MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS
OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
November 1, 1991
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Com-
monwealth University was held on Friday, November 1, 1991, at 9
a.m. in the University Meeting Center.
Present were Drs. Moore (Rector), Berenguer, Holland,
Johnson and Peay ; Messrs. Dombalis, Gregory, Meador, Siegel,
Townes, Whitworth and Wurtzel; and Mesdames Abady and Epps.
Messrs. Arenstein and Ferguson were absent. Also present were
Drs. Trani, Dewey, Harris, Jones, Ruch, Schexnider and Wilson;
Messrs. Bruegman, Poe and Ross; and Mesdames Price and Yeaman.
Dr. Moore called the meeting to order.
The Report of the President followed. Dr. Trani introduced
the following people:
Dr. Louis S. Harris, Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, is one of the recipients of the Governor's Award for
Anti-Drug Efforts. The award was established by Governor Wilder
to recognize individuals or organizations "throughout the Common-
wealth whose hard work and dedication are helping to promote a
drug-free life for all Virginians".
Dr. Randall Rowland, Assistant Professor of Periodontics, has re-
ceived a grant of $517,859 from the National Institutes of Health to
research "HIV Infection: Host Factors in Acute Periodontal Disease".
The purpose of this grant will be to investigate the nature of necro-
tizing ulcerative gingivitis and attempt to obtain further under-
standing of the disease processes involved in periodontal disease as
well as further understanding of the opportunistic nature of bacteri-
al infection during HIV infection.
Ms. Judith B. Collins, Director of the Office of Health Policy at
MCVH, has been named by the YWCA as one of 10 Outstanding Wom-
en of Greater Richmond for 1991. Ms. Collins examines issues such
as AIDS, ethics, and medical care for the indigent and for women
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and children. She has received a Robert Wood Johnson Health Poli-
cy Fellowship in Washington and has been a liaison between MCVH
and the State government. Ms. Collins is also a nurse clinician, an
obstetrics and gynecology nurse practitioner and an associate profes-
sor in the School of Nursing, Department of Maternal and Child Nurs-
ing.
Dr. Everette L. May, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology
and Toxicology, has been named by the American Chemical Society
as the recipient of the Alfred Burger Award in Medicinal Chemis-
try. This award is one of the national society's major recognitions
of significant contributions in the area of chemistry.
Dr. Robert Hobbs, a specialist in American Art created before 1950,
has been selected to fill the Rhoda Thalhimer Endowed Chair in Art
History. Dr. Hobbs is a curator, scholar and author, and will teach
graduate and undergraduate classes in the Department of Art Histo-
ry and will help develop a doctoral program for the Department. He
joined the Art History faculty this fall and is the first person to
fill the Chair. Dr. Hobbs has written or edited a dozen books in-
cluding "Edward Hopper" published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , in
conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution. He also has curated 27
exhibitions. Dr. Hobbs is co-curator of an exhibit on abstract
expressionist Richard Pousette-Dart. The Richard Pousette-Dart
Retrospective Exhibition opens at the Philips Collection in Washing-
ton, D. C. in January.
Mr. Dan M. Dean, Jr., Director of Campus Police, accepted the
Annual Governor's Crime Prevention Award Certificate. The Gover-
nor's Program is to recognize counties, cities, colleges and univer-
sities, as well as public housing and media, where crime prevention
programs have been recognized as exemplary. VCU was one of only
four colleges and universities in the Commonwealth to be recognized.
The others were UVA, Virginia Tech, and Mary Washing-
ton.
Officers Jamie Atkins, Linda Matthews and Jon Achren were present-
ed the Police Department Meritorious Service Award for their partici-
pation in the August 9, 1991, apprehension of suspects.
Mr. Whitworth discussed the Meeting concerning the Council
of Visitors held October 8, 1991. An upcoming bond referendum was
discussed. On motion made and seconded, the Board endorsed, in
principle, the concept of the referendum.
On motion made and seconded, the Resolution for Contract
Signing Authority for the Treasurer was approved. The Resolution
is as follows:
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WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of Visitors of Virgin-
ia Commonwealth University that the person who holds the office of
Treasurer of Virginia Commonwealth University be vested with the
authority to sign and execute checks, drafts, and other similar
orders for the payment of monies from any and all accounts, funds
and other similar sources owned, controlled, maintained by or en-
trusted to the University, and to transfer, convert, endorse, sell,
assign, set over and deliver any and all shares of stocks, bonds,
debentures, notes, subscription warrants, stock, purchase warrants,
evidences of indebtedness, or other securities now or hereafter
standing in the name of or owned by Virginia Commonwealth Univer-
sity and to make, execute and deliver any and all written instruments
of assignment and transfer necessary or proper to effectuate the
authority hereby conferred; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Alwyn D. Mottesheard currently serves at
the incumbent Treasurer of Virginia Commonwealth University,
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Visi-
tors of Virginia Commonwealth University that the Treasurer of the
University, and the current incumbent, Alwyn D. Mottesheard, be
and is hereby authorized, in furtherance of the proper business and
financial affairs of the University, to sign and execute, checks,
drafts, and other such documents and orders as may be necessary
to facilitate the payment of monies from any and all accounts, funds
or other similar sources owned, controlled, maintained by or entrust-
ed to Virginia Commonwealth University, and to transfer, endorse,
sell, assign, set over and deliver any and all shares of stocks,
bonds, debentures, notes, subscription warrants, stock purchase
warrants, evidences of indebtedness or other securities now or here-
after standing in the name of or owned by Virginia Commonwealth
University and to make, execute and deliver any and all written
instruments of assignment and transfer necessary or proper to effec-
tuate the authority hereby conferred.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this
resolution is in full force and effect and that all persons shall be
entitled, without further inquiry or investigation and regardless of
the date of such certificate, to assume and to act in reliance upon
the assumption that the authority of this resolution is still in full
force and effect.
On motion made and seconded, the following items were ap-
proved:
Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Visitors
held September 20, 1991
Minutes of a Meeting of the Audit Committee held
September 20, 1991
Minutes of a Meeting of the Finance and Investment
Committee held September 19, 1991
Minutes of a Meeting of the Hospital Committee held
September 19, 1991
Capital Equipment Release
First Quarter 1991-92
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Minutes of a Meeting of the Property Committee held
September 19, 1991
Lease Amendment for Parking Space
Minutes of a Meeting of the Student Affairs Committee
held September 19, 1991
Minutes of a Meeting of the Academic Policy Committee
held September 19, 1991
Request for Name Change:
School of Medicine
Department of Radiology,
Division of Radiation Physics
and Radiation Biology to
Division of Radiation Physics and Biology
Minutes of a Meeting of the Advancement Committee held
September 20, 1991
The following items were submitted for information:
Advancement Committee submitted Governmental Relations
Report, Alumni Activities Report, African American
Alumni Council and the University Relations Report
Finance and Investment Committee submitted Consolidated
Quarterly Budget Performance Report, Financial Statis-
tics: Comparative Data
Hospital Committee submitted Review of Financials July 1 -
August 31, 1991, MCV Clinical Activities Report, Over-
view of MCVH General Marketing Activities
Property Committee submitted the Notification of Contract
Award concerning MCV Campus Parking Deck, Capital
Project Status Report
Student Affairs Committee submitted Enrollment Projections,
Retention and Graduation Rates Among Undergraduates,
Student Affairs - Annual Report, Knight Commission
Video
Academic Policy Committee submitted Review of General
Education Requirements, MCV Clinical Activities Report,
Report of Research Grants Received,
Accreditation Reports
School of the Arts, Department of Interior Design and
the School of Education
The Capital Outlay Priorities report was presented. On Octo-
ber 2, VCU's Administration was asked to meet with Secretary Dyke
and Secretary Timmreck to discuss VCU's Capital Outlay Priorities.
The purpose of the meeting was to review all Capital Outlay Plans for
the next three biennia, to note any changes which may have oc-
curred since the original plans were submitted last February, to
discuss VCU's more significant capital projects, and to make any
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changes in project priorities. The significant Capital Requests in-
cluded: Medical Sciences Building, Classroom/Lab/Office Renovations,
Fine Arts Center, A.D. Williams/West Hospital, Recreation Facilities
and the Massey Cancer Center addition. The total General Fund
request amounts to $124 million for the Academic Division and $8
million for the Hospital Division. VCU's requests are part of a $1
billion Capital Outlay program being proposed by the State for insti-
tutions of higher education over the next three biennia. Changes in
the project priorities are: Medical Sciences Building replaces
Classroom/Lab/Office (Phase I) as number one priority; Class-
room/Lab/Office renovations (Phase I) becomes number two priority;
Fine Arts Center replaces acquisition and renovation of the Universal
Ford Property as the number three priority; A.D. Williams/West
Hospital infrastructure repairs and renovations for academic programs
becomes number four priority in place of added funds for campus
lighting; and Classroom/Lab/Office renovations (Phase II) becomes
number five priority. The changes in project priorities are being
made based on program priorities. Academic facility needs relating
to VCU's instructional and research programs must be the highest
priority. On motion made and seconded, the revised Capital Outlay
Priorities Report was approved.
A review of General Education Requirements was presented.
Throughout the University's history, the development of the curricu-
lum has followed a highly decentralized pattern, responding to the
unique needs of the several professional schools. While every bacca-
laureate degree program has a set of general education require-
ments, these are by no means common across the institution. Each
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VCU undergraduate degree program has its own general education
component. The University does not have a core curriculum, e. g. ,
a set of common courses to which all undergraduates must enroll.
During 1986-90, and with support from SCHEV, the Universi-
ty conducted a project to examine and strengthen the general educa-
tion offerings. Known as the Varieties of Undergraduate Experience
project, the faculty reviewed and subsequently developed a common
set of General Education goals for all degree programs. These in-
clude:
o Students should be able to READ KNOWLEDGEABLY and to
WRITE EFFECTIVELY.
o Students should ACHIEVE COMPETENCY IN BASIC
MATHEMATICS. They should ACHIEVE AN UNDERSTANDING
OF BASIC CONCEPTS IN MATHEMATICS, STATISTICS AND
COMPUTING which are required in understanding and solving
modern technological problems.
o Students should ACHIEVE LITERACY IN SCIENCE by
studying the process, concepts, and significant details of
modern experimental science. They should also DEVELOP AN
APPRECIATION OF THE ROLE OF SCIENCE in the
development and functioning of the modern world.
o Students should ACQUIRE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE WAY IT CHANGES. To this
end, students should DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES, KEY CONCEPTS, AND
METHODS OF ANALYSIS of at least one social science.
o Students should DEVELOP A FULLER APPRECIATION OF THE
HUMAN CONDITION AND ITS HISTORICAL DIMENSIONS
through the study of those disciplines traditionally
associated with the humanities. Humanities courses should
require CRITICAL READING, THINKING, AND WRITING.
o Students should DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
DIVERSITY OF AESTHETICS AND ETHICAL VALUES in the
world and the role they play in the public and private lives
at both the professional and personal levels. Students should
be able to EXAMINE CRITICALLY SUCH SYSTEMS AND
BELIEFS, TO FORM RATIONAL ARGUMENTS AND
JUDGMENTS relative to aesthetics and ethics.
o Students should DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AS SHAPED BY GENDER,
ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND TRADITION,
through the acquisition of knowledge and skills which will
enable the student to interact constructively with culturally
diverse people.
o Students should DEVELOP THE HABITS OF
SELF-EXPLORATION, enabling them to become lifelong
learners.
These outcomes for general education serve as the criteria for
evaluating each degree program in this regard. As reported in VCU's
most recent Student Outcomes Evaluation report, each department
evaluates student performance against these criteria.
The Strategic Planning Strategy for VCU was presented. The
Statement of Purpose is: All who are affiliated with Virginia
Commonwealth University take pride in the fact that it has joined the
ranks of the nation's leading public, urban, research universities.
Recent events and trends (deep budget cuts and increased calls for
accountability, for example) have served to remind VCU, however, that
no university can be all things to all people, and that critical choices
must be made by any university that aspires to excellence in the
increasingly competitive world of higher education. The time is ripe,
then, for the preparation of the University-wide strategic plan, one
which will aid in VCU's encounter with the uncertainties of the next ten
to fifteen years.
On motion made and seconded, the Board accepted the General
Education Requirements and the Strategic Planning Process.
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
evaluation of performance of departments or schools of VCU where such
matters regarding such individuals might be affected by such evaluation
including a discussion on the Relationship with Children's Hospital, the
Report of the Joint Commission Visit, Health Professional Salaries, the
Nurse Anesthesia Salary and Accreditation, Faculty Appointments and
Changes in Status, Full and Consultative Hospital Privileges, the
Quality Assurance Semi-Annual Report and Audit Reports of individually
identified departments and/or schools, and to discuss the condition,
acquisition or use of real property for public purpose or of plans for
the future of a state institution of higher education which could affect
the value of property owned or desirable for ownership by such
institution including a report on the MCVAA Alumni House and the
Research Park, and to discuss legal matters, active and recently
resolved litigation and probable litigation with its attorney, and to
discuss matters relating to gifts, bequests, and fund-raising activities
including a Development Report, a Report on 1991-92 Total Private
Support, the NEH Challenge Grant Status Report, a Gift of Art and the
approval of Naming Proposals and to discuss matters relating to honorary
degrees and special awards as authorized by Section 2.1-344 a(1),
a(3), a(7), a(8) and a(10) of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Following executive session, on motion made and seconded, the
following Resolution was approved by roll call vote:
Virginia Commonwealth University hereby certifies that, to the best
of each member's knowledge, (i) only public business matters lawfully
exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were
discussed in the executive session meeting to which this certification
resolution applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were
identified in the motion convening the executive session meeting were
heard, discussed or considered by the Board of Visitors of Virginia
Commonwealth University.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes Nays
Dr. French H. Moore, Jr. Rector X
Mrs. Nina F. Abady X
Mr. Richard A. Arenstein Absent
Dr. Thomas J. Berenguer X
Rev. Constantine N. Dombalis X
Mrs. Rozanne G. Epps X
Mr. Jack H. Ferguson Absent
Mr. Roger L. Gregory X
Dr. William E. Holland X
Dr. Harry I. Johnson, Jr. X
Mr. Richard L. Meador X
Dr. Clifton L. Peay X
Mr. Stuart C. Siegel X
Mr. Clarence L. Townes, Jr. X
Mr. F. Dixon Whitworth, Jr. X
Mr. Alan L. Wurtzel Left Before Voting
Vote:
Ayes: 13
Nays: 0
ABSENT DURING MEETING: 2
ABSENT DURING VOTING: 3
On motion made and seconded, the Board approved all consent
Agenda Action items including: Faculty Appointments and Changes in
Status, Full and Consultative Hospital Privileges, Naming Proposals,
Hospital Quality Assurance Report, and a Gift of Art; accepted all
consent agenda information items including: Report on MCV Alumni
Association House, Development Report, Report on Total Private
Support and the NEH Challenge Grant Status Report and the Executive
Session reports of the Audit and Hospital Committees; approved the
recommendation to pursue further the study of the Development of a
Research Park in downtown Richmond, Approved recommendations of the
Special Awards Committee, and accepted the Report of the General
Counsel and the Report of the President.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 p.m.
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Approved: Dr. Clifton L1I Peay, Se retar
y French H. Moore, Jr. ,Rector
