MINUTES OF A RETREAT OF THE
BOARD OF VISITORS OF
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
April 15, 2005
A Retreat of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University was
held on Friday, April 15, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. in the Cove Room located at the Tides Inn in
Irvington, Virginia.
Present were Drs. Bersoff (Rector), Broaddus, Doswell, Romano and Shapiro;
Messrs. Jackson, Robertson, Sherman, Snead and Thompson; and Mesdames Rhodes and
Ms. Riddick. Messrs. Axselle, Baldacci, Rosenthal and Slater were absent. Also present
were Drs. Trani, Gottfredson, Lewis and Retchin; Messrs. Bunce, Gehring, Messplay,
Ross, Timmreck, and Wyeth; and Mesdames Balmer, Lepley and Messmer.
Dr. Bersoff called the meeting to order and welcomed members of the press. On
motion made and seconded, the Board convened into closed session to discuss certain
personnel matters, including discussion of prospective candidates for employment, as
authorized by Sections 2.2-3711 A(30) of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Following closed 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 closed session meeting to which this
certification resolution applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were
identified in the motion convening the closed session meeting were heard, discussed or
considered by the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Roll Call Vote Ayes Nays
Dr. Edward H. Bersoff, Rector X
Mr. Ralph L. "Bill" Axselle, Jr. Absent
Mr. David G. Baldacci Absent
Dr. J. Alfred Broaddus, Jr. X
Roll Call Vote Ayes Nays
Dr. John C. Doswell II X
Mr. Brian K. Jackson X
Mrs. Anne J. G. "Panny" Rhodes X
Ms. E. Janet Riddick X
Mr. Richard T. Robertson X
Dr. Michele A. Romano X
Mr. Thomas G. Rosenthal Absent
Dr. Carol S. Shapiro X
Mr. John Sherman, Jr. X
Mr. G. Bryan Slater Absent
Mr. Thomas G. Snead, Jr. X
Mr. Philip Thompson, Sr. X
Vote:
Ayes: 12
Nays: 0
ABSENT DURING MEETING: 4
ABSENT DURING VOTING: 4
The draft Strategic Plan was presented for information and discussion. VCU's
planning effort comes after many years of growth in the number of students, the number
of programs, and the physical size of the University, as well as dramatic changes in the
demographics of the students VCU serves. VCU has emerged from a half-decade of
budget cuts that the institution was able to accommodate by thinking strategically. As
VCU moves toward an uncertain, but hopefully less austere future, VCU would be well
served by the same strategic thinking. The timeline for the draft Strategic Plan is:
• To discuss the plan with the Board at the Retreat held April 15, 2005, and then
present the draft to the VCU2020 Strategic Planning Commission on April 18,
2005.
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• The draft plan will then be presented to key groups and committees at VCU, to
open meetings of VCU's faculty, students, and staff, and to the community
during the spring, summer, and fall of 2005.
• A final draft will be prepared in the fall, and will be presented to the Board of
Visitors in November 2005.
• Final approval of the VCU 2020 Strategic Plan is anticipated in February 2006.
On motion made and seconded, the Board convened into closed session to
consider the performance of specific public officers or employees of the University
pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2-3711 A(1) of the Virginia Freedom of
Information Act.
Following closed 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 closed session meeting to which this
certification resolution applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were
identified in the motion convening the closed session meeting were heard, discussed or
considered by the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Roll Call Vote Ayes Nays
Dr. Edward H. Bersoff, Rector X
Mr. Ralph L. "Bill" Axselle, Jr. Absent
Mr. David G. Baldacci Absent
Dr. J. Alfred Broaddus, Jr. X
Dr. John C. Doswell II X
Mr. Brian K. Jackson X
Mrs. Anne J. G. "Panny" Rhodes X
Ms. E. Janet Riddick X
Mr. Richard T. Robertson X
Dr. Michele A. Romano X
Mr. Thomas G. Rosenthal Absent
Dr. Carol S. Shapiro X
Mr. John Sherman, Jr. X
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Roll Call Vote Ayes Nays
Mr. G. Bryan Slater Absent
Mr. Thomas G. Snead, Jr. X
Mr. Philip Thompson, Sr. X
Vote:
Ayes: 12
Nays: 0
ABSENT DURING MEETING:4
ABSENT DURING VOTING: 4
The meeting was adjourned at 11:25 a.m.
ichele A. Romano, Secretar
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