MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
March 21, 1974
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University was held on Thursday, March 21, 1974, at 9:00 a.m. in the Board
Room of Sanger Hall.
Present were Drs. Blanton and Gwathmey, and Messrs. Bradley,
Dabney, McGehee, Norris, Scott, Shumate and Turnbull. Miss Keyser,
Mrs. Stone, Dr. Thornton and Messrs. Obenshain, Seaborn and Sheffield
were absent. Also present were Drs. Brandt, Brooke, Fleshood, Willett,
Wilson and Woods; Messrs. Holmes, Imirie and Temple, and Miss Cosby.
Dr. Blanton called the meeting to order. On motion made and
seconded, the minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Visitors, held
February 21, 1974, and a Special Meeting of the Property Committee, held
February 22, 1974, were approved unanimously. Dr. Blanton requested an
executive session of the Board immediately following the regular meeting.
Following the report of the President, on motion made and seconded,
and after discussion, the Faculty Planning document was tabled indefinitely.
On motion made and seconded, the Affirmative Action Plan for Equal
Employment Opportunity was approved unanimously.
On Page V-5 of the Faculty Appointments and Changes of Status,
Dr. Brooke pointed out that Irving Franke is not having his contract renewed.
This is his first year with the University, and he may raise some questions.
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A typographical error, "contract now renewed," was changed to "contract
not renewed." On motion made and seconded, the Faculty Appointments
and Changes of Status were approved unanimously. Dr. Gwathmey inquired
about Dr. Lewis Bosher, Jr., and Dr. Woods noted that he is being recommended
for promotion after 17 years as an Associate Professor.
On motion made and seconded, the report of Gifts, Grants and
Contracts was accepted unanimously.
Mr. Norris asked about the IMPACT booklet recently distributed.
Someone had commented to him that it was a fund-raising program. The
brochure is supposed to be a five-year annual report, not a fund-raising
device. Mr. Scott requested that the names of the laymen connected with
the institution be published in documents of this type.
On motion made and seconded, the following resolution was approved
unanimously:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Vice-President for
Finance is authorized to borrow as needed a sum
not to exceed $7,500,000 from the State Treasury
at the rate of 4% per annum. These funds are to
pay the construction costs of the Student Center
on the West Campus, Capital Item C-299 of the
1972 Appropriation Act. The funds will be repaid
when bonds are sold to provide permanent financing
for the facility.
Dr. Blanton pointed out that the meeting of the Hospital Quality
Assurance Committee was postponed until March 28 so there was no report
to be made.
Dr. Warren E. Weaver, Dean of the School of Pharmacy, reported
that the School has the largest number enrolled in the three years of the
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program--266 students, of whom 104 are female, 8 are black and 7 are non-
Virginia residents. This year, senior students have been placed in practice
with 78 pharmacists in Virginia and West Virginia. From a research point of
view, the School has more federal grant, contract and research dollars than
in recent years. The largest sum is in the form of an individual grant from
the FDA. The Virginia Drug Information Center has been initiated this past
year. Dr. Weaver has publicized the challenge gift from Mr. Robins to
pharmacists throughout the state and has encouraged them to write personal
notes to Mr. Robins.
The Board then went into executive session.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Secretary
APPROVED:
Chairman
Report of the President to the Board of Visitors
March 21, 1974
Dr. Brandt discussed the service award ceremonies which were held recently.
Several Board members received five-year pins, and Mr. Eppa Hunton, IV,
received a 30-year pin at the banquet.
Dr. Brandt distributed copies of a letter from Delegate Marshall Coleman
concerning House Bill 3 on the Freedom of Information Act. Senate Bill 121
dealing with the strengthening of the State Council of Higher Education for
Virginia was approved by the General Assembly, but it reserved some authority
to the Boards of Visitors and some to the General Assembly. Having the
General Assembly making decisions about degree programs and space seems
to get somewhat removed from the duties of a legislature.
The craze of streaking has arrived on the VCU Campus. On March 19 from
about 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., there were 30 or 40 streakers and a couple
of hundred spectators on the 800 block West Franklin Street. There was
not much noise. However, the city police arrested about 17 people. The
streakers were in violation of the law, but the students got upset over police
brutality. The police were very uptight, and the Commonwealth's Attorney
was almost frightening. Dr. Brandt has a meeting with Mr. Jack Fulton after
the Board meeting and wants to meet with city police officials, also.
About a year ago, we submitted a proposal to SCHEV for an M.A. degree pro-
gram in English. Before going to the State Council, we checked with the
Dean of Graduate Studies and the head of the English Department at Virginia
State College to see if they had any concerns about our starting such a pro-
gram, and they had none. Several months after our proposal was turned down
by SCHEV, we learned that President Russell had opposed the program without
indicating any objections to us. Dr. Brandt wrote President Russell on Octo-
ber 22, 1973, that we planned to appeal the decision of SCHEV and asking if
he had any objections. To date, no reply has been received. Submitting
the appeal is standard procedure, and Virginia State has used it. We sent
Dr. Russell a carbon copy of our request to appeal, and Dr. Marvin has written
Dr. Brandt saying that he has followed the proper steps in requesting an appeal.
Dr. Russell released the carbon of Dr. Brandt's letter to the press. We have
not asked that anything be done about the English program at Virginia State,
only for approval of our program. However, if the program is turned down
on the basis that there should be only one such program, then we feel the
State Council should examine both programs to determine which program
should be kept. We make our appeal on April 2.
Mr. McGehee asked that the Board receive a list of the degrees and their
productivity at the end of each academic year, and this will be done.
