many
as possible to work nights and weekends until the corporation is functioning.
We are also talking with other hospitals in case we have to close the emergency
room as far as surgery is concerned. The decision has not been made to close
anything. In reply to a question, Dr. Brandt noted that it would take about
$90,000 a year to solve this problem.
We recently received a letter from William Stone with a list of questions to be
answered at a hearing on October 23. We will send a copy to the members of
the Board.
Progress is still being made with the computer.
An Academic Master Plan Committee is being formed in the University to try
to list programs that should be planned and those that should not.
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There have been some possible sites on the East Campus for the VA hospital
discussed with officials from the VA and with David Satterfield, III. Mr.
Shytle is doing a lot for the VA, and we are getting greater cooperation from
them since he has been there.
Siegel's grocery stores will be giving coupons for a reduced price ticket to
VCU basketball games.
We have agreed to the Attorney General's request that Mr. Harold Boling,
Registrar, be used as an expert witness in the case of the professor at Virginia
State College whose contract was not renewed because of his lack of credentials.
The architects had planned to put the Department of Pharmacology into the
PNAH building. The legislative authorization for this building did not include
pharmacology. We went to Mr. Hamner, and he approved this inclusion.
The Secretary of HEW has been working on a welfare-social services program
and has asked our School of Social Work to sponsor the conference. It will
be held in November in Williamsburg.
In view of the discussion at the last Board meeting about Mrs. Clare Houghton,
Dr. Brooke noted that her appeal had been completed. We have decided not to
grant her tenure because of many reasons.
We have 26 students enrolled at VCU this fall under an "accelerated scholars"
program. These are high school students taking one or two courses for college
credit.
Dr. Roy McTarnaghan's announcement of his departure from the State Council
came as a surprise to us. This is a very unfortunate time for this as far as
higher education is concerned.
Some months ago, we employed a man to work on the telephone installations
and usage inside the institution. He has restricted all phones in the dormi-
tories to the centrex system and has installed pay phones. The estimated
savings per year from this one action will be $25,000.
Dr. Brandt described a very pleasant situation in which he was involved this
summer. He was invited to address the graduating class in patient counseling.
It was a very heart-warming ceremony in that each graduate expressed his
appreciation for the course through physical and verbal means.
