MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
January 18, 1973
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University was held on Thursday, January 18, 1973, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 149
of Sanger Hall.
Present were Drs. Blanton, Gwathmey and Thornton; and Messrs.
Dabney, McGehee, Norris, Obenshain, Scott, Seaborn, Shumate, Temple and
Turnbull; and Miss Keyser and Mrs. Stone. Mr. Sheffield was absent. Also
present were Drs. Brandt, Brooke, Fleshood, Neal, Smith, Willett, Wilson
and Woods; Messrs. Holmes and Imirie; and Miss Cosby.
Dr. Blanton called the meeting to order and announced that, due to
an extremely heavy agenda, the reports of Dr. DiBiaggio, Dr. Fleshood and
Mr. Mapp would not be presented at the meeting.
The minutes of the meeting of the Academic Policy Committee, held
on December 13, 1972, were amended to include the hour that the meeting
convened, 2:00 p.m. On motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of
special meetings of the Executive Committee, held December 7 and 8, 1972,
special meetings of the Property Committee, held December 8 and 20, 1972,
and a special meeting of the Academic Policy Committee, held December 13,
1972, were approved unanimously.
On motion duly made and seconded, the following resolution was
approved unanimously:
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RESOLVED, that the income received from the
Estate of Isaac Davenport has been applied strictly
in accordance with the terms of the Will during the
calendar year 1972;
FURTHER RESOLVED, that all future remittances
from said Estate will be applied likewise.
It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the report of
Gifts, Grants and Contracts be adopted. The spelling of A. H. Robins Co.
was corrected.
On Page 4 of the Faculty Appointments and Changes of Status, under
the section on Terminations, the title of Dr. Donald L. Martin was corrected
to Clinical Instructor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Woods pointed out
to the Board that Dr. E. Clifford Nelson was being given the title of Professor
Emeritus. On motion duly made and seconded, the Faculty Appointments and
Changes of Status were approved unanimously.
Mr. Temple requested that the Board of Visitors be informed when
faculty members are being given tenure.
Following the report of the President, the Board went into Executive
session, with Drs. Brandt and Willett remaining.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
Secretary
APPROVED:
Report of the President to the Board of Visitors
January 18, 1973
Dr. Brandt mentioned that he and Dr. Blanton attended a meeting with
Mr. Eppa Hunton, IV, Dr. Earle Strickland, Dr. Philip Minor and Dr.
Charles Caravati concerning fund raising activities. Another meeting
of the same group is to be held on January 18.
The State grievance procedures for classified employees seem to have
most all of the necessary controls in them and will be distributed to
all classified employees. Grievance procedures for faculty members
are still being formulated.
The Sickle Cell Anemia Clinic was opened recently. Governor Holton
made a presentation at the opening ceremonies.
Dr. Daniel Marvin of the State Council of Higher Education is anxious
to see the Consortia for Continuing Education move ahead.
Applications for admission for the West Campus are running consider-
ably below last year. We are watching this very carefully as it will
affect budgeting.
Dr. Brandt reported on the incident involving a nurse and an intern
being arrested for disorderly conduct. The case went to court, and
the couple was found guilty on all four charges. They have indicated
that they will file an appeal but, so far, this has not been done.
There is a continuing problem with regard to security. There was a
rape on the MCV Campus recently. Employees and students resent
being asked for identification by police officers, but it is the only
way to maintain security.
On January 15, 1973, at 8:00 p.m. in the Board Room of Sanger Hall,
Dr. Blanton and Mr. Shumate met with Drs. Brandt, Smith and Willett
and Mr. Richard Gehlsen of Ellerbe Architects. Mr. Gehlsen presented
possible solutions to the problem of the hospital entrance necessitated
by the possibility of the White House of the Confederacy putting its
museum on the Ruffner lot and not making this property available to
VCU. After reviewing these plans at great length, it was acknowledged
that none of the alternatives was acceptable.
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Dr. Blanton, Mr. Dabney and Mr. Shumate met with Mrs. Brockenbrough
Lamb, Mrs. Frank D. Williams, Jr. and Mr. Thomas Boushall on January
16, 1973, at 12:00 noon. After a thorough discussion of the problems of
the location of the museum of the White House of the Confederacy and
the entrance and view from the front of the hospital, the following were
proposed with acceptance from the representatives of the White House of
the Confederacy:
1. Assuming the possibility, VCU would obtain an
option to purchase the Richmond Academy of
Medicine property;
2. VCU would give assurance to the White House
of the Confederacy that VCU had funds with which
to exercise that option;
3. VCU would provide some parking on its parking
deck;
4. Following these steps, the White House of the
Confederacy agrees to put the entire question in
the hands of its architects working in conjunction
with VCU's architects from which specific adjustments in quality of transferred property, etc.,
could be worked out.
Late in February, about 35 or 50 people will make a site visit to VCU on
the Self-Study. When the Self-Study is printed, copies will be mailed
to the Board of Visitors. The President of the University of Houston will
be Chairman of the team making the site visit. We anticipate receiving
helpful comments from the group.
Working drawings for the Education and Science Building will not be sub-
mitted until April. The addition to Sanger Hall has been moving along
well, but the last floor that was poured does not meet specifications.
This will slow down the progress being made.
The budget bill is in the legislature and includes money for library re-
sources and for continuing planning for the Pharmacy, Nursing, and
Allied Health Building.
Some VCU employees appeared before the House Appropriations Committee
with Ed Lane and Dr. Smith. Dr. Brandt was unable to participate. The
employees made a good presentation. The State is proposing to give a 20
percent increase in pay to craft areas of employment. This will be very
helpful, but it will still not bring us into competitive rates.
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VCU has been trying to address many groups on the proposed hospital
construction and renovation package. A luncheon was held with many
influential businessmen, and Richmond area legislators attended an-
other luncheon. Presentations have also been made to the Chamber of
Commerce, the Forum Club and the Health Facilities Commission. A
public hearing was held on January 16 before the House Appropriations
and Senate Finance Committees. Dr. Hume made the presentation which
was well received.
