[2006-04-14] Minutes of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University April 14, 2006.

              MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE 
          EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE 
             BOARD OF VISITORS OF 
        VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY 
                April 14, 2006


   A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors of Virginia 

Commonwealth University was held on Friday, April 14, 2006, at 9 a.m. in the 

University Meeting Center located at 101 North Harrison Street. The full Board 

was invited to attend.

   Present were Dr. Bersoff; Messrs. Axselle and Sherman; and Mrs. 

Rhodes. Mr. Thompson was absent. Other Board of Visitors members present 

were Drs. Broaddus, Doswell and Romano; and Messrs. Rosenthal and Snead. 

Also present were Drs. Trani, Gottfredson, Macrina and Retchin; Messrs. 

Bennett, Bunce, Gehring, Messplay, Ross and Wyeth; and Mesdames Atkinson, 
Balmer, Chinnici and Messmer. Ms. Bacon-Ward, student representative to the 

Board, was also present.

   Dr. Bersoff called the meeting to order and introduced members of the 

press.

   The 2006-2007 Tuition and Fees were presented. A tuition increase of 6.5 

percent for resident undergraduate and graduate students, with no increase for 

nonresidents, was recommended. The increase is recommended to ensure 

sufficient resources to continue implementing VCU's strategic plan, address 

enrollment growth, and support significant increases in the cost of utilities and

fringe benefit rates. An amended tuition proposal was presented for the
undergraduate engineering tuition with an 11 percent increase in 2006-07 for 
residents and a 3.1% increase for nonresidents.
   Program-specific tuition and fee rates for the Schools of Dentistry, 
Medicine, and Pharmacy, and the programs of Nurse Anesthesia, the Fast Track 
MBA, the Fast Track MS in Information Systems, and the SportsCenter were also 
presented.
   A 15.4 percent increase was recommended for the University Fee. The 
increase will support a phase-in of debt service costs for the new student 
recreation center on the Monroe Park Campus, new parking decks on both 
campuses, additional debt service, operating and student programming for the 
renovated Hunton Hall, enhancements for the VCU Safe Ride program, 
additional support for student counseling services, student affairs staffing and
weekend student programming, and additional funding for intercollegiate 
athletics, including women's sports, staffing, and student athletic grants.
   Fee charges for University housing, meal plans, and student health 
services were also presented.
   On motion made and seconded, the Board approved the Tuition and Fees 
for 2006-07 as amended.
   On motion made and seconded, the Board convened into closed 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 evaluation will necessarily involve 
discussion of the performance of specific individuals including discussion and
consideration of prospective candidates for employment; and to consult with legal 

counsel and receive briefings by staff members regarding legal matters and 

actual or probable litigation where such consultation or briefing in open session 

would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of VCU, as may be 

necessary, as authorized by Section 2.2-3711 A(1) and A(7) of the Virginia 

Freedom of Information Act.

      Following closed session, on motion made and seconded, the following 

resolution was approved by roll call vote:

The Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors of 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 Executive Committee of 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. X
Mrs. Anne J. G. "Panny" Rhodes   X
Mr. John Sherman                 X
Mr. Philip Thompson, Sr.         Absent

Vote:

Ayes:    4
Nays:    0

ABSENT DURING MEETING: 1 
ABSENT DURING VOTING:    1

    The meeting was adjourned at 11 a.m.