University of Virginia Library

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 1,
2003 MEETING

The Rector called for a motion to approve the Minutes of the meeting of January 31-February 1. The motion was offered and the Minutes were approved.

The President made his customary report.

President’s Commission on Diversity and Equity

He reviewed several racial incidents that have occurred at the University over the last few months and announced that he will create a President’s Commission on Diversity and Equity. The membership will include faculty, students, representatives of the administration, alumni, parents and community members. The list of members will be announced in the next several weeks.

The commission will be charged with evaluating University programs that address issues of diversity and equity; identifying gaps in programs and suggesting remedies for filling those gaps; reviewing previous University studies on diversity and equity and examining comparable programs elsewhere for recommendations that should be implemented; and developing a “best practices” model. The commission will begin work later in the month an will deliver its final report to the President by May 1st, 2004, and will issue quarterly reports previous to that.

The President emphasized that he expects the commission to recommend specific courses of action for consideration by the University administration and the Board.

Alumni Engagement Task Force

The previous weekend, at a Virginia 2020 session with the Alumni Board of Managers, the President said he had announced his intention to form the Alumni Engagement Task Force, a proposal which was endorsed by the Board of Managers. The Task Force will be asked to examine alumni relations programs in detail, and to make broad recommendations concerning approach, programs, resource allocation, and reporting structure.

Gifts and Grants

The President reported private giving through January 31st, of the current fiscal year has amounted to $188.6 million, an increase of .45% over the comparable period last year.

Significant gifts since the last meeting of the Board include $4.5 million from Paul T. Jones, II, and Sonia K. Jones to athletics and to the College, in addition to a $1 million pledge to the Jefferson Scholars Foundation for a graduate fellowship to benefit the College. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin have given $4,675,000 for athletics, the Medical School, historic preservation, the Darden School and The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. A $1 million deferred gift from Dr. Carol R. Angle to the Art Museum.

John and Bobbie Nau of Houston have made a commitment of $8.5 million for the building in the South Lawn Project that will house the History Department.

Funds raised for the Arena have reached $75 million and construction will begin shortly in order that the Arena can be open for the 2006-07 basketball season. Two significant recent gifts are $5 million from Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin and an additional $10 million – beyond their initial pledge of $20 million – from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jones.

The President reported, too, that he expects a large gift for the fine arts to be made before the next Board meeting.

On motion, the Board accepted the President’s Gifts and Grants Report.

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