University of Virginia Library

NORTHERN VIRGINIA COLLEGE

The Rector, the President, and the Secretary laid before the Board numerous
resolutions, telegrams, and letters relative to the permanent site of the branch
college in Northern Virginia. These messages were, as usual, in favor of the
Board's choice of the Bowman tract at Sunset Hills by an overwhelming ratio,
roughly ten to one. These included a resolution from the Washington, D. C.
Alumni, the University's largest Alumni chapter, endorsing the Board's action.

The President stated that the draft of a deed of conveyance from the Messrs.
Bowman for the Sunset Hills tract had been approved by the attorneys for the
Bowmans and for the University. President Darden said that he could not ask the
Board to approve execution of the deed today because the Governor has not yet given
approval of the acceptance of the tract, and the Governor's approval is required
by statute before the University can accept any gift which may involve future costs
to the State. Regret was expressed that this delay might prove costly to the
Bowmans. The Board adopted the following resolution.

RESOLVED that the President and other administrative officers of the
University be and they are hereby directed to accept and execute a deed of
conveyance from the Messrs. Bowman for the Sunset Hills tract, in the form agreed
upon by the attorneys for the respective parties, as soon as the Governor's approval
shall have been obtained in accordance with statutory requirements.

The Rector read to the Board a letter of 10 April 1958 from Mr. C. Harrison
Mann, enclosing a resolution of February 25th from the Alexandria City Council and
a resolution of March 26th adopted at an adjourned meeting of the Board of
Supervisors of Fairfax County, and requesting a statement of the University's
intentions regarding choice of a permanent site in Northern Virginia for the
branch college, which is now occupying quarters at Bailey's Cross Roads.

The Board resolved, after a brief discussion, that the Secretary again convey
to Mr. Mann the text of the Board's Resolution of February 1st approving the Sunset
Hills tract.

The Visitors also expressed their approval of the statement issued to the
press by the Rector following the February 1st Board meeting, and instructed the
Secretary to send to Mr. Mann a copy of that statement also, as follows

Members continued to concur in the President's plan to continue college
classes at Bailey's Cross Roads, in accordance with needs, for some years after
the permanent college shall have been established at Sunset Hills.