University of Virginia Library

Coeducation Adopted, Parietal Regulations Changed

By Mike Russell
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

All obstacles to the coeducation of the
University were removed last weekend by
direction of the Board of Visitors, and, at the
same meeting, all parietal rules were turned over
to the discretion of the President.

In a statement titled "Resolution on the
Admission of Women Adopted by the Board of
Visitors of the University of Virginia on 15
February 1969," the Board outlines not only the
history of the adoption of coeducation, but the
requirements for the future admission of women.

Wives of student as staff members will be
admitted to the College in the fall semester of
1969 provided that they have completed two
years of college previous to enrolling at the
University. The report says that full co-education
following a plan to be submitted to the Board
in October of this year, will begin in the fall of
1970.

After a great deal of student vocalizing on the
present parietal rules, the Board of Visitors
turned control of all these rules to President
Shannon, with the permission of the board to
delegate the administration of these rules.

After an eighteen month study of the
desirability of coeducation at the University, a
report was presented to the Board in December
of 1968 encouraging them to adopt coeducation.
Between the two meetings, the President was
directed to engage a study of the feasibility
which he did through the committee on the
Future of the University. That report in essence
reads:

WHEREAS the report of the committee on
the Future of the University set forth in essence
the following proposals for the consideration of
the President and the Board:

A. Should the Board act to revise the policy
on the admission of women to the College, it
should act simply to remove the restrictions on
their admission to all undergraduate schools of
the University.

B. If the Board proceeds with such action, it
adopts a set of general principles as University
policy to guide the administrative officers and
faculty in planning the enrollment of women.

C. The following general principles are
submitted for consideration:

(1) Any change in the University's policy
regarding the admission of women and their
education should be implemented in a manner
consistent with the University's Statement of
Institutional Purpose adopted by the Board of
Visitors on June 5, 1964.

(2) The admission and enrollment of women
in the College and other undergraduate schools
should be phased into the projected growth of
the University in an orderly fashion.

(3) The ultimate goal should be a program
which preserves the traditions of the University
and which provides the optimum educational
experience for students within this framework.
During the initial transition period, however, the
enrollment of women must be carefully phased
in such a fashion that the following objectives are
maintained:

(a) The number of qualified male applicants
should not be curtailed as a result of the
admission of women.

(b) The faculty and facilities of the
University should not be burdened to the extent
that the effectiveness of the educational program
is impaired. In particular, an adequate lead time
must be provided in the recruitment of such
additional faculty and staff members as may be
required.

(4) The undergraduate coeducational
operation which ultimately develops should be
one, as with the graduate coeducational
operation long in effect, under which the existing
policy regarding the enrollment of out-of-state
students is maintained. During the period of
transition, however, it may be necessary to give
preference to women who are Virginians or even
local residents.

(5) The existing regulations regarding the
admission of men to the undergraduate schools
shall apply to the admission of women.

The report goes on to state that there are no
legislative bonds to prevent coeducation and after
that states that the President has approved both
of these reports, the Resolution reads:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by
the Rector and Visitors of the University of
Virginia:

(1) That the restrictions heretofore placed on
the admission of women to the undergraduate
schools at Charlottesville be and are hereby
removed, subject to the conditions set forth
below;

(2) That the Board directs the President to
prepare for submission to the Board not later
than its meeting on 3 October 1969, such a plan
to be formulated generally in accordance with
the principles recommended in the Report of the
Committee on the Future of the University;

(3) That in the formulation of the plan
consideration be given to the impact of the
admission of women to the undergraduate
divisions at Charlottesville upon other public
women's colleges in Virginia and especially upon
Mary Washington College of the University of
Virginia; and

(4) That the President include in the
University's Biennial Budget Request to the
Governor and the General Assembly for 1970-72
the funds necessary to implement the plan.

Parietal or Visitation rules were significantly
altered after much consideration and advice from
the President and the Student Council.

The new resolution reads:

RESOLVED, by the Rector and Visitors of
the University of Virginia that all prior action of
the Board regarding parietal rules (hereinafter
referred to as visitation hours) shall be rescinded
at such time as the President may notify the
Secretary of the Board that he has assumed the
authority over all matters pertaining to visitation;
and

RESOLVED FURTHER, that upon such
notification to the Secretary, the authority over
visitation hours shall be thenceforth in the hands
of the President. Without limiting this authority,
the President can, at his discretion (a) delegate
the determination and enforcement of visitation
policies to student governments where
appropriate student governments exist; and (b)
cause visitation hours proposed by student
groups to come before the Student Council
before becoming effective; and

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board
hereby reserves to the President the unrestricted
right to change either prospectively or
retroactively all matters pertaining to the
visitation as set forth above, as he may from time
to time deem appropriate.