The University's Board of Visitors formed a special committee Saturday to examine whether the Board must conform to recommendations set forth by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education's preliminary report.
The recommendations are directed toward all Virginia college and university boards of visitors, but some University officials said they think many of the recommendations do not apply to the University of Virginia.
The Commission, created by Gov. James S. Gilmore III (R) in 1998, recommended in its report that boards of visitors "should set and maintain admission standards consistent with their institutional missions."
University Rector John P. Ackerly III said this particular recommendation does not necessarily apply to the University's Board, since Dean of Admissions John A. Blackburn, Casteen and other administrators now have the authority to set admission standards.
Another recommendation states that each board of visitors at four-year institutions "should review its general education curriculum at least every six years and ensure that it provides students with a 'core of common learning'."
Again, Ackerly said this does not apply to the Board because it falls more under the jurisdiction of University administrators, not the Board of Visitors.
Board member T. Keister Greer, who heads the Board's Committee on Educational Policy and is one of five Board members on the new special committee, said he thinks the Board is doing its job well already.
"A lot of the recommendations are already in full force at the University," Greer said.
But he said the Board still will take the Commission recommendations into consideration.
"We will approach the document with great seriousness," he added. "It is carefully thought-out."
University President John T. Casteen III said he agrees that the University performs its duties well.
"I think the Board is complying fully and, from private conversations, I think the Commission members feel this way also," Casteen said. "Probably, our Board is ahead of all the others on this."
Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor and Commission member, said the University's Board is different from the boards of other Virginia colleges and universities because of its quality.
"I believe that when all is said and done, there will be less change in U.Va. in and out of our Board of Visitors than elsewhere," Sabato said. "We are already a first-rate institution and Board."
A final report has not yet been published. Casteen said the preliminary report will be modified before it is published.
Out of about 70 recommendations given by the Commission, approximately 10 of them specifically refer to Virginia boards of visitors.
Within the Commission, a smaller task force, composed of some current and former board members from various institutions, was formed to specifically focus on board recommendations.
Sabato said about six members of the task force focused on the board recommendations and wrote the information.
Casteen said the Commission "had a huge job" because of the structure of Virginia's higher educational system.
In addition to Greer, Board members Gordon F. Rainey Jr., Elizabeth A. Twohy, Elsie Goodwyn Holland and Timothy B. Robertson will serve on the special committee. Rainey and Robertson are two of 39 members serving on the Commission.
The special committee will have its first meeting May 15.
Read More
Honor Committee considers formal ban of AI detectors as evidence in trials
By Lexie Stadler | 16 hours agoThe Committee also addressed balancing student perspectives with those of Committee representatives during panel discussions.
Pro-Palestinian protesters form encampment near University Chapel
By CD News Staff | 16 hours agoThe encampment overlapped with a separate “May Day” protest on the Lawn, which was hosted by student activist group U.Va. Dissenters and the U.Va. Apartheid Divest Coalition.
Another aggravated assault incident reported to UPD
By Thomas Baxter | 17 hours agoThis is the first community alert of May.
