The College of William and Mary’s Board of Visitors met Nov. 14-16 to discuss topics including First Amendment rights on campus, ongoing construction projects and tuition increases for the class of 2023. These discussions resulted in the presentation and approval of 17 resolutions.
Resolution 1: Following guidance from Gov. Ralph Northam’s office and in anticipation of the upcoming Virginia General Assembly session, the Richard Bland College Committee passed this resolution to seek legislative support for four budget amendments for fiscal year 2020 operating and capital budgets.
Richard Bland hopes to acquire additional funding for additional priorities it has identified for the upcoming fiscal year. The first of these includes a $300,000 request from the state’s general fund to hire three full-time faculty members in high-demand fields. Their second priority is divided into two smaller categories. First, a $250,000 request so that Richard Bland can move into compliance with the Virginia Information Technology Agency’s Enterprise Cloud Oversight Service, a set of guidelines from Northam that require institutions of higher education to implement cloud-based services for new software. However, the second part of this priority offers an alternative to increased funding by amending language to exempt Richard Bland from the oversight of the VITA.
The third identified priority is to install a generator in the Richard Bland library. This priority would require $325,000 from the state’s general fund. The fourth and last identified priority is to acquire additional funding to maintain Ernst Hall, which was last renovated in 2015. The resolution, which the BOV passed, allows Richard Bland to pursue acquiring $262,000 from the state’s general fund for this money.
Resolution 2: The Richard Bland College Committee approved the final revisions to Weapons on Campus Regulation. This revision expands the prohibition of weapons at all events and activities on college property and in all outdoor areas. Individuals in violation of this policy may be subject to arrest for trespassing.
Resolution 3: The Richard Bland College Committee approved the final revisions to the Richard Bland College Open Flames on Campus Regulation policy. This finalized policy states that open flames are prohibited on all college property, including within college buildings and facilities unless a permit has been obtained for an approved event.
Resolution 4: The Richard Bland College Committee voted to name the Richard Bland College cafe the Mary Morton Parsons Café. The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is a Richmond, Virginia-based foundation that supports the capital needs of charitable organizations. The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation gifted $100,000 to Richard Bland to support its first fundraising campaign and has also given Richard Bland $150,000 to renovate its library building.
Resolution 5: This resolution was discussed in closed session and was concerned with appointments to fill vacancies in instructional faculty.
Resolution 6: This resolution was discussed in closed session and dealt with designated professorships.
Resolution 7: : This resolution was discussed in closed session and concerned faculty leaves of absence.
Resolution 8: : The Committee on Audit, Risk and Compliance approved the 2019 Internal Audit Work Plan. This plan includes audits for financial aid, the office of the provost, international travel, minors on campus, volunteers on campus, America To Go procurement and accounting and consulting plans from Richard Bland. It also includes recurring audit activities such as the activity on small purchase charge cards and Commonwealth Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline investigations.
Resolution 9: The Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds approved the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s resolution to demolish multiple structures at the Eastern Shore Laboratory. VIMS will demolish the Owns House, Bath House, Castagna Shellfish Research Hatchery, the Administration Building, Freshwater Pump House, Shop Storage Shed, Gas House, a storage shed, the Aquaculture Shop, Hill House and the Hill House garage and the King House storage.
Resolution 10: The Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds approved VIMS’ resolution to demolish multiple structures within the facilities maintenance complex. These structures include the Service Center and Laboratory, Maintenance Shop, Service Center Annex, Sediment Laboratory, Facilities Storage I, Facilities Storage II, Grounds Greenhouse, Hazardous Waste Storage, Radiation Waste Storage and Greenhouse III.
Resolution 11: The Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds approved the naming of VIMS’ new aquaculture center. VIMS will name this center the A. Marshall Acuff, Jr. Center for Aquaculture in honor of A. Marshall Acuff ’62, who chairs the For the Bold campaign at VIMS. Acuff has also made charitable gifts to VIMS to advance sustainable shellfish aquaculture.
Resolution 12: Virginia code requires that public institutions of higher education update and revise crisis and emergency management plans every four years. In compliance with this code, the College’s Emergency Management Team and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management developed a plan for the next four years, which includes procedures for both natural and human-caused disasters.
Resolution 13: The last of the Committee on Administration, Buildings and Grounds’resolutions officially renames the Busch Field Team Facility as the Tribe Field Hockey Center. Cathy Bessant and John Clay, parents of Meredith Clay ’18, have become lead donors to the Tribe Field Hockey program. As part of the recognition of the 100th anniversary of coeducation, their family lead donation efforts for a $2.4 million project that will create new facilities for the women’s field hockey team at Busch Field. This project has been titled the Century Project.
Resolution 14: The BOV’s Committee on Financial Affairs used this resolution to approve the continuation of the William and Mary Promise, a program that guarantees in-state students will not see changes in their tuition over four years. This resolution also increased tuition for incoming in-state students by 5.4 percent, setting tuition at $18,375. This tuition increase was first addressed in September 2018.
Resolution 15: This resolution acknowledges the receipt of the consolidated financial reports from the College, VIMS and Richard Bland College for the fiscal year which ended June 30, 2018.
Resolution 16: This resolution acknowledges that the financial report from the College’s Intercollegiate Athletic Department for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2018 was presented to College President Katherine Rowe, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Sam Jones, Rector John Littel and the BOV.
Resolution 17: This resolution concerns the partial interim allocation of the trust of Jeanne Baker of Mequon, Wisconsin, who died Feb. 14, 2018 at 102 years old. Her husband, Russell Baker, established a trust in her honor, naming the College one of three beneficiaries. The College’s share of the trust is $3,155,432, and the College has no restrictions on use of the trust. The Committee on Financial Affairs passed a resolution on the interim use of the trust, allocating $3 million for the Integrated Science Center 4 project and allocating $155,432 for campus beautification projects. Once reimbursed, the trust will be used to establish a fund to be used an an endowment for sustainability projects.