 | Board of Visitors minutes January 8, 1954 |  |
BAYLY-TIFFANY FUNDS
Mr. Gravatt, Chairman of the special Committee on Award of Bayly-Tiffany Funds, laid before
the Board the Report of his Committee, as follows
The Rector and Board of Visitors
University of Virginia
Report of Committee on Award of Bayly-Tiffany Funds.
In accordance with request of the Rector dated September 12, 1953, the undersigned have
met and considered the questions propounded by the University Committee on Scholarships, Loans
and Employment with respect to the will of Mrs. Evelyn May Bayly Tiffany and the award of the
funds given the University of Virginia under Paragraph Seventh thereof
This Committee does not understand that any further legal study or opinion with respect
to this will is desired or necessary but has proceeded upon the assumption that this Board
has both the discretionary power and duty to determine the conditions upon which the award
of these funds should be made.
We believe that the following paragraph concluding a letter of opinion upon this will,
written in November 1930 by Mr. Allan W. Perkins, then Attorney for the Rector and Visitors,
aptly defines our legal and moral obligation in this matter
"Our duty in this whole matter is primarily to carry out Mrs.
Tiffany's wishes, as we understand them, as fully and completely
as is possible. She has given the University of Virginia a
large sum of money, and works of art, the value of which cannot
be estimated. I have endeavored to call the attention of the
Committee to as many phases of the situation presented by Mrs.
Tiffany's will as seem to me to confront us, so that whatever
conditions may arise in future we may have a record which will
show that we have conscientiously endeavored by investigation and
analysis to adopt a course which is in conformity with law, reasonable
in all of its details, and which we believe will most nearly conform
to what we conceive Mrs. Tiffany's wishes to have been."
This Committee believes that Mrs. Tiffany in making the bequest in Paragraph Seventh
of her will was moved by a deep devotion to both the University of Virginia and to the
Eastern Shore of Virginia and its people. We believe she intended and hoped that by means
of Paragraph Seventh of her will as many young people as possible from the Eastern Shore of
Virginia would be brought under the influence of the University and that thereby both would
be benefited
Having in mind our obligation to give effect to this intention of our benefactor your
Committee answers the inquiries propounded as follows
May any criteria other than residence requirements be attached to the award of
Bayly-Tiffany Scholarships?
Answer:
Yes.
I. Criteria for Applicants from Accomac and Northampton Counties
(a) Need as a criteria
As to awards to applicants from the Eastern Shore of Virginia we are of
opinion that it is consistent with the purpose of the testatrix that need should be considered
in making these awards
This may be done either (1) by fixing the amount of the award according
to the need in each case within fixed minimum and maximum limits, or if this procedure is not
administratively practical, (2) by making need (according to fixed and uniform standards)
a prerequisite condition for any award.
(b) Scholastic attainment as a criteria
Your Committee is of the opinion that if high scholastic attainment either
before or after admission to the University were made a prerequisite condition for the award of
these funds to persons from the Eastern Shore of Virginia the purpose of the testatrix, with
repect to bringing as many young people as possible from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to the
University, would be greatly impaired. We therfore recommend that as to the Eastern Shore of
Virginia these awards be made to students qualified for admission who maintain after admission
the scholastic requirements necessary to remain in good standing in the University. In those
cases where the Committee believes a student on probation is making reasonable effort to overcome
his difficulties, a grant may be made or continued
II. Criteria for Applicants from Other Parts of the State of Virginia and Maryland
(a) None of these funds should be awarded to applicants from other parts
of Virginia or from Maryland if there is an applicant from Accomac or Northhampton Counties
meeting the qualification set forth under No. I hereof
(b) We do not believe that the intent and purpose of the Testatrix will be, in
any wise, impaired by requiring that applicants from Maryland and other parts of Virginia meet,
as a prerequisite condition for these awards, the usual requirements, as to scholarship and
need, applicable generally to the award of scholarships by the University
May Bayly-Tiffany scholarships be awarded to students entering or enrolled
in the schools of Education, Engineering, and Business Administration?
Answer:
Your Committee being of opinion that it is consistent with the purpose of
the Testatrix recommends that these funds be awarded to applicants from the Eastern Shore
of Virginia for admission to any schools and departments of the University (subject, of
course, to the conditions heretofore set forth under No. I hereof).
It has been suggested in conference with the Scholarship Committee of the University that
the standards recommended herein are not consistent with established standards for awards
designated "Scholarships". It is, therefore, recommended that the Scholarship Committee of the
University be authorized to designate awards from the Bayly-Tiffany fund as "grants in aid" or
such other designation as the Committee may think appropriate
The Committee's Report was adopted by the Board
| Board of Visitors minutes January 8, 1954 | |