MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
July 19, 1979
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University
was held on Thursday, July 19, 1979, at 9:00 a.m. in the School of Business Auditorium
at 1015 Floyd Avenue. This meeting was the first open meeting of the Board of Visitors
in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Present were Drs. Blanton, Butt, Gayle, Johnson and Nemuth; Messrs. Balfour,
Bliley, Grey, Seaborn and Wyatt; and Mesdames Bemiss, Fewell, Satterfield and
Thalhimer. Mr. Shumate was absent. Also present were Drs. Ackell, Beller, Hall,
Wilson and Woods; Messrs. Bruegman, Guerdon and Ross; Miss Mills and Mrs. Price.
Dr. Blanton called the meeting to order and introduced the four new members of
the Board: Mrs. FitzGerald Bemiss, Mr. Daniel Balfour, Dr. Thomas Butt and Mr. Jack
Wyatt.
At this time, representatives of the Save Our Homes Organization stood and asked
to be placed on the agenda. Dr. Blanton resumed order and asked members of the organi-
zation to be seated so that the first order of business might be discussed.
Dr. Gayle presented the ad hoc committee's recommendations on the ground rules
for the Board's proceedings during the open meetings. Following a discussion, on
motion made and seconded, the recommendations were approved.
On motion made and seconded, the following minutes were approved: Special Meeting of the Student Affairs Committee, held May 14, 1979; Special Meeting of the Academic
Policy Committee, held May 15, 1979; Special Meeting of the Property Committee, held
May 15, 1979; Special Meeting of the Board of Visitors, held May 16, 1979; Regular
Meeting of the Board of Visitors, held May 17, 1979; Special Meeting of the Property
Committee, held June 15, 1979; Special Meeting of the Hospital Committee, held June 21,
1979; Special Meeting of the Audit Committee, held June 22, 1979; and Special Meeting
of the Executive Committee, held June 29, 1979.
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The Report of the President followed. Dr. Ackell presented these issues to
the Board:
1. There has been a considerable increase in grant funding
for VCU during the past year. Over the past five years,
VCU's grant monies have doubled from $12 million to $24
million.
2. The Athletic Council has been restructured in terms of
membership with approximately one-third of the membership
changing each year. In addition, there is greater faculty
and student representation on the Council.
3. Dr. Ackell announced that the Association of Governing Boards
will be holding its Trustee Workshop in Dallas on October 29
and 30, 1979. It is his hope that some members of our Board
will be able to attend.
4. The Six-Year Curricular plan, which was previously approved
by the Board, has a proposal included in it creating a
School of Graduate Studies. Dr. Ackell indicated that he is
pursuing this idea as he continues to review the overall
organization.
5. Dr. Ackell stated that the MCV Foundation had made a $1 million
contribution to the Cancer Center on the MCV Campus.
6. Enrollment figures are steady and are on target with our pro-
jections. Approximately 8,000 students are registered for
summer session classes this year.
7. Dr. Ackell called on Mr. Donald Bruegman to present a status report
of the 1980-82 biennial budget process. The presentation included
a statement of the University's goals and objectives for the
1980-82 biennium, an analysis of the general fund target and a
summary of the target addendum issues being considered.
The Report of the President was interrupted twice by representatives of the
Save Our Homes Organization. On motion made and seconded, the Board granted their
spokesman, Mr. Earl Jenkins, six minutes to address the members of the Board. Following Mr. Jenkins' presentation, on motion made, seconded, and approved, the Oregon Hill
matter was referred to the appropriate Board committee.
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Dr. Nemuth, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, presented the nominations
of officers for the 1979-80 year: Dr. Wyndham B. Blanton, Jr., Rector; Mrs. David
E. Satterfield, III, Vice-Rector; and Mr. James L. Seaborn, Jr., Secretary. The
Nominating Committee then presented the nominations for the Executive Committee:
Dr. Blanton, Mrs. Satterfield, Mr. Seaborn, Mr. Thomas J. Bliley, Jr., Dr. Harold I.
Nemuth, Mr. Robert J. Grey, and Mr. Stuart Shumate. On motion made and seconded,
the nominations were approved as submitted.
As a new member of the Executive Committee, Dr. Nemuth commended Drs. Ackell
and Blanton for their composure during the Save Our Homes Organization presentation
earlier in the meeting.
Mr. James Guerdon reported on Contracts Signed Since the May Board of Visitors'
meeting. On motion made and seconded, the Report of Contracts Signed Since the May
Board Meeting were approved with Messrs. Grey and Seaborn abstaining.
On motion made and seconded, the 1979-80 School of Medicine Salary Scales were
approved.
The Compensation Plan for 1979-80 was presented by Mr. Donald Bruegman. Following a discussion, on motion made and seconded, the Compensation Plan was approved
Dr. Lauren Woods presented the Private Practice Plans for the Department of
Physical Therapy and the School of Dentistry. On motion made and seconded, the
Private Practice Plans for Physical Therapy and Dentistry were approved.
The Board Charges for 1979-80 were presented by Mr. James Guerdon. On motion
made and seconded, the Board Charges were approved.
Dr. Blanton presented the Report of the Executive Committee. At its meeting
on June 29, 1979, the increase in MCV Hospital room rates and the MCV Hospital
budget proposal were approved.
Mrs. Anne Satterfield reported on behalf of the Academic Policy Committee which
recommended the approval of the Academic Integrity Policy. This Academic Campus
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policy defines academic dishonesty and provides a procedure for judging alleged
violators of academic integrity. Following a discussion, on motion made and
seconded, the Academic Integrity Policy was approved by the Board with an under-
standing that a review will be conducted at the end of the first semester to
determine the students' comprehension of the policy. This policy will be dis-
tributed to all Academic Campus students at the beginning of the Fall semester.
Following a coffee break, the Report of the Audit Committee was presented by
Mr. James Seaborn. This committee had had two meetings since the last Board meeting.
Mr. Seaborn reported that at their meeting on June 22, 1979, the Peat, Marwick and
Mitchell management letter was discussed. There were three major areas of concern:
(1) access to payroll files; (2) student accounting system deficiencies; and (3)
security in the computer center. At the June 29 meeting, members of the Audit Com-
mittee discussed candidates for the Internal Audit Manager position. On motion made
and seconded, the Report of the Audit Committee was accepted by the Board.
Mr. Grey reported on behalf of the Hospital Committee. He stated that this
committee had reviewed four medical audits at its last meeting (abdominoperineal
resection for carcinoma of the rectum/anus, outpatient otitis, radiation therapy and
tonsillectomy). The Hospital Committee also approved privileges for practicing
physicians on the MCV Campus, as well as privileges for physicians 65 years of age
or older and nurse practitioners. Mr. Grey requested that the full Board approve
the privileges for physicians 65 years of age or older and nurse practitioners. On
motion made and seconded, the privileges for physicians 65 years of age or older
and nurse practitioners were approved. Mr. Grey also reported that the Hospital Com-
mittee had very carefully reviewed and approved the MCVH operating budget and the
increase in hospital rates. On motion made and seconded, the Report of the Hospital
Committee was accepted by the Board.
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The Student Affairs Committee had no report to make at this time.
On motion made and seconded, it was approved that the Board go into closed
session to discuss certain personnel matters involving the performance of identifi-
able employees or faculty of our institution, and to discuss pending litigation
with Mr. David Ross, and to discuss the condition, acquisition, and use of property,
and to discuss matters relating to gifts, bequests, and fund raising activities as
authorized by section 2.1 - 344 a(1), a(2), a(6), and a(7) of the Freedom of Infor-
mation Act.
The meeting was adjourned for executive session at 11:00 a.m.
Following the executive session, on motion made and seconded, the Report of the
Legal Advisor, the Faculty Appointments and Changes in Status, the Report of Gifts,
Grants and Contracts, the Report of the Property Committee, the Appointment of Con-
tinuing Faculty - Academic Campus, the Appointment of Continuing Faculty - MCV Campus,
the Appointment of Clinical and Adjunct Faculty for 1979-80 - MCV Campus, Physicians
and Dentists Recommended for Practice Privileges in MCV Hospitals and Associate Out-
patient Clinics, Appointment of Continuing Administration and the appointment of Mr.
James Johnson as Manager of Internal Audit were approved. Mr. Grey abstained from
the vote of the Continuing Faculty - Academic Campus and Drs. Blanton, Gayle and
Nemuth abstained from the vote on the Appointment of Clinical and Adjunct Faculty
for 1979-80 - MCV Campus and Physicians and Dentists Recommended for Practice Privi-
leges in MCV Hospitals and Associate Outpatient Clinics.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 p.m.
Approved:
