 | Board of Visitors minutes April 13, 2007 |  |
REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT
The Rector asked the President to give his usual report.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT: COMMISSION ON THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY
The President discussed some current planning efforts underway at the University. A Commission on the Future of the University has been formed under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Sandridge and Dr. Garson. The Commission has been charged with proposing directions for the University for the next ten years. He said the work of the Commission brings together several planning efforts already underway and that it is particularly timely, given the imminent departure of the Provost, the needs of the Campaign, and planning for the succession of several key University officials.
The Commission has been organized with four committees: Schools and the Medical Center; Programmatic Initiatives; Faculty and Student Life; and Funding and Other Resources. The Committees are to deliver draft plans in their respective areas by May 15th. The new Provost will review these plans over the summer and return them to the committees by the start of the fall semester.
Using the plans drafted by the committees, the Commission will write a final report and submit it to the President by the end of the fall semester. The plan will go to the Board's Special Committee on Planning in February, 2008, and the Committee will forward it to the full Board.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT: FACULTY HIRES
The President announced an important faculty hire as part of the Board's efforts to enhance science and technology research at the University: Joseph Takahashi, currently professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern University. Mr. Takahashi, who is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, is one of the world's leading biological-clock researchers. He will hold an endowed chair in the Department of Biology and will be the director of a new Center for Circadian and Systems Biology.
Mr. Takahashi's appointment becomes effective in September, 2008. He will bring with him a multi-million dollar laboratory, which is being funded by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations.
The President pointed out that Mr. Takahashi is the sixth National Academies-level researcher hired by the University in less than two years as part of the Board's Distinguished Senior Scientist Recruitment Program.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT: SACS ACCREDITATION
The President reminded the Board that the University is undergoing re-accreditation by SACS - the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - and he reported on the process. Two required documents have been submitted to SACS by the University: the Compliance Certification and the Quality Enhancement Plan. An external committee visited the Grounds in March to review the Quality Enhancement Plan and the University's compliance work. The committee is preparing its final report which, the President said, is expected to be laudatory overall. SACS will vote in December on the re-accreditation of the University.
The Quality Enhancement Plan the University submitted to SACS focuses on enhancing student-faculty engagement.
GIFTS AND GRANTS REPORT
The President reported that philanthropic giving to the University and its related foundations for the fiscal year stood at $218.7million through February 28th; this represents an increase of $58.1million, or 36.2%, over the amount received during the same period last year.
The Medical School, the Medical Center, the Curry School, the McIntire School and the School of Architecture all reported increases in giving.
Among the significant gifts received since the last meeting of the Board are $15million in pledge payments from Philip Morris USA, Inc., to the Medical School and the McIntire School; $2,983,272.43 in deferred giving from the Estate of H. Brice Graves - part to go to the Class of 1938 Scholarship Fund at the Law School Foundation and part to the Department of Economics in the College; $1,002,328 from Mr. Roby Robinson, Jr. to the Jefferson Scholars Foundation; and a $1million pledge payment from the Smithfield-Luter Foundation for the Smithfield-Luter Palmer Weber Fund in the School of Medicine.
Among the significant new pledges recorded since the last Board meeting are $25million from Philip Morris USA, Inc., of which $20million is designated to the Medical School and the remainder to the McIntire School; $1,300,000 to the Medical School from the Harrison Family Foundation - the pledge will provide support for the Memory Disorders Program; and $1million from the Harry Bramhall Gilbert Charitable Trust for the establishment of the Harry Bramhall Gilbert Merit Scholarship.
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE GIFTS AND GRANTS REPORT
On motion, the Board approved the following resolution:
RESOLVED, the report of private gifts for the period January 1, 2007 - February 28, 2007, is accepted.
- - - - - - - - - -The Preliminary Meeting of the Board ended at 9:50.
| Board of Visitors minutes April 13, 2007 | |