MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
September 17, 1998
A regular meeting of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth Uni-
versity was held on Thursday, September 17, 1998, at 9 a.m. in the University
Meeting Center.
Present were Messrs. Weinberg (Rector), Flippen, Gresham, Markel,
Pyon, Rigsby and Townes; Drs.Perkinson, White and Wootton; and Mesdames
Benner, Miles and Powell. Messrs. DeRusha and Smith and Dr. Smith were ab-
sent. Also present were Drs. Trani, Dewey, G. Harris, L. Harris, Hiley and
Rhone; Messrs. Bunce, Dayhoff, Gehring, Irigaray, Ohlinger, Ross, Timmreck
and Wyeth; and Mesdames Jones, Messmer and Price.
Mr. Weinberg called the meeting to order and welcomed members of the
press.
The Report of the President followed:
Mr. Gresham and Mr. Pyon, the newly appointed Board members, were
introduced. Mr. Timothy L. Gresham is the President and Chief Executive
Officer of Prevent Blindness Virginia. Mr. Grehsam is a graduate of Vir-
ginia Commonwealth University, having received a Bachelor of Science in
Mass Communications in 1984. Mr. Harold Y. Pyon is a U.S. Patent Ex-
aminer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Arlington. Mr. Pyon
graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1980 from Virginia
Commonwealth University. Mr. Pyon also earned a Master of Science in
chemical engineering from the University of Virginia and in 1966 com-
pleted the Juris Masters Certificate Program at George Washington Law
School.
Mr. Michael F. Stiefel, student representative to the Board, was unable to
attend the meeting today because of a class conflict. Mr. Stiefel is pursing
two degrees at Virginia Commonwealth University, a Ph.D. and M.D. Mr.
Stiefel also earned a Master of Science in physiology in 1995 at VCU. In
1991, Mr. Stiefel completed the Bachelor of Science in biology from the
State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Mr. and Mrs. Weinberg were recognized for the contribution made to the
VCU Founders' Society. The Weinberg's lead by example and VCU is
most fortunate to have such partners.
VCU received 5,811 freshman applications, 358 more than 1997 and
1,049 more than 1996. The two-year change represents a 22% increase
in applications. The size of the Fall 1998 freshman class is 2,206, making
the class the second largest freshman class in VCU's history. The aver-
age high school GPA for the Fall 1998 class increased from 2.99 in 1997
to 3.01. The average SAT scores also increased from 1012 in 1997 to
1026.
169 new engineering students enrolled in the Fall. Fall 1998 engineering
majors have an average high school GPA of 3.66, up from 3.5 in 1997.
The average SAT score among new engineering majors is 1247, up from
1219 in Fall 1997.
In addition to the freshman class, VCU enrolled 1,514 undergraduate
transfers for Fall 1998. Overall, for the Fall 1998 semester, VCU expects
a final enrollment of approximately 22,850 students. The final enrollment
represents an increase of 148 students over the Fall 1997 enrollment of
22,702.
A copy of the General Provisions of the 1998 Appropriations Act was dis-
tributed to the Board. The Commonwealth requires institutions to provide
each Board member with a copy of a memorandum from Scott D. Patti-
son, Director of Department of Planning and Budget, outlining major re-
quirements of the Appropriations Act.
A summary of the proposed 1999-2000 State Budget Amendments was
presented. The amendments included the following critical needs: undergradu-
ate medical education; elimination of tuition match requirements for faculty sala-
ries; year 2000 compliance and operation and maintenance of new facilities;
general fund support for enrollment growth; and the Winchester Family Practice
program. The technical amendments included: the Family Practice Program
salary corrections; Steam Plant debt service; Nongeneral Fund appropriation
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adjustments for Sponsored Programs and Services to MCV Hospitals; and the
School of Engineering Language. On motion made and seconded, the Board
approved the affirmation of the University's 1999-2000 budget priorities and rec-
ommended that the University's State budget amendment request comply with
the guidance received from the Secretary of Education and include only the
elimination of the tuition match requirements and the technical amendments.
Mr. Rigsby reported for the Academic Policy Committee. The Name
Change, the Department of Nursing Systems, Community and Psychiatric/Mental
Health Nursing to the Department of Integrative Systems, School of Nursing was
presented. The Department of Nursing Systems, Community and Psychiat-
ric/Mental Health Nursing was created by the merger of two departments in the
School of Nursing in 1994. During the past year, the faculty undertook the proc-
ess of choosing a name for the department that would reflect the mission of the
department, and the Department of Integrative Systems was the name unani-
mously approved by the faculty. The Board of Visitors is being asked for ap-
proval of the name change. The Academic Policy Committee recommended to
the Board the approval of the proposal to change the name of the Department of
Nursing Systems, Community and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, School of
Nursing, to the Department of Integrative Systems, School of Nursing. Note:
The name of the School must be coupled with the use of the departmental name.
The Enrollment Report for Summer Studies was presented for information.
VCU continues to offer comprehensive, flexible summer programming, schedul-
ing 727 sections during the summer on the academic campus and 86 off-campus
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sections. During the Summer 1998 session, VCU enrolled 8,491 students. Dis-
cussion focused on opportunities for increasing summer school enrollment. The
goal for summer school enrollment is approximately 9,000 for Summer 1999.
The Enrollment Report for the Fall was presented for information.
Updated enrollment figures for Fall 1998 were also presented noting the growth
in applications and the increase in the SAT and GPA of new students. Recruiting
strategies and plans for the future were discussed. A request was made for a
presentation on the implementation of VCU's marketing plan for recruitment, as
well as other aspects of marketing the University.
A Report on Degrees Awarded was presented. The total number of de-
grees and certificates awarded for the 1997-98 academic year was 3,947 de-
grees and certificates. The decrease of 119 degrees and certificates from the
previous year represents increases at the master's and doctoral levels, but a de-
crease at the undergraduate level.
A Report on the International Development at VCU was presented. The
Office of International Development within the Center for International Programs
was established in 1995 as a response to The Strategic Plan of Virginia Com-
monwealth University, which called for coordination of VCU's international activi-
ties. A report listing the 24 international grants and projects VCU faculty have
been working on over the past three years was presented.
A report on the Faculty Transition Incentive Program was presented for
information. The VCU Faculty Senate drafted the Faculty Transition Incentive
Program. The purpose of the program is to provide a mechanism for the release
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of tenured faculty resources for budget reallocation or reduction in accordance
with the University Strategic Plan goals, changes in enrollment, and other Uni-
versity needs. The program is a management tool, not a faculty fringe benefit
program. A "Preliminary Analysis of Eligibility for the Faculty Transition Incentive
Program, Fall 1998" was prepared by the Office of Institutional Research and
Evaluation for use in evaluating the possible impact of the Faculty Transition In-
centive Program on VCU. Currently, the program is being reviewed by the legal
counsel and outside counsel. A final plan will be presented to the Committee
and the Board in November.
An update on the African-American Studies Program was presented. A
report on developments concerning the status of the proposed new degree in Af-
rican-American Studies since the May, 1998, meeting was discussed. The re-
sponse of the Governor to the correspondence from the Board was reviewed,
and plans by the new Director for further enhancement of the program were dis-
cussed. The goal is to again seek approval from SCHEV for the initiation of a
major in African-American Studies. The Committee continues support of the
program for a major and requested that Dr. Njeri Jackson, the new Director of the
African-American Studies Program, attend the next meeting.
A report on the Promotion and Tenure System was presented. In May
1998, the Board of Visitors received the annual report on the Faculty Promotion
and Tenure system at VCU, including a list of 92 faculty members who were rec-
ommended for tenure or promotion. A follow-up report on tenure and promotion
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activities, including post-tenure review was presented. The role of the Academic
Policy Committee in academic review was briefly discussed.
Dr. Wootton reported for the Advancement Committee. Reports on Gov-
ernment and Community Relations and the University News Services (UNS)
were presented. The UNS Video News Release program continues to be suc-
cessful. The Video News Release (VNR) have aired in locations that include:
Boston; Portland; Columbus, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; San Francisco;
Detroit; Houston; Minneapolis, Miami; Tampa; Cincinnati; and San Diego. A new
version of the faculty/staff newspaper, UniverCity News has debuted. The publi-
cation has a new look and a new content strategy. The goal of the redesign was
to have a newspaper that would be appealing to the eye; be easier to read; and
contain more "news you can use."
Dr. Perkinson reported for the Finance and Investment Committee. The
Quarterly Budget Performance Report ending June 30, 1998, was presented for
information. Revenue was 99.0% of the budget assumptions while expenditures
were 97.0% of assumptions. In accordance with State policy, the University is
permitted to carry forward unspent balances.
Dr. Perkinson reported for the Health Affairs Committee. The Financials
and selected statistics for the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals for the year
ending June 30, 1998, were presented for information and Dr. Ronald J. Hunt,
the new dean of the School of Dentistry, was introduced.
Dr. White reported for the Property Committee. The Architect Selection for
the Sports Backers Stadium Phase II was presented. The purpose of the project
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is to complete the track and soccer center to be shared by Virginia Common-
wealth University, Virginia Union University, the City of Richmond and the Metro-
politan Richmond Sports Backers. Construction of Phase I is underway and in-
cludes a soccer field; an eight-lane, 400-meter synthetic track; a storage building;
a sound system and site lighting. Phase II will complete the center by adding
bleacher seating for 3,000 to 4,000 people, locker rooms, restrooms, and con-
cession areas. The construction budget is $1,490,049 with a project budget of
$1,720,000. The Property Committee recommended to the Board the approval
of the firm of KOP Architects to complete Phase II of the Sports Backers Stadium
project.
The Architect Selection of the Sports Medicine Building was presented.
The purpose of the project is to construct a new 37,500 GSF facility housing the
Sports Medicine Center, University Student Health Services, and offices for VCU
Athletics. The facility will be located on the one-acre site just west of the Stuart
C. Siegel Center to allow convenient access from the core campus for students
visiting the University Student Health Services Center. The site will also place
administrative offices for VCU Athletics adjacent to the Stuart C. Siegel Center
and will position the Sports Medicine Center prominently on Broad Street for en-
hanced visibility in attracting patients from the Richmond Metropolitan area. An
existing five-story warehouse building will be demolished to make way for the
new facility. Parking will be provided on site as part of the project. The con-
struction budget is $4,080,000 with a total budget of $6,065,000. The Property
Committee recommended to the Board the approval of the firm of Odell Associ-
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ates to construct a new 37,500 GSF facility housing the Sports Medicine Center,
University Student Health Services and offices for VCU Athletics.
The Architect Selection for the School of Dentistry was presented. The
following Resolution was presented to the Committee:
Whereas, selection of an architect/engineering firm for projects having a pro-
jected cost of $500,000.00 or greater is subject to the approval of the Property
Committee of the Board of Visitors of VCU; and
Whereas, delaying the selection of an architect/engineering firm until the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the Property Committee of the Board of Visitors in
September, 1998 would preclude design documents from being completed by
November, 1998 for the Institute of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology
School of Dentistry renovation project (the "Project"), which is eligible for a
Kresge Foundation grant; and
Whereas, the loss of this grant would impose a serious financial hardship
on VCU; and
Whereas, the provisions of paragraph F of the Resolution Authorizing Certain
University Officers and Employees to Execute Contracts and Other Documents
(the Resolution) authorizes the chairperson of the appropriate committee of the
Board of Visitors of VCU, with the concurrence of the Rector of the Board of
Visitors, to act on behalf of the committee in the event of a bona fide emergency;
and
Whereas, delaying the selection of CEGG Associates, L.C. until the next regu-
larly scheduled meeting of the Property Committee which would result in the loss
of grant funds for the Project constitutes a bona fide emergency for VCU.
Now therefore, the Chair of the Property Committee, with the concurrence of the
Rector of the Board of Visitors of VCU, whose signatures appear below, approve
the selection of CEGG Associates, L.C. for the Project as described in attach-
ment A. This action shall be reported and ratified at the next regularly scheduled
meeting of the Property Committee.
The Construction Change Order for the MCV Campus Parking Deck "D"
Renovations was presented. The change order will add lighting replacement to
the project, which now includes structural concrete repairs, elevator moderniza-
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tion and other miscellaneous repairs. The Construction Contract Phase One is
$3,246,833; the Change Order (Phase Two Lighting) is for $800,000 with a total
budget of $4,046,833. The Property Committee recommended to the Board the
approval of the Construction Change Order for MCV Campus Parking Deck "D"
Renovations.
The Life Sciences Architect/Engineer Fee was presented. In September
1996, the architect/engineer selection for the new Life Sciences building was
submitted to the Board of Visitors. At that time, the total architect/engineer fee of
$1.5 million exceeded the $1.0 million in non-general fund authority approved by
the General Assembly. The Board of Visitors decided although the basic design
requirements could ultimately total $1.5 million in University funds, the University
should not expend more than $1.0 million without prior approval of the Board of
Visitors and appropriate State officials. At the March 18, 1998, Board of Visitors
meeting, the Board approved increasing the expenditure of University funds from
$1.0 million to $1.5 million. The Board was advised that the total architect/
engineer fee would need to be increased to $1,675,000 due to new Division of
Engineering and Buildings' design guidelines which increased levels of design
effort needed for the sprinkler system. Additionally, other design issues with the
greenhouse and the proposed courtyard have been identified resulting in addi-
tional design fee increases. In the 1998-2000 Governor's Budget, sufficient
funds are available to increase the architect/engineer fee. The Property Com-
mittee recommended to the Board the approval of the increase of the archi-
tect/engineer fee to $1,675,000 to allow completion of the project design.
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