The Board of Visitors will convene starting tomorrow to review the University’s undergraduate advising system, approve design plans for the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology and update members on the University’s fundraising for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Also on Committee agendas is a review of the proposed development of a new video scoreboard at Scott Stadium and approval of the renaming of Lewis Hall.
The Board of Visitors — made up of 17 members and seven standing committees — meets four times a year to discuss the University’s long-term planning and goals. The full Board typically convenes at the end of the series of Committee meetings and hears major updates as well as approval of a consent agenda.
The agenda for this week's meeting of the full board, scheduled for Friday, is divided into two sections — a business meeting and a leadership discussion. The business meeting includes a written report of the fundraising progress for the University and affiliated foundations as well as a number of other consent agenda items including resolutions commending the work of previous Board members.
The Board will also hear updates from Lillian Rojas, student member of the Board and fourth-year College student, and Hamza Aziz, chair of the Honor Committee and fourth-year College student.
Finally, the full Board will engage in a discussion with University leadership about governance. University President Jim Ryan will be joined by Clayton S. Rose, a professor at the Harvard Business School who previously served as the president of Bowdoin College.
Earlier in the week, the Board’s Academic and Student Life Committee will hear a report on undergraduate advising, including changes made to first-year engineering advising. Enhancements include the introduction of an advisor training program that will begin in the summer for new advisors and continue monthly for all first-year advisors in the Engineering school.
Improving undergraduate advising has long been a central concern for the Academic and Student Life Committee and is a key initiative in the University’s 2030 plan.
The Committee will also vote to establish five new professorships and the establishment of a new Ph.D. program in Computational Biology in the School of Medicine.
The Building and Grounds Committee will meet Thursday and review and approve schematic design plans for the Paul and Dianne Manning Institute of Biotechnology — a $300 million “world class” facility centered at Fontaine Research Park. The Institute was funded in large part by a $100 million gift from Charlottesville investors Paul and Diane Manning. Paul Manning was appointed to the Board in June and serves on the Advancement Committee, the Finance Committee and Health System Board.
The Building and Grounds Committee will also approve the renaming of Lewis Hall — the central building of Mountain Lake Biological Station operated by the College of Arts and Sciences. The building is currently named for Ivey Lewis, a former Dean of the College and, more controversially, an ardent eugenicist. The building will be renamed Ruth Patrick Hall in honor of one of the first woman to earn a doctorate degree at the University.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee will also review and vote on the proposed schematic design for a new video scoreboard at Scott Stadium. According to the agenda, the current scoreboard is outdated and in need of a new sound system to fit with the University’s 2030 plan — the University’s goal to become the nation’s top public university by 2030.
The Finance Committee will meet Thursday afternoon and plans to approve the 2023 State Six-Year Institutional plans for the University and the College at Wise, as required by the state of Virginia. The plan for the College at Wise includes adding specific programs such as a hospitality tourism management degree program and a Masters of Science in Technology Management and will also be reviewed by the Committee on the College at Wise.
The Finance Committee will also vote on budget requests — including the $111 million requested by the ongoing Institute of Biotechnology recruitment. Additional requests include $15.5 million in internship and workforce development for students and $2.9 million in mental health services provided by Student Health and Wellness.
The University’s threat assessment team — which aims to reduce violence on Grounds — has requested an additional $182,365 this financial year citing a 75 percent increase in caseload over the past two years. The additional funds would be used for recruiting employees and providing comprehensive training for members of TAT.
The Advancement Committee will meet Friday and will review the University’s fundraising progress. According to the agenda, the University has exceeded its total fundraising goal of $500 million for fiscal year 2023. Additionally, the total philanthropic cash flow for 2023 has exceeded $300 million for the fifth consecutive year.
The Audit, Compliance and Risk Committee will meet on Thursday and vote to approve a new compliance charter outlining expectations for the Committee, along with reviewing the audit.
Meetings will all be live-streamed at bov.virginia.edu/live. Detailed agendas for each committee can be found on the Board of Visitors website.
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