University of Virginia Library

MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE MATTERS

ELECTIONS

The Board adopted the following resolution.

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
that the following persons by and they are hereby elected to the faculty of Mary Washington
College:

Dr. Russell S. Ratcliffe, Half-time Instructor in Psychology and Education, salary at rate
of $1,620 for session of nine months, incumbency to begin February 1, 1956.

Mrs. Myra Hooper (Iarimore) Irby, Instructor in History and Resident Counselor, salary at
rate of $3,240 for session of nine months, incumbency to begin February 1, 1956.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The following resolution was adopted by the Board:

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
that the following faculty members be and they are hereby granted leave of absence without pay.

Dr. Charles H. Frick, Professor of Mathematics, an extension through the session of 1956-57
in order to continue the special research work in mathematics (developing techniques for
computing basic flight control data for unguided missiles). He is directing for the U. S. Naval
Proving Ground at Dahlgren.

Dr. Kurt F. Leidecker, Associate Professor of Philosophy, an extension through the academic
year 1956-57 in order to complete the mission in which he is engaged as Cultural Affairs
Consultant for the United States Information Service at Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Leidecker states
that for security reasons, he cannot disclose the exact nature of his work.

Mr. William C. Pinschmidt, Jr., Instructor in Biology, for the session of 1956-57 in order
to engage in advanced study for the doctor's degree in biology at Duke University.

ADMISSION OF MEN STUDENTS DENIED

Chancellor Simpson having reported the request of a male Negro teacher for admission to the
College as a day student, there was a discussion of the conditions under which a few male
veterans have been admitted in the past.

The Board adopted the following resolution:

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
that all future admissions to Mary Washington College, effective as of the present date, be
restricted to women students without exception.

NEGRO STUDENT'S APPLICATION

The Chancellor informed the Board that an application had been filed by a young Negro woman
in Spotsylvania County for admission to the College as a full-time day student in the 1956-57
session. The applicant, it developed, is known to be a graduate of John J. Wright High School,
but the admissions authorities of the College have not yet received a transcript of her subsequent
record at Morgan College, Baltimore, Maryland. It was accordingly ordered that action on the
matter be deferred until the June meeting of the Board. In response to a Visitor's suggestion,
the President said that he would in the meantime consult with the Governor and the Attorney
General on the policy involved.

FACULTY SALARY SCHEDULE REVISED

The present faculty salary schedule and the new schedule approved by the Governor for the
1956-58 biennial budget were laid before the Board as follows:

                     

PRESENT SALARY SCHEDULE
	1	2	3	4	5	6
Professor	5400	5650	5900	6150	6400	6650
Associate Professor	4400	4600	4800	5000	5200	5400
Assistant Professor	3800	3980	4160	4340	4520
Instructor	3240	3420	3600	3780
NEW SALARY SCHEDULE
Professor	5900	6200	6500	6800	7100	7400
Associate Professor	5000	5250	5500	5750	6000
Assistant Professor	4600	4800	5000	5200
Instructor	4000	4200	4400	4600

         

	Amount of Step Increase - New Schedule	Interval New Schedule
Professor	300	2 academic years
Associate Professor	250	2 academic years
Assistant Professor	200	1 academic year
Instructor	200	1 academic year

The Board resolved that the new salary scale as set forth above be made effective as of
September 1956.

RESERVOIR - BROMPTON TRACT EXCHANGE

The President and the Chancellor informed the Board of negotiations in progress with the
City of Fredericksburg for the acquisition by the College as a site for the new science building,
of the land adjacent to the campus and surrounding the City Reservoir. The City in turn desires
to acquire from the College a portion of the Brompton Tract as a site for a new armory. The City
proposes to convey to the College all of the reservoir property, the City retaining the use of
the reservoir proper as it is now until such time as it provides new reservoir facilities.
Should an emergency arise requiring enlargement of the present facilities, the City would be
limited to raising the existing concrete wall not exceeding four (4) feet above the present
level. In exchange for the reservoir property, the College proposes to pay the City $8,000 and
convey to the City seven acres of land located on the northeast corner of the Brompton tract
fronting on the east side of U. S. Alternate Route 1.

In the discussion of the proposal, Mr. Simpson said that the Board's approval in principle
to the proposed exchange was requested at present, and that details as worked out by the
attorneys would be laid before the Board later when the Visitors would be asked to approve a
specific contract. Mr. Darden noted that the price was high, but that the site was needed and
the proposal seemed to be as good a bargain as could be made. Mr. Gravatt requested that the
appraisals be submitted to the Board at the time the contract is presented, so that they could
be made a part of the record.

The Board resolved that the proposed exchange as outlined above be approved in principle,
subject to final approval by the Board of a contract to be considered later.

SCIENCE BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT

The Chancellor reported on conferences by the science faculties and architects which
indicated that the $725,000 appropriated by the General Assembly for the new science building
would be barely enough to cover construction of the building, and quite inadequate for its
equipment. He requested authorization to use Operating Fund surplus for equipping the building.

The Board adopted after discussion the following resolution.

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
that Mary Washington College be and it is hereby authorized, subject to approval of the
Governor, to purchase equipment for the new science building from the operating funds of the
College, thus permitting the entire appropriation for the new science building to be used for
building construction.

DORMITORY BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT

Chancellor Simpson presented the following statement:

"At the time the request was submitted for a new dormitory it was our plan to construct a
dormitory housing approximately 100 students. The purpose for requesting a new dormitory was to
eliminate Cornell Hall, which is a leased building three or four blocks from the entrance to the
College campus.

"We find that we have dormitory rooms in Virginia Hall housing three students that should
be reduced to two students. It is felt that it would be better to construct a dormitory to
house approximately 176 rather than 100 students in order to reduce the congestion in other
locations. For your convenience an analysis of the dormitory capacity reflecting a new dormitory
housing 176 students is shown as follows.

                 

Present dormitory capacity		1,518
Reduction by discontinuing Cornell Hall	82
Reducing congestion in Virginia Hall	33
Providing facilities for the Dean of Women	9	124
Total		1,394
Proposed new dormitory		176
		1,570
Less temporary spaces		51
Total		1,519

"It is our understanding that the Board did not wish to increase the enrollment of the
College beyond our present enrollment. Our dining hall facilities will accommodate a maximum
of 1,550 students which will take care of the proposed enrollment as shown above.

"We have an appropriation of $192,500 for the construction of a dormitory. It was not
intended that this amount would be sufficient to construct a dormitory housing 100 students. The
General Assembly intended that revenue bonds be issued to finance the balance of the cost of the
building.

"The following is an estimate of the cost of a dormitory housing 176 students and the amount
of bonds that would have to be issued.

         

Estimated construction cost, including architects fees: 176 students at $3,700	$651,200
Estimated cost of equipment: 176 students at $300	52,800
	$704,000
Less appropriation	192,500
Funds to be provided from proceeds of a bond issue	$511,500

"We recommend that the College be granted authority to construct a dormitory housing
approximately 176 students costing $704,000, including equipment. It is understood that this
would require a bond issue of approximately $511,500."

After discussion the Board adopted the following resolution:

RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
that Mary Washington College be and it is hereby authorized to construct a dormitory housing
approximately 176 students and costing $704,000, including equipment, subject to approval by the
Governor for the requisite bond issue of approximately $511,500.

FIRE HAZARDS IN VIRGINIA HALL

The Board resolved that the College be authorized to proceed with the elimination of the fire
hazards in Virginia Hall as soon as funds shall become available from the $50,000 appropriated by
the General Assembly for this purpose.

ENROLLMENT AND WITHDRAWALS

Referring to his plans to limit enrollment at the College to a figure not exceeding 1600
students, with which there was general approval, the Chancellor presented the following tabulation
of advance enrollment for the 1956-57 session, with attached comparative data on withdrawals and
enrollment:

NEW DORMITORY STUDENTS

             

Total applications received		1,002
Incomplete applications and awaiting reviewed by the Committee on admissions	148
Applications cancelled	69
Applications rejected by Committee on Admissions as not meeting entrance requirements	201	418
Net applications accepted - New Students		584
Total applications received for Re-admission		935
TOTAL STUDENTS ACCEPTED		1,519

COMPARATIVE DATA ON STUDENT WITHDRAWALS

In the 1955-56 session we have had fewer students withdraw during the session
than in the previous years. For your information, a comparison of withdrawals of
this year as compared with last year is shown as follows.

     

	Va. Dorm	Non-Res. Dorm	Va. Day	Non-Res. Day	Va. Special	Non-Res. Special	Total
1954-55 through March 31	73	73	15		7	7	175
1955-56 through March 31	50	56	5	2	6	2	121

COMPARATIVE SUMMARY OF ENROLLMENT DATA

1943 - 1956

                           

Session	Freshmen	Sophomores	Juniors	Seniors	Specials	Total
1943-44	798	309	161	186	9	1,463
1944-45	619	479	179	152	8	1,437
1945-56	566	389	247	210	17	1,429
1946-47	693	345	243	226	10	1,517
1947-48	613	378	264	238	20	1,513
1948-49	656	363	252	244	13	1,528
1949-50	587	395	228	224	12	1,446
1950-51	408	355	233	208	12	1,216
1951-52	426	294	231	220	9	1,180
1952-53	578	317	199	207	13	1,314
1953-54	681	385	187	178	26	1,457
1954-55	692	474	224	160	27	1,577
1955-56	592	483	279	176	18	1,548

COLLEGE BOARD EXAMINATIONS

In commenting on advancing academic standards at the College, Mr. Simpson noted that he was
encouraging the faculty to apply College Entrance Board Examinations to all out-of-state
students and to make use of A. C. E. tests for Virginia students. There were expressions from
the Visitors of general approval of this policy.

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On motion the meeting was then adjourned.