University of Virginia Library

VISITATIONS (PARIETAL RULES) AND SELF-GOVERNMENT IN
THE DORMITORIES

The President reviewed action by the Board at its meeting of 13 October 1967 approving a set of parietal rules for the dormitories at the University. These rules were modified by the Board at its meeting of 7 June 1968. The Student Council proposed additional changes and at the Board's meeting of 14 December 1968 the President was instructed to obtain additional information concerning the proposals and to report back to the Student Affairs and Athletics Committee at the February meeting. In the interim, the Student Council forwarded to the President a resolution adopted at a meeting of 6 February 1969 "that the Student Council propose to the Board of Visitors that the residents in each living area be empowered to formulate their own parietal regulations, subject to final approval by the Student Council." At the President's direction, Dean Williams and other members of the administration have worked with Student Council representatives and other members of the student body in proposing changes to the parietal rules and the determination and enforcement of such rules. Dean Williams' recommendations in the form of a report entitled "Visitations and Self-Government in the Dormitories" was presented to the Student Affairs and Athletics Committee at its meeting of 14 February. Upon recommendation of that Committee, the following resolution was adopted:

• 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that all prior action of the Board regarding parietal rules (hereinafter referred to as visitation hours) shall be rescinded at such time as the President may notify the Secretary of the Board that he has assumed the authority over all matters pertaining to visitation; and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 be approved by 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 visitation as set forth above, as he may from time to time deem appropriate.