Discussion ranging from the South Lawn Project to the University's national rankings will take place at Darden today, as committee reports are presented at this week's Board of Visitors meeting.
The Board, which is scheduled to meet today, tomorrow and Saturday, usually takes this time to approve tuition rates. However, the absence of a state budget has impeded this process.
Tuition is "the main thing the Board usually considers at the April board meeting, but because there's no budget, [we] can't do it," Secretary to the Board Alexander Gilliam, Jr. said.
University spokesperson Carol Wood said approval of tuition rates has been postponed until the General Assembly passes a state budget.
Instead, Board members will focus on other aspects of the University.
An important topic at the meeting will be the Special Committee on Planning's report that includes research rankings comparisons, Rector Thomas F. Farrell, II said.
"Planning is looking at how to take the University from top 25 to top 15," he said.
According to Wood, Board members will also focus on the presentation of new plans for the South Lawn project.
Wood said University Architect David Neuman will present new illustrations today.
Approval of schematic plans for the South Lawn will be an important point of discussion, according to Gilliam.
"This is the big deal -- the South Lawn Project," Gilliam said.
Gilliam added that the project is something that "must move forward."
The Buildings and Grounds Committee will also present additional outlines of various other construction projects, including a proposed residence hall next to Observatory Hill Dining Hall and a funeral plot for future University presidents.
In addition, Chief Diversity Officer Bill Harvey will present strategies for hiring "senior faculty of color," according to the agenda of the Special Committee on Diversity.
"This is something the Board been interested in -- getting more minority faculty here," Gilliam said. "This is an ongoing effort."
Gilliam added that another ongoing Board interest concerns the idea of intellectual property.
For instance, "if someone on the faculty invents something, but they invent it as a result of their research as financed by the University, who has dibs on it?" Gilliam asked. "Nationally, this is something that's still pretty murky, and we're trying to make sense of it."
Committee reports will continue until tomorrow afternoon, at which point the full board will meet.
According to Wood, however, President John T. Casteen, III will not be able to attend tomorrow's meeting because he is giving the keynote address at the College of William & Mary which is inaugurating a new president, she said.
Casteen will be present for the final full Board meeting on Saturday.
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