MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
May 20, 1976
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University was held on Thursday, May 20, 1976,
at 9:00 a.m. in the Sanger Hall Board Room.
Present were Drs. Blanton, Gayle and Gwathmey; Messrs.
Grey, Norris, Obenshain, Scott, Seaborn and Shumate; and
Mesdames Stone and Thalhimer. Absent were Messrs. Dabney,
McGehee and Morgan and Mrs. Satterfield. Also present were
Drs. Brooke, Neal, Temple and Willett; Mr. Holmes and Mesdames
Kincannon and Price.
Dr. Blanton called the meeting to order. He introduced
Dr. Sigsby W. Gayle, newly appointed member of the Board and
Mrs. Karen Kincannon, Legal Advisor to the President and
Board of Visitors.
On motion made and seconded, the minutes of a Regular
Meeting of the Board of Visitors, as amended, held April 15,
1976; a Special Meeting of the Hospital Liaison Committee,
held April 21, 1976; and a Special Meeting of the Property
Committee and the Student Affairs Committee, held May 3,
1976, were unanimously approved.
The Report of the President followed. During the
Report, on motion made and seconded, the concept set forth
in the report-A Comprehensive, Contemporary University for
Virginia was unanimously approved.
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The Report of the Hospital Quality Assurance Committee
followed.
Dr. Gwathmey presented the report of the Honorary
Degree Committee. Several changes in wording were suggested.
On motion made and seconded, the Report of the Honorary
Degree Committee, as amended, was unanimously approved.
Dr. Wilson presented materials on VCU's housing situation
and two proposed policy changes. Mr. Scott indicated that
there had been a joint meeting of the Property Committee and
the Student Affairs Committee and that these proposed changes
had been reviewed by these committees and approved. On
motion made and seconded, the Board directed that the
mandatory housing requirement for freshmen be temporarily
set aside, effective in the Fall of 1976. On motion made
and seconded, it was unanimously resolved that all undergraduate
students living in dormitories be required to participate in
the Board Plan effective in the Fall of 1977. (Students
living in the new apartment-type dormitories would be
exempt.)
Mr. Holmes presented the proposed tuition rates for
1976-77. These proposed increases had been presented to
the Executive Committee earlier and approved. Following a
discussion, on motion made and seconded, the Tuition and
Student Fees for 1976-77 were unanimously approved.
The proposal to change the name of the School of Community
Services had been tabled by the Academic Policy Committee
and was not presented to the Board.
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Mr. Kidd presented the proposed increases in Hospital
Rates. These proposed rates had been presented to the
Executive Committee earlier and approved. Following a
discussion, on motion made and seconded, the proposed Hospital
Rates were unanimously approved.
Dr. Howard Sparks presented the program proposal for a
Non-Traditional Studies Program at VCU and the Capital
Consortium for Continuing Higher Education. Following a
discussion, on motion made and seconded, the proposal for a
Non-Traditional Studies Program was unanimously approved.
The meeting adjourned for lunch and on majority vote of
the Board, an Executive Session was held.
Following lunch, Dr. Brooke presented a proposal to
name the entire Science/Education megastructure "Oliver
Hall." On motion made and seconded, the proposal to name the
entire building "Oliver Hall" was unanimously approved. Mr.
Scott requested that, at the next meeting of the Property
Committee, a discussion be held concerning the naming of
buildings.
Dr. Neal presented background information concerning
the Richmond Academy of Medicine electric utilities. On
motion made, seconded and unanimously approved, the administration
was requested to ask the Richmond Academy of Medicine to
install their own electric meter and pay the subsequent charges.
Mr. Holmes presented the Compensation Plan. Following
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a discussion, on motion made and seconded, the Compensation
Plan was unanimously approved.
Mr. Holmes presented the Report of Gifts, Grants and
Contracts. On motion made and seconded, the Report of
Gifts, Grants and Contracts was unanimously approved.
Mr. Holmes presented the Financial Statements. The
rd accepted the statements.
Dr. Neal presented the Continuing Faculty for the
Medical College of Virginia Campus. Following a discussion,
on motion made and seconded, the Continuing Faculty for the
MCV Campus, as amended, were unanimously approved.
Following a discussion, on motion made and seconded,
the Faculty Appointments and Changes in Status were unanimously
approved.
On motion made and seconded the following resolution
was unanimously approved:
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 307 of
the Acts of the General Assembly of Virginia of 1974,
the Treasury Board was authorized, by and with the
consent of the Governor, to sell and issue bonds of the
Commonwealth of Virginia in an aggregate principal
amount not exceeding $20,980,000 for the purpose of
providing funds, with any other available funds, for
paying the cost of acquiring or constructing revenue
producing capital projects at institutions of higher
learning of the Commonwealth, all in accordance with
the provisions of Section 9(c) of Article X of the
Constitution of Virginia; and
WHEREAS, said revenue producing capital projects
include the following project (the "Project") for
Virginia Commonwealth University:
Project Amount
Parking Facilities $4,900,000
and
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WHEREAS, the Treasury Board proposes to issue on or
about June 29, 1976, $19,555,000 of said bonds, designated
"Higher Educational Institutions Bonds, Series 1976"
(the "Bonds"), which include the sum of $4,900,000 to
finance the Project;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY:
Section 1. The Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth
University (the "Board") (a) convenants to fix, revise,
charge and collect rates, fees and charges for or in
connection with the use, occupation or services of the
Project, and (b) pledges the net revenues therefrom to
the payment of the principal of and the interest on
that portion of the Bonds issued to finance the Project.
The Board further covenants that such rates, fees and
charges will be fixed, revised, charged and collected
so that the net revenues from the Project will at all
times be sufficient to pay the principal of and the
interest on that portion of the Bonds issued to finance
the Project. Any such revenues in excess of the amounts
required for the payment of principal of and interest
on that portion of the Bonds issued to finance the
Project may be used by Virginia Commonwealth University
for any other proper purpose.
Section 2. It is hereby found, determined and declared
that, based upon responsible engineering and economic
estimates and as shown on the computation of available
net revenues attached hereto as Exhibit A, the anticipated
net revenues pledged above will be sufficient to pay
principal of and interest on that portion of the Bonds
issued to finance the Project.
Section 3. The Board covenants that Virginia Commonwealth
University will pay to the State Treasurer 30 days
before each semiannual interest payment date the amount
certified by the State Treasurer to be due and payable
for the payment of the principal of and the interest on
that portion of the Bonds issued on behalf of Virginia
Commonwealth University to finance the Project.
Section 4. The Board covenants to pay from time to
time Virginia Commonwealth University's proportionate
part of all expenses incurred in connection with the
sale and issuance of the Bonds and all expenses there-
after incurred in connection with the payment of the
principal of and the interest on the Bonds, all as
certified by the State Treasurer to Virginia Common-
wealth University.
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On motion made and seconded, the following resolution
was unanimously approved:
BE IT RESOLVED, that Virginia Commonwealth
University by its Vice President for Finance,
shall borrow $4,000,000 from the State Treasury.
The funds are to pay the construction costs of the
new dormitory for approximately 500 students,
Capital Item C-186, to be built at Pine and Main
Streets in Richmond, Virginia. The funds shall
be repaid when bonds are sold to provide permanent
financing for the dormitory.
Dr. Neal reported that the final payment had been made on
the loan for construction of the parking deck at 12th and Clay
Streets. The loan for this structure, completed in 1961, was
provided by the Medical College of Virginia Foundation. On
motion made and seconded, it was unanimously
RESOLVED that Virginia Commonwealth University
hereby expresses its sincere gratitude to the
Medical College of Virginia Foundation for the
invaluable contribution made to the physical
facilities of the University by the Foundation's
loan to finance construction of the parking deck
at 12th and Clay Streets.
Mr. Kidd presented a status report on the Medical
College of Virginia Hospitals.
The meeting adjourned at 2:15
Richard D. Obenshain, Secretary
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
May 20, 1976
1. Report-A Comprehensive, Contemporary University for Virginia
Dr. Temple called on Dr. Willett to discuss the final draft of the
report - "A Comprehensive, Contemporary University for Virginia."
Dr. Willett indicated that this was a major project and would
require a great deal of work by both the Board of Visitors and the
administration. Copies of the report were handed out and some
suggestions were made. It was agreed that the Ad Hoc Committee
which had worked with the administration on the report would be
able to review the final copy of the brochure.
2. Proposed Computer Merger
Dr. Temple reviewed for the Board how VCU stood at the present
time with regard to the directive from ADP to merge VCU's computer
system with the Community College system. Dr. Temple used a very
detailed slide presentation to show to the Board the proposed
organization and implementation of the merged computer systems.
3. School of Social Work
Dr. Temple called on Dr. Brooke to report that the Council on
Social Work Education had accredited the undergraduate program in
Social Welfare.
4. American Council on Education
Dr. Brooke also reported that the American Council on Education for
Journalism had accredited the news/editorial section of the Depart-
ment of Journalism. This Council does not accredit a program or
department but a sequence in a department or program.
5. Music/Theatre Building
Dr. Brooke stated that the music program accreditation was in
trouble because of facilities. Dr. Brooke reported that the adminis-
tration is working on a proposal which would scrap the plans for a
new building and would include the purchase of Grove Avenue Baptist
Church and the renovation of Shafer Street Playhouse and the Temple
Building. We have received cost estimates on these projects and
are meeting with the appropriate state officials to try and resolve
the problem.
