MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
July 18, 1985
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Common-
wealth University was held on Thursday, July 18, 1985, at 9 a.m. in the
University Meeting Center.
Present were Mesdames Abady and Whittemore; Messrs. Berry, Farin-
holt, Gregory, Grey, Lipman, Ludeman, Morris, Reynolds, Smith and
Wurtzel; and Dr. Moore. Absent were Mr. Allen, Mrs. Bemiss and Dr.
Holland. Also present were Drs. Ackell, Connell, Ruch and Wilson;
Messrs. Brown, Bruegman, Ross and Ware; and Mrs. Price.
Mr. Smith called the meeting to order and welcomed all those
present. On motion made and seconded, the Minutes of a Special Meeting
of the Board held on May 15, 1985, the Minutes of a Regular Meeting of
the Board held on May 16, 1985, and the Minutes of a Special Meeting of
the Board held on June 19, 1985, were approved as submitted.
The Report of the President followed. Dr. Ackell reported on the
following items:
1. Dr. Ackell stated that two new deans are joining the Uni-
versity this month. Dr. Lindsay M. Hunt, Jr. is the new Dean
of the School of Dentistry. Dr. Hunt is from Emory Universi-
ty and started here July 1. Dr. Stephen M. Ayres from St.
Louis University will join VCU on July 15, 1985, as Dean of
the School of Medicine. Dr. Ackell welcomed both of these
distinguished men to VCU.
2. Dr. Ackell reported that a team of researchers in the School
of Basic Health Sciences has been awarded $2.24 million to
study how chemicals and drugs affect health by altering the
body's immune system. The funding was awarded by the Nation-
al Toxicology Program, which has designated the researchers
to run its laboratory for immunological research. Projects
under investigation have included the effects of a dioxin
found in a commonly used commercial pesticide. Another pro-
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ject has investigated the relationship between the usage of
marijuana and the frequency and severity of herpes infec-
tions.
3. Dr. Ackell stated that VCU's enrollment for the 1984-85
school year was almost exactly as projected. Final enrollment reports indicate that VCU is within two-tenths of one
percent of meeting the 1984-85 enrollment projections. This
was done without altering academic standards and can be
attributed to more rapid admissions processing and more
aggressive recruitment. Actual FTE enrollment was 15,412
compared to the projection of 15,445.
4. Dr. Ackell reported on the article in the Richmond News Lead-
er in which he was interviewed on NCAA Proposition 48. In
June, Dr. Ackell attended the NCAA integrity convention in
New Orleans, where the legislation known as Proposition 48
was discussed. This would greatly reform academic requirements for student athletes signed to a grant-in-aid by a
Division I school. Dr. Ackell believes college presidents
will support this strongly. The gist of the discussions has
always been that if students are going to be athletes, then
they're going to have to be educated athletes. While all
schools will encounter some difficulties if Proposition 48 is
endorsed in its entirety, Dr. Ackell firmly believes that
universities must bite the bullet and support academic reform
in Athletics.
5. Dr. Ackell reported that MCV Hospitals has been designated as
one of 19 leading trauma centers in the United States in an
article in the July Readers Digest. MCV Hospitals received
the designation on the basis of its record in caring for
patients and the resources it commits to treating the
injured.
6. Dr. Ackell stated that last autumn VCU began the study of
archeological sites of Curles Neck, part of Sir Thomas Dale's
Bermuda Hundred Corporation of 1613. More than 36 important
sites of the Prehistoric, Colonial and Federal periods have
been discovered. Curles was one of the great Randolph plan-
tations of the 18th century, and a seat of colonial Virgin-
ia's James River aristocracy. It was destroyed in the early
19th century.
This summer, VCU archeologists and students concentrated on
exposing the remains of the Randolph Manor house and its
major dependencies. The news media was invited for an on-
site tour and will be able to see displays of many of the
artifacts unearthed during the excavation.
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7. Dr. Ackell reported that the Children's Miracle Network
Telethon has raised more than $110,000 to benefit MCV Hospi-
tals' Children's Medical Center and Children's Hospital.
Money raised will be used for medical, surgical and rehabili-
tative treatment and also, to offset the cost of care for
those who cannot afford to pay.
8. Dr. Ackell stated that paleopathologists from VCU recently
announced their findings from studies of 8,000-year-old
Chilean mummies, the oldest mummies found in the world. The
researchers are Dr. Monique Fouant and Dr. Enrique Gerszten
of the Pathology Department. They worked with Dr. Marvin
Allison, who retired from the Pathology Department two years
ago to work in Chile. Their research has attracted worldwide
attention and was presented at the first Symposium on Paleo-
pathology held here.
9. Dr. Ackell stated that three VCU faculty members have recent-
ly received significant awards:
Dr. Boyd M. Berry, Associate Professor of English, has been
awarded an American Council of Learned Societies fellowship.
Dr. Louis S. Harris, Chairman of the Department of Phar-
macology and Toxicology, was awarded the Nathan B. Eddy Memo-
rial Award. It is the highest international award given to
an individual for achievements in drug abuse research.
Dr. James W. Putney, Jr., Professor in Pharmacology and Toxi-
cology, has been elected a Fellow of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science.
10. Dr. Ackell reported that VCU was the site of two Elderhostel
programs this summer. Elderhostel is a short-term study
program for persons aged 60 and older on college campuses
throughout the world. One of the programs took place on the
MCV Campus, which is the only medical campus participating in
Elderhostel.
11. Dr. Ackell stated that VCU again ranks in the top 100
research universities in the United States, according to a
recent issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education. VCU ranks
73rd in research and development and 80th in total federal
obligations.
12. Dr. Ackell reported that VCU's development office achieved
record results this past year. Total gifts were $6.1 mil-
lion, excluding unpaid pledges, compared to $3.1 million in
1983-84. The Mary Kapp bequest of $1.7 million was one of
the 125 largest gifts to higher education in the country this
past year.
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13. Dr. Ackell announced that he would like to join Mr. Smith in
welcoming Mr. Gregory and Mr. Wurtzel to the Board and looks
forward to working with them in the future.
Mr. Smith extended congratulations to Mr. Ludeman and Mrs.
Whittemore on their recent reappointment to the Board and welcomed Mr.
Roger Gregory and Mr. Alan Wurtzel, newly appointed members of the
Board.
Mr. Bruegman presented the Report of Contracts. Following a brief
description of the major contracts, on motion made and seconded, the
Report of Contracts was ratified with Messrs. Gregory and Morris and
Mrs. Whittemore abstaining.
Mrs. Whittemore reported for the Academic Policy Committee. She
stated that this Committee had not met since the last Board meeting.
On motion made and seconded, the Minutes of a Meeting of the Academic
Policy Committee held on May 15, 1985, were approved.
Mr. Ludeman reported for the Advancement Committee. He stated
that this Committee had not met since the last meeting of the Board.
On motion made and seconded, the Minutes of a Meeting of the Advancement Committee held on May 7, 1985, were approved
Mr. Morris reported for the Audit Committee which met on July 17,
1985. He stated that the purpose of this meeting was to review
follow-up audits and to receive a report from Mr. John Houston, the
State's Internal Auditor, on VCU's Internal Audit Department. Mr.
Morris noted that the remainder of his report would be made in
executive session. On motion made and seconded, the Report of the
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Audit Committee was accepted and the Minutes of a Meeting held on May
15, 1985, were approved.
Mrs. Abady reported for the Hospital Committee which met on June
13, 1985. She stated that Mr. Peter Rapp, Interim Executive Director
of the Hospital, presented a very positive report on the cash collec-
tions and accounts receivable. Mrs. Abady also stated that the Com-
mittee reviewed the recommendations of the Joint Commission. She noted
that the Committee did not have a quorum, but she and Dr. Gayle were
present and requested Board approval of the revised Medical Staff
Bylaws. On motion made and seconded, the Medical Staff Bylaws were
approved. Mrs. Abady also noted that the Committee reviewed the
departmental and consultative privileges for members of the staff and
these would be reviewed during executive session. On motion made and
seconded, the Report of the Hospital Committee was accepted and the
Minutes of a Meeting held June 13, 1985, as amended, were approved.
Mr. Farinholt reported for the Property Committee which met on
June 19, 1985. He stated that three projects were approved for pre-
planning studies. They include renovations for undergraduate laborato-
ries and patient screening areas in the Lyons Building and the Wood
Memorial Building for the School of Dentistry, the demolition, con-
struction and renovation program on the MCV Campus, and the site
improvements and landscaping for the total University. Additionally,
the firm of Marcellus Wright, Cox and Smith was approved for the inte-
rior design program for North Hospital. The Committee also approved
the purchase of a local area network-distributed computer system for
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the Academic Campus, as well as a NMR for research purposes on the MCV
Campus. Mr. Farinholt noted that the Committee ratified the construc-
tion contract for the renovations on the third floor of Main Hospital
to accommodate the installation of the larger NMR (to be used for
patient care) and the contract with Marcellus Wright, Cox and Smith to
complete and close out the MCV Main Hospital Project. Mr. Farinholt
stated that the remainder of the Property Committee report would be
given during executive session. On motion made and seconded, the
Report of the Property Committee was accepted and the Minutes of a
Meeting held on June 19, 1985, were approved.
Mr. Reynolds reported that the Student Affairs Committee had not
held a meeting since the last Board meeting.
Mr. Reynolds, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, reported for
that Committee which consisted of Messrs. Ludeman and Smith and Mrs.
Bemiss. The Committee nominated Mr. Grey as Vice-Rector, Mr. Farinholt
as Secretary, and Messrs. Berry, Lipman, Ludeman, Morris and Reynolds,
and Mrs. Whittemore as members of the Executive Committee. A motion
was made, seconded and approved to accept the Report of the Nominating
Committee, close the nominations and elect the slate as presented by
acclimation.
Following the election, Mr. Smith reported that the following
committee chairs had been selected: Academic Policy, Mrs. Whittemore;
Advancement, Mr. Ludeman; Audit, Mr. Morris; Hospital, Mr. Reynolds;
Property, Mr. Berry; and Student Affairs, Mr. Lipman.
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On motion made and seconded, the Board convened into executive
session to discuss certain personnel matters involving the performance
of identifiable employees or faculty of VCU, and to discuss the evalua-
tion of performance of departments or schools of VCU where such matters
regarding such individuals might be affected by such evaluation, and to
discuss pending litigation with its attorney, and to discuss the condi-
tion, acquisition or use of real property, and to discuss matters
relating to gifts, bequests, and fund-raising activities as authorized
by Section 2.1-344 a(l), a(2), a(6), and a(7) of the Virginia Freedom
of Information Act.
Following executive session, on motion made and seconded, the
Board accepted the Report of the Legal Advisor; accepted the Report of
the President; approved Faculty Appointments and Changes in Status, the
Affiliate and Clinical Faculty Listings, and Full and Consultative
Hospital Privileges; accepted the Report of Gifts; accepted the Execu-
tive Session Committee Reports; and accepted the Report of the Ad Hoc
Committee on Compensation for the President.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
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Approved:
W. Roy Smith, Recto
