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MEETING MINUTES
UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
BOARD OF VISITORS
FEBRUARY 15-16, 2018
All meetings were held in the Minor Board Room of the Jepson Alumni Executive Center, 1119
Hanover Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia, unless noted otherwise.
1. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018
2. 9:30 A.M., EAGLE VILLAGE, UMW FOUNDATION ORIENTATION
Board Members present: Fred M. Rankin III, Rector; Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Devon W. Cushman
’93, Patricia G. McGinnis ‘69
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Jeffrey W. McClurken ’94, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the
Board of Visitors; Dori Eglevsky, UMW Foundation Board; Jeff Rountree ‘91, Chief Executive
Officer, UMW Foundation; Greg Branner ‘85, Chief Financial Officer, UMW Foundation
The UMW Foundation Orientation session was called to order by Mr. Jeff Rountree ’91, Chief
Executive Officer of the UMW Foundation at 9:35 a.m. in the Foundation Office Conference Room,
1125 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 200, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Officers of the UMW Foundation Board provided an orientation session for new members of the
Board of Visitors. The relationship between the University and the Foundation was discussed. An
overview of the assets managed by the Foundation was provided as well as its management
structure and programs.
The orientation concluded at 11:35 a.m.
3. 12:00 P.M., RECTOR’S GALLERY, OPTIONAL LUNCH
An optional lunch was held in the Rectors’ Gallery at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center for
Board members and other guests prior to commencement of the Board of Visitors meeting. No
University business was conducted at this event.
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4. 1:00 P.M., BOARD OF VISITORS MEETING
Board Members present: Fred M. Rankin III, Rector; Heather M. Crislip ’95, Vice Rector; Devon
W. Cushman ‘93, Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Edward (Ted) B. Hontz, R. Edward Houck (departs 3:00
p.m.), Patricia G. McGinnis ’69, Davis C. Rennolds ’06, Rhonda S. VanLowe, Deirdre Powell
White ’91
Board Member absent: Sharon Bulova
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Jeffrey W. McClurken ‘94, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the
Board; Lisa D. Bowling ’89, Vice President for Advancement and University Relations; Kimberley
Buster-Williams, Vice President for Enrollment Management; Sabrina V. Johnson, Vice President
for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer; Juliette Landphair, Vice President for Student
Affairs; Nina Mikhalevsky, Provost; Lynne D. Richardson, Vice President for Administration and
Finance, and CFO; Jeffrey W. Rountree ’91, Chief Executive Officer, UMW Foundation; Kimberly
Young, Executive Director of Continuing and Professional Studies; Debra Schleef, Interim
Assistant Provost for Assessment; John Wiltenmuth, Associate Vice President for Facilities
Services; Ken Tyler, Athletics Director; Tera Kovanes, Internal Auditor; Marcel Rotter, Associate
Professor for Modern Languages and Literature and Chairperson, University Faculty Council; Anna
Billingsley, Associate Vice President for University Relations; Carrie S. Nee, Senior Assistant
Attorney General, Section Chief; Audrey Burges, Assistant Attorney General, Education Section;
Betsy J. Chinn, Deputy Clerk, Board of Visitors; Susan B. Worrell, Special Assistant to the
President for Special Events; Zafeer Mobashar, Audio Visual Technician
Other faculty and staff were also present.
A. Call to Order
Rector Fred Rankin called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m.
B. Welcome and Introductions
All individuals present introduced themselves. Ms. Audrey Burges, Assistant Attorney General,
Education Section, was welcomed. Ms. Burges joined the staff of the Virginia Attorney General’s
Office in December 2017, and is assigned as primary legal counsel for University of Mary
Washington.
C. Approval of Minutes
Rector Rankin brought forward meeting minutes for approval. The floor was opened for suggested
edits or comment in regard to draft meeting minutes posted November 2017 – January 2018.
Dr. McClurken noted a clarification to the November 17, 2017 Board of Visitors meeting minutes
on behalf of Dr. Marcel Rotter, University Faculty Council Representative. In reference to
Category 16, Faculty and Student Reports, Agenda Item C., Faculty Representative Report, the
following sentence was added to paragraph three in regard to President Paino’s Vision Statement:
“He (Dr. Rotter) noted there was no mention of International Education or Study Abroad and said
that the vision was lacking a comprehensive view on the visual arts.”
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Action Item:
On a motion by Ms. VanLowe, seconded by Ms. Cuellar, the Board of Visitors approved minutes
for the following meetings as amended and presented:
Meeting Minutes UMW Board of Visitors, November 16-17, 2017, as amended
Meeting Minutes UMW Board of Visitors Executive Committee, December 15, 2017
Meeting Minutes UMW Board of Visitors Executive Committee, January 17, 2018
D. Rector’s Remarks
Rector Rankin briefly reviewed the February meeting agenda, highlighting events that will be held
during the two day session.
Mr. Rankin noted that members of the Executive Committee have been busy since the November
Board meeting. On December 11, two members of the Executive Committee, President Paino, and
Dr. McClurken met with UMW Foundation leadership and representatives from the Bank of
America to discuss the possibility of refinancing two student housing projects given discussions in
Congress at the time about certain types of tax-exempt bonds.
A meeting of the Executive Committee was called on December 15 for discussion and approval of
the refinancing agreements that were drawn up by the UMW Foundation Board and Bank of
America for the two student housing projects. Although the Executive Committee approved
UMW’s role in the proposed refinancing, the ultimate legislation from Congress did not contain a
provision affecting the UMW Foundation financing and so the refinancing did not go forward.
Bylaws Revision
The Executive Committee met again on January 17 to establish the agenda for the February Board
of Visitors meeting. A Bylaws revision recommended by the Nominating and Governance
Committee in November was also approved in regard to the General Assembly’s action taken last
year requiring residency of the Board of Visitors Rector or Vice Rector. As per the Board of
Visitors Bylaws, the Executive Committee must recommend to the full Board final approval of the
Bylaws revision.
Action Item:
On behalf of the Board of Visitors Executive Committee, Rector Rankin recommended approval to
amend Section VIII A. of the UMW Board of Visitors Bylaws to state that either the Rector or Vice
Rector must be a resident of the Commonwealth per Virginia Code §23.1-300. All Board
members present approved the motion.
In other announcements, Rector Rankin stated that he attended the mid-winter meeting of the UMW
Foundation Board held on February 6, 2018. The Foundation Board is considering refinance of the
Hyatt Place Hotel at Eagle Village. Competitive bids will be taken. The Investment Committee
approved creation of a student-controlled investment fund. The fund will be managed by the UMW
College of Business. Dr. Lynne Richardson provided details of the project and thanked the
Foundation for this opportunity for the students.
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Executive Committee Nominations The Nominating and Governance Committee met on February 9 to select a nominee for the vacant
position of Secretary to the Board of Visitors. Ms. Rhonda VanLowe was selected as nominee and
a formal vote will be taken at the Board of Visitors meeting on Friday, February 16. Due to Ms.
VanLowe’s selection as nominee for the unexpired term in the office of the Secretary, a
recommendation to fill Ms. VanLowe’s unexpired term as the At-Large Executive Committee
member was also determined. Ms. Devon Cushman was selected as nominee for that positon. A
formal vote will be taken by the Board of Visitors on Friday, February 16, to confirm the
appointments. The Rector thanked Ms. Cuellar for the tremendous amount of work done and time
taken to coordinate a successful meeting to accomplish this task in the time frame allotted to do so.
Rector Rankin stated that the Governor and General Assembly did not confirm the reappointment of
Mr. Carlos Del Toro to the Board of Visitors for 2017-18. The Rector praised Mr. Del Toro for his
service to the Board and the University.
Ms. McGinnis recognized Mr. Edd Houck as the new chair of the Administration, Advancement,
Finance and Facilities Committee. Rector Rankin added his appreciation for his acceptance of the
role.
E. President’s Report
President’s Activity Report
President Paino distributed copies of his activities report for the period November 16, 2017-
February 14, 2018. A copy of the report is attached to the BoardDocs agenda: President Paino's
Activities Report 11-16-17 to 02-14-18. Highlights of the report were noted:
The president and his cabinet engaged in an Emergency Training Tabletop Exercise in
which the team responded to a simulated emergency and developed a plan for resolve. This
exercise proved important in learning to prepare and respond as quickly as possible to
emergency situations.
Due to a teacher shortage in Richmond area schools, Mayor Levar Stoney visited campus to
meet with administrators and students to discuss a partnership with the UMW College of
Education. This offering was a great opportunity for Education students to learn about a
high-need area.
Several meetings are being held with legislators to request a budget amendment for
additional resources to enhance the UMW Center for Career and Professional Development.
Monthly meetings continue with Fredericksburg’s City Manager to develop a good working
relationship and shared vision. A meet and greet event was held at Brompton inviting
members of the City Council and local agencies. Leadership of UMW and City of
Fredericksburg will hold a retreat in March utilizing an outside moderator to help align
master plans.
Members of the President’s Community Advisory Committee on Diversity were invited to
Brompton for an inaugural gathering. Dr. Gene Carter accepted chairmanship of this
committee.
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General Assembly Update
Dr. Paino provided an update on the current General Assembly session. He reported on legislation
that is currently being considered and its potential impact on higher education. The General
Assembly is expected to conclude its session by March 10.
Capital Projects
Mr. John Wiltenmuth, Associate Vice President for Facilities Services, addressed questions from
the Board regarding campus Capital Projects. His written report is attached to the BoardDocs
agenda: Capital Projects Update_Board of Visitors February 2018.
Continuing and Professional Studies
Ms. Kimberly Young, Executive Director of Continuing and Professional Studies was introduced.
Ms. Young presented a PowerPoint that tied together elements of the UMW Strategic Plan and the
Strategic Enrollment Plan, especially those applicable to the unmet needs for adult continuing
education in the surrounding communities. Ms. Young’s presentation slides can be found on the
BoardDocs agenda: Continuing and Professional Studies Report_BOV February 2018.
During the first six months of her tenure, Ms. Young has worked to understand and identify avenues
in which to connect and move forward with relevance in this area. The Continuing and Professional
Studies website is now up and running: http://www.umw.edu/cps/.
Ms. Young was thanked for sharing her enthusiasm and for the work she has done thus far in getting
Continuing and Professional Studies off to a great start.
The Rector called for a break at 2:43 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 3:00 p.m.
Institutional Effectiveness
President Paino presented his report on Institutional Effectiveness. Current dashboard indicators
were provided in hard copy to the Board members. The indicators were reviewed and discussed.
Board members engaged in discussion of various indicators, particularly retention rate and state-
funded financial aid.
President Paino also discussed demographic predictions over the next 10-15 years and noted that
some projections show that by 2026 there will be a twenty-to-twenty five percent decline in college-
bound students. Given this information, and in preparation for that decline, the university needs to
produce a plan that is sustainable.
Board members asked questions and engaged in discussion about various strategies going forward.
Ms. Cuellar expressed thanks to President Paino for raising awareness so that the Board members
can work together to achieve these goals.
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F. Report from Legal Counsel
The Rector requested that the Board of Visitors enter a closed meeting for discussion with legal
counsel.
A motion to enter closed meeting as permitted by Code of Virginia Sections 2.2-3711 (A)(7) to
discuss actual litigation brought by the Feminist Majority Foundation and probable litigation under
the Virginia Tort Claims Act was made by Ms. McGinnis and seconded by Mr. Hontz.
All present agreed that such a session was necessary and entered closed meeting at 4:39 p.m. All
Board members present remained in the closed meeting, along with President Paino, Dr. Jeffrey
McClurken, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the Board of Visitors, Ms. Carrie Nee and Ms. Audrey
Burges from the Office of the Attorney General.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Mr. Hontz moved to reenter open meeting. The motion was
seconded by Ms. White. All members present approved the motion. The Board re-entered open
meeting at 5:05 p.m.
The following motion to certify the closed meeting was made by Ms. Crislip and seconded by Ms.
Cuellar:
WHEREAS, the Board of Visitors has convened a closed meeting on this date pursuant to an
affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of
Information Act; and
WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3712.D of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the Board of
Visitors that such closed meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Visitors hereby certifies that, to the
best of each member’s knowledge, (i) only public business matters lawfully exempted from open
meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the closed meeting to which this
certification resolution applies, and (ii) only such public business matters as were identified in the
motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered by the Board of Visitors.
Roll Call Vote: AYES: Ms. Crislip, Ms. Cuellar, Ms. Cushman, Mr. Hontz, Ms. McGinnis, Mr. Rankin,
Mr. Rennolds, Ms. VanLowe, Ms. White
NAYS: None
ABSENT DURING VOTE: None
ABSENT DURING MEETING: Ms. Bulova, Mr. Houck
There was no action taken by the Board of Visitors following the closed meeting.
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G. Written Informational Reports
Informational reports prepared by members of the President’s Cabinet and Staff Advisory Council
are attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Written Informational Reports_BOV February 2018.
President Paino responded to general questions regarding the reports.
Rector Fred Rankin declared the Board of Visitors meeting in recess at 5:10 p.m.
5. 5:30 P.M., RAPPAHANNOCK BALLROOM, SIMPSON CIRCLE
A. Simpson Circle Event and Recognition of Former Board Members (Invited)
Current members of the Board of Visitors and President’s Cabinet attended a reception and program
with the Simpson Circle, a group comprised of former members of the UMW Board of Visitors.
Special recognition was presented by Rector Rankin to Board members who completed their terms
of service in 2017, Mr. Kenneth J. Lopez ’92 and Ms. Lisa D. Taylor ’85. There was no Board
action taken at this event.
6. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018
7. 7:45 A.M., KALNEN INN, BREAKFAST WITH THE PRESIDENT
A. Informal Discussion with the President
Board Members Present: Heather M. Crislip ’95, Vice Rector; Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Devon W.
Cushman ’93, Edward (Ted) B. Hontz, R. Edward (Edd) Houck, Patricia G. McGinnis ’69, Fred M.
Rankin III, Rector; Rhonda S. VanLowe, Deirdre Powell White ‘91
Board Members Absent: Sharon Bulova, Davis C. Rennolds ‘06
Also Present: Troy D. Paino, President; Audrey Burges, Assistant Attorney General, Education
Section
Board members attended breakfast with President Paino prior to convening the committee meetings.
No Board action was taken.
8. BOARD COMMITTEE MEETINGS COMMENCE
9. ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Committee Members present: Heather M. Crislip ‘95, Chair; Devon W. Cushman ‘93,
Patricia G. McGinnis ’69, Fred M. Rankin III, ex-officio
Committee Members absent: Davis C. Rennolds ’06, Deirdre Powell White ‘91
Also present: Jeffrey W. McClurken, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the Board of Visitors; Juliette
Landphair, Vice President for Student Affairs; Nina Mikhalevsky, Provost; Sabrina C. Johnson,
Vice President for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer; Kimberley Buster-Williams,
Vice President for Enrollment Management; Jessica Machado, Director of Disability Resources;
Tim O’Donnell, Associate Provost for Academic Engagement and Student Success; Kimberly
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Young, Executive Director for Continuing and Professional Studies; Anna Billingsley, Associate
Vice President for University Relations; Audrey Burges, Assistant Attorney General, Education
Section; Zafeer Mobashar, Audio Visual Technician; Betsy J. Chinn, Deputy Clerk
Chair Crislip called the committee meeting to order at 9:15 a.m., in the Minor Board Room. All
present were asked to introduce themselves.
A. Comments – Board of Visitors November Luncheon
At the November 2017 Board of Visitors meeting, UMW department chairs, program directors, and
associate deans of the colleges of business and education were invited to join Board members for
lunch and general discussion.
Among topics discussed were wellness, parking issues, lack of support staff, and salaries. The
Board members enjoyed the opportunity to meet the faculty and to hear their concerns and would
like to continue to have meaningful dialogue with specific constituencies going forward.
B. Disability Resources Report
Ms. Jessica Machado, Director of Disability Resources, provided an update on the Disability
Resources report that was presented in April 2017. Ms. Machado’s written report and power point
presentation are attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Disability Resources Report and
Presentation_BOV February 2017.
The number of students with very complex needs that are registered with the UMW Office of
Disability Resources continues to increase. Compared to other Virginia public institutions, UMW
has the highest percentage of enrolled students registered with disability resources as well as the
highest student-to-staff ratio. Ms. McGinnis commented that UMW does a great job with limited
resources.
Ms. Machado discussed the increasing use of ODR’s resources by students who often have complex
needs that affect many areas of the university in and out of the classroom. This is an enormous
challenge for faculty and staff and has a profound effect on student learning.
Mr. Rankin asked Ms. Machado to share her short-term goals, which were as follows:
Develop strong partnerships with the faculty and staff
Have more opportunities for training
Individual consultations
Create ways to streamline processes in office to coordinate use of technology
In the long term, Ms. Machado looks forward to moving to a space such as Seacobeck Hall, which
will allow more space for training, assisted technology, and a testing center. The needs of students
with testing accommodation is high. It is necessary to find a designated space outside of the
classroom.
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Ms. Machado closed by stating that her main goal is to teach students to learn what their strengths
and weaknesses are and why accommodation was given. Students are comfortable interacting with
the Office of Disability Resources. A great amount of time is spent supporting students. Recent
studies validate that spending more time teaching them to support themselves is best.
C. Retention Efforts
Dr. Juliette Landphair and Dr. Tim O’Donnell, co-chairs of the Student Success Council, presented
on UMW’s retention efforts. The Student Success Council was formed as part of the Strategic
Enrollment Plan to focus on the institution-wide priorities of recruitment and retention. Their
written report and presentation are attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Retention Efforts Report and
Presentation_BOV Feb 2018.
President Paino announced at the All University Assembly in January that he set the retention rate
goal for UMW at 90 percent. He emphasized that everyone at UMW has a role in retention efforts
and challenged the community to strive to make retention a priority. UMW’s mission is to ensure
student success by providing an environment for success. Given that Mary Washington invests
heavily in recruiting, we also invest in retention as well.
Most of the data gathered for Dr. O’Donnell’s analysis was provided by the UMW Office of
Institutional Research, with help from UMW Information Technology. Looking at six years of data
for sub groups available, the overall retention rate runs in the mid-80’s. Part of the research
explored the places to which UMW students go when they are not retained.
In striving to reach 90 percent, the presidential vision gives everyone a clear focal point. Energy
and enthusiasm matters. As part of the Student Success Council’s charge, sharing knowledge
across campus offices in order to recommend strategies for retention is key in improving student
success at UMW. Some initial steps that may be taken:
Policy Change: UMW has a more rigorous suspension policy than other state colleges,
which affects retention.
Curricular Offerings: Dr. Rao ran a study on the communication experience. Findings
indicate that a hybrid communication course will assist in keeping students here.
The Student Success Council analyzes will make a number of other recommendations to
improve retention by the end of the 2018 spring semester.
Chair Crislip called for a break at 11:09 a.m. The committee meeting resumed at 11:17 a.m.
D. Strategic Enrollment Plan
Vice President Buster-Williams’ presentation is attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Strategic
Enrollment Plan Update_BOV February 2018. Ms. Buster-Williams provided background on how
the Strategic Enrollment Plan (SEP) was formulated in 2013 to determine enrollment goals and
desired student profiles. A new organizational approach to the Plan was taken in 2015 to face
enrollment challenges and capitalize on opportunities going forward. The University’s Strategic
Enrollment Plan for 2016-2020 aligns with the University Strategic Plan.
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The SEP organizational framework consists of the President’s Cabinet, the SEP Steering
Committee, and the Recruitment and Student Success Councils. The six areas of focus have stayed
consistent:
First year enrollment
New Undergraduate – Non-degree enrollment
New Master’s degree enrollment
Transfer enrollment
Retention
Marketing – Expressed Interest in UMW
Ms. Buster-Williams reviewed the process and four phases of the timeline. UMW is in year two of
the four year plan. Some of the original budgetary targets have been checked off, such as
technology purchases. Additional targets will be addressed in years three and four. Mr. Rankin
asked if there was a dashboard in terms of progress. Many of the targets are noted in the President’s
Dashboard Indicators.
The President’s Cabinet will research and provide the Board of Visitors with a comparison of the
original goals and the new goals. An explanation of the changes and progress made toward the
goals will also be included.
Chair Crislip called for a break at 11:55 a.m. The meeting resumed at 12:02 p.m.
E. Personnel Docket
The Personnel Docket for Teaching and Instructional Faculty was brought before the committee for
comment.
Action Item:
A motion was made by Mr. Rankin, seconded by Ms. Cushman, that the Academic and Student
Affairs Committee recommend to the Board of Visitors approval of the Personnel Docket, as
presented. All committee members present approved the motion.
There being no further business to come before the committee, Ms. Crislip adjourned the Academic
and Student Affairs Committee meeting at 12:03 p.m.
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10. ADMINISTRATION, ADVANCEMENT, FINANCE & FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Committee Members Present: Edward R. (Edd) Houck, Chair; Sharon Bulova, Holly T. Cuellar
’89, Edward (Ted) B. Hontz, Rhonda S. VanLowe
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Lisa D. Bowling ’89, Vice President for Advancement and
University Relations; Lynne Richardson, Vice President for Administration and Finance and CFO;
Jeffrey W. Rountree ’91, Chief Executive Officer, UMW Foundation; Paul Messplay, Executive
Director of Budget and Financial Analysis; John Wiltenmuth, Associate Vice President for
Facilities Services; Greg Branner ’85, CFO, UMW Foundation; Tera Kovanes, Director of Internal
Audit; Zachary Hatcher, Senior Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Individual Giving; Carrie S.
Nee, Senior Assistant Attorney General/Section Chief; Mark Simpson, Assistant Director of Events
and Audio Visual; Paula Zero, Executive Office Manager, Office of the President
Chair Houck called the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. in the Rappahannock Ballroom at the Jepson
Alumni Executive Center.
Chair Houck said that he is honored to be the Chair of the AAFF Committee. He understands the
importance of the work of the committee and appreciates the outstanding work by staff in
preparation for the meetings. He is hopeful for a fluid transition to keep business moving forward
for all. He asked all those in attendance to introduce themselves.
Chair Houck encouraged the committee members to freely engage in open discussion and asked that
all questions be directed through the Chair so that individuals are not interrupting one another.
A. December 31, 2017 Budget Performance Report
Mr. Messplay presented the December 31, 2017 Budget Performance Report for the second quarter
of the fiscal year. As noted in the report, revenues to budget are tracking slightly above last year at
this time and expenditures are consistent with the budget plan. Overall, revenues are expected to
exceed expenditures at fiscal year-end. The report is included in the BoardDocs agenda: 2017-18
Budget Performance Report as of December 31, 2017
Ms. Richardson informed the committee that a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the University
Bookstore will be sent out by the end of February. A status of the RFP will be discussed at the
April BOV meeting.
Chair Houck asked for clarification on the definition of the words faculty and staff. Mr. Messplay
explained that faculty includes teaching faculty (adjunct as well) and staff includes all
administration, classified, staff, and wage employees.
Ms. Bulova stated that she appreciates the level of detail in the report and thanked Mr. Messplay for
the excellent material.
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B. 2018 General Assembly Update
Mr. Messplay presented the General Assembly Update. The House and Senate are expected to
release their respective budget recommendations for the 2018-20 biennium on February 18,
2018. The basis for House and Senate budget actions is the Governor’s budget, which was
introduced on December 18, 2017. The report is included in the BoardDocs agenda: Highlights of
Governor's Proposed 2018-20 Biennial Budget.
Ms. Cuellar stated that the Governor’s proposed budget provides authority for institutions of higher
education to establish an institutional reserve fund supported by unexpended E&G appropriations in
an amount not to exceed 3% of each institution’s general fund appropriation in E&G programs.
Any use of the reserve fund requires approval by the BOV and detailed reporting to the Governor.
Mr. Hontz suggested that using UMW reserve funds would be the preferred method since it would
eliminate the reporting requirement.
Chair Houck asked for clarification of the Maintenance Reserve within Capital Outlay.
Mr. Wiltenmuth provided examples of the Maintenance Reserve, including roof replacements on
academic buildings, HVAC systems, and other major components of buildings that fall with the
E&G category.
Chair Houck commented that he served as a budget conferee in the past. After the House and
Senate release their respective budget recommendations on February 18, 2018, they will review the
differences in each. It’s important to look for the uniformity in the two recommendations, as this is
a good indicator of how easily they will be able to reach an agreement.
C. Overview of UMW Foundation Support
Mr. Messplay presented the Overview of UMW Foundation Support report. The report is included
in the BoardDocs agenda: Overview of UMW Foundation Support_BOV Feb 2018
Ms. VanLowe asked for clarification about the difference between UMW and UMWF properties,
operational expenses, budget, etc.
President Paino confirmed that the UMWF budget is approved by the UMW Foundation not UMW.
Ms. Richardson stated that the UMWF does offset some of the UMW expenses that the state will
not support.
President Paino commented that UMW uses a blended model in which some of the funds for
expenses come from UMW (state) and some come from UMWF. One example is Eagle Landing in
the Eagle Village Complex and the University Apartments on William Street. UMW manages the
occupancy and billing process, but the revenue and expenses are included in the UMWF budget.
UMW and the UMWF engage in regular communications regarding fundraising amounts and how
they impact both budgets.
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Mr. Rountree stated that UMWF is currently working on forming its budget which will be approved
in April. UMWF is audited and does require an annual budget.
Chair Houck requested that a column be added to the report that shows the revenue that UMW
sends to the UMWF so that the blended model is clearly documented.
Ms. VanLowe clarified that the BOV sets the housing rates for UMW, and although UMW manages
some of the UMWF properties, it receives no fees for doing so. Consequently, UMW must be able
to generate revenue to address UMW and UMWF budget needs. She reiterated that showing the
revenue stream from UMW to UMWF, as Chair Houck suggested, would be helpful.
Mr. Messplay explained that UMWF must cover its debt ratio established by the bank. If additional
revenue is received, it can flow to UMW.
Mr. Rountree stated that although rates could be raised, the net return impact must be considered. If
rates are too high, marketing and recruiting efforts may be negatively impacted. Fundraising, which
fluctuates every year, is key to ensuring a healthy UMWF budget.
President Paino suggested that UMWF provide the BOV with regular UMWF budget reports.
The committee agreed that this would be beneficial and would provide a total picture of the budget
support for UMW operations. It would also assist in monitoring the progress of funding and
identifying potential areas of concern.
D. University Leases
Mr. Messplay presented a summary of all leases under which the University is the tenant. In total,
the University holds eleven leases, nine of which are with the Foundation. The report is included in
the BoardDocs agenda: Summary of Lease as of February 2018.
Ms. VanLowe asked if it is necessary that all of the leased office spaces be leased, or if they could
be moved to reduce expenses. She pointed out that the savings in eliminated leases would be the
majority of the money needed to fund the Career and Professional Development Center
enhancements.
Ms. Richardson stated that the only available campus space is located at the Stafford Campus,
which is inconvenient for business operations. In addition, the leasing arrangement with Stafford
County Public Schools using the Stafford Campus facilities through 2020/2021 also needs to be
considered.
Chair Houck altered the order of agenda in order in order that budget, revenue and tuition
discussion could be taken in sequence after the morning break.
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E. Advancement Update
Ms. Bowling thanked the BOV for their level of engagement with the university and their
commitment to fundraising. There is great need for UMW support and donors. At the August BOV
retreat, Ms. Bowling will provide a forecast of the upcoming year, including dollar amounts and
projects. The goal of $7 million in fundraising is an ambitious goal, but they are on track to
reaching this with as much as $800,000-$1 million in donations coming this year. The second
annual Mary Wash Giving Day will be held on March 20, 2018. This 24-hour online day of giving
has a goal of receiving 1,908 gifts, in commemoration of the University’s founding year. Tax
reforms will impact fundraising. Ms. Bowling expects that significant donors will continue to give
out of loyalty rather than because of tax benefits. She anticipates seeing an increase in donations
from those in lower income brackets. Advancement does not work in an isolated environment.
Revenue generation requires the involvement of all UMW faculty and staff. A comprehensive
campaign is also being considered which must be grounded in the philosophy and needs of UMW.
In addition, Ms. Bowling has been assessing her team’s staffing, processes, tools, etc. to increase
efficiencies in operations in an effort to exceed previous giving levels.
Her team is working towards developing more than a transactional relationship with alumni,
meeting them where they are at various stages of their lives. The goal is to form long-term
partnerships with alumni. They are working with the Alumni Relations Office to create a more
cohesive approach for alumni to give back to the University, including offering networking and
mentoring opportunities, as well as offering students internships, job placement, etc. Alumni
Affinity Groups, based on interests rather than geographic location, are becoming more and more
important in creating this approach.
The University Relations Office currently operates using a news bureau model, controlling
information that is sent out. With today’s social media platforms, it’s critical for UMW to develop
a more personal approach of communicating and to rethink how it engages people. A Crisis
Communication Committee is working on creating step-by-step procedures to ensure readiness in
times of crises, as well as to preserve and protect UMW. Mishandling crises can undermine efforts
in various operational areas, including Enrollment Management. A brand refresh is also being
considered, along with web migration of 30,000+ pages.
Ms. Cuellar emphasized the critical need to develop a partnership with the Career and Professional
Development Office and alumni who are eager to assist current students. Various models will need
to be considered.
Ms. Bowling commented that the model selected will depend on funding. The most successful
models include a staff member in a Career Office who manages internship and job placement,
liaises with employers, etc. The Alumni Relations Office assists in these efforts.
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F. Resolutions for Donor Terms of Agreement and Naming Opportunity
Ms. Bowling presented three resolutions and one naming opportunity for BOV approval. The
resolutions and supporting documents for the naming opportunity are included in the BoardDocs
agenda: Donor Resolutions for Scholarships and Naming Opportunity_Feb 2018
Ms. Bowling requested that the committee approve all three endowments in one vote. The
endowments included:
Mary Elwang Sharpley ’49 Scholarship
Robert ’93 and Dodie ’95 Whitt Scholarship
Laura C. Hudson ’71 Scholarship
Action Item:
On a motion made by Ms. VanLowe, seconded by Ms. Bulova, that the Administration,
Advancement, Finance and Facilities Committee recommend to the Board of Visitors approval of
the three donor scholarship resolutions, as presented. All committee members present approved the
motion.
Ms. Bowling then presented the naming opportunity. The stage in UMW’s historic amphitheatre
will be known as the Morris Stage in the Heslep Amphitheatre, named for Marceline Weatherly
Morris ’50 and Elmer Morris, Jr. ’50 who are honored and recognized for their contributions and
loyal dedication to the University.
Action Item:
On a motion made by Mr. Hontz, seconded by Ms. VanLowe, that the Administration,
Advancement, Finance and Facilities Committee recommend to the Board ofVisitors approval of
naming the amphitheatre stage as the Morris Stage, as presented. All committee members present
approved the motion.
Chair Houck called for a meeting break at 10:44 a.m.
Chair Houck resumed the meeting at 10:55 a.m.
G. Update on 2018-2019 Budget Development
Mr. Messplay presented an update on current budget projections for 2018-19. Various cost drivers
were identified, including state mandates, operating cost increases and prior commitments, and a
preliminary list of strategic priorities. On the revenue side, additional resources were identified
from state general funds, reallocation of one-time budget expenses from fiscal year 2017-18, and
preliminary assumptions regarding tuition and fees for 2018-19. Staff will update the planning
estimates for actions of the 2018 General Assembly and will continue a discussion of options with
the BOV at subsequent meetings. The report is included in the BoardDocs agenda:
Preliminary 2018-19 Budget Estimates Based on Governor’s Budget.
Ms. VanLowe asked if market adjustments have been implemented across the board for all
employees.
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President Paino stated that market adjustments are being done incrementally. Faculty adjustments
were done first. A market study for classified employees has now been concluded and a variety of
models for implementing increases have been reviewed. He mentioned that these positions are hard
to fill due to competition with the public and private sectors. Across the board, UMW wages are
below our competitors’ wages.
Ms. Richardson commented that staff positions are evaluated by pay bands. Salary gaps were
identified and the committee is planning on prioritizing adjustments so that employees with the
greatest gaps receive an adjustment first.
Ms. VanLowe stated that increasing salaries needs to be a priority in order to keep the best, most-
talented employees. She inquired about what options are available in order to expedite increasing
salaries.
President Paino stated that the current list of priorities would need to be reevaluated to determine
the adjustments necessary to do so. Chair Houck requested that UMW and UMWF share with the
committee any updates on the House and Senate budget proposals after they are submitted on
February 18.
Ms. Cuellar recommended that the committee review budget recommendations from President
Paino with a goal of moving forward rather than reviewing previous budget proposals.
Chair Houck asked what impact each BOV member’s contribution makes to budget discussions.
President Paino stated that BOV contributions have a tremendous effect on establishing the budget
and are taken very seriously. The budget should reflect the conversations and collective support of
UMW and the BOV, ensuring we contain costs, achieve our goals, set appropriate priorities, address
UMW community needs, etc.
H. Revenue and Expenditure Trends
Mr. Messplay presented a summary of revenue and expenditure trends from 2007-08 through 2016-
17. Revenue sources included tuition and mandatory fees, state general funds, university housing,
dining/food services, sales, services and rentals, bookstore, and grants and contracts. Trends for
expenditures included salaries, wages and benefits, supplies and services, debt service, financial aid,
dining, utilities, and equipment. The report is included in the BoardDocs agenda.
Revenue and Expenditure Trends_BOV February 2018.
I. Fixed Tuition Discussion
Mr. Messplay reviewed scenarios regarding a fixed tuition program under which tuition and the
E&G comprehensive fee would be locked-in for four years for full-time, Virginia, undergraduate
students. Advantages and disadvantages of a fixed tuition program were discussed and a detailed
implementation scenario was reviewed.
Ms. VanLowe inquired about feedback received from other Virginia public schools who have
already implemented a fixed tuition program.
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Mr. Messplay stated that UVA offers students a choice between a fixed tuition option and the
traditional option that includes annual increases. Most students choose the traditional option.
Mr. Messplay reported that currently UMW has neither a student billing system that can
accommodate multiple billing tables nor the necessary financial aid system to implement the
changes.
Ms. VanLowe asked if a fixed tuition program would negatively impact our recruiting efforts and
challenge our marketability.
Mr. Messplay reported that a fixed tuition program is more expensive for students overall.
The committee tabled the discussion at this time.
Chair Houck thanked Mr. Messplay for his presentation and all the committee members for their
participation.
Chair Houck adjourned the meeting at 11:59 a.m.
11. LUNCH, RECTORS’ GALLERY
A. Board of Visitors and Invited Guests
Board Members present: Fred M. Rankin III, Rector; Heather M. Crislip ’95, Vice Rector;
Sharon Bulova, Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Devon W. Cushman ’93, Edward (Ted) B. Hontz,
R. Edward (Edd) Houck, Patricia C. McGinnis ‘69, Rhonda S. VanLowe
Board Members absent: Davis C. Rennolds’06, Deirdre Powell White ‘91
UMW Staff Advisory Committee Members present: Pam Lowery, President; Christy Pack, Vice
President; Julie Smith, Past President; Sarah Carroll, Treasurer; Bianca Hightower, Secretary;
Tracey Funtanilla, Activities Co-Chair; Mathew Wilkerson, Activities Co-Chair; Paul Boger,
Elections Chair; Michael Morley, Recognition Chair; April Brecht, Activities Committee; Kevin
Caffrey, Communications Committee; Andrea Cordray, Elections Committee; Kyle Danzey,
Elections Committee; Arin Doerfler, Activities Committee; Dishante Fryer, Recognition
Committee; Kim Lawson, Activities Committee; Robert Louzek, Elections Committee; Michelle
Pickham, Recognition Committee; Jay Sullivan, Activities Committee; Charles Tate, Activities
Committee; Justin Wilkes, Activities Committee
Members of the Board of Visitors invited the UMW Staff Advisory Council to a luncheon in the
Rectors’ Gallery at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center from noon – 1:00 p.m.
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12. COMMITTEE MEETINGS RECONVENE
13. DIVERSITY AD-HOC COMMITTEE
Committee Members present: Rhonda S. VanLowe, Chair; Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Edward (Ted)
B. Hontz, Patricia G. McGinnis ’69, and Fred M. Rankin, ex-officio
Committee Member absent: Deirdre Powell White ‘91
Other Board Members present: Sharon Bulova, Heather M. Crislip ’95, Devon W. Cushman ’93,
and R. Edward Houck
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Jeffrey W. McClurken ‘94, Chief of Staff; Sabrina V.
Johnson, Vice President for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer; Juliette Landphair, Vice
President for Student Affairs; Nina Mikhalevsky, Provost; Lynne D. Richardson, Vice President for
Administration and Finance, CFO; Lisa D. Bowling ’89, Vice President for Advancement and
University Relations; Kimberley Buster-Williams, Vice President for Enrollment Management;
Debra Schleef, Interim Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness; P. Anand Rao, Professor of
Communications, Director of the Speaking Intensive Program, and Director of the Speaking Center;
Cedric B. Rucker ’81, Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life; Michael G. Spencer ’03,
Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Historic Preservation; Marcel Rotter, Associate
Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures, and Chair, University Faculty Council; Jackie
Gallagher, Associate Professor and Chair, Geography, and Vice Chair, University Faculty Council;
Carrie S. Nee, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Section Chief; Audrey Burges, Assistant
Attorney General, Education Section; Anna Billingsley, Associate Vice President for University
Relations; Betsy J. Chinn, Deputy Clerk; Zafeer Mobashar, Audio Visual Technician
Chair VanLowe called the Diversity Ad Hoc Committee meeting to order at 1:13 p.m.in the Minor
Executive Board Room. Attendees were asked to introduce themselves.
Ms. Sabrina Johnson was acknowledged and congratulated for her appointment as Vice President
for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer. The floor was turned over to Ms. Johnson to
present the first report on the agenda.
A. Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Committee Progress Report
Ms. Johnson walked the committee through progress on each of the Diversity and Inclusion Task
Force Recommendations. She thanked members of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force
Committee for their assistance in setting these actions in motion.
Vice Presidents Johnson and Landphair highlighted specific recommendations that were discussed:
Student Activities Objective: To increase overall campus engagement in a wide-range of
diversity-related student programs and/or organizations through development of stronger
partnerships, as well as through a multi-tiered publicity campaign that focuses on increasing
marketing of pre-existing events/resources.
Action: A social justice institute is scheduled March 24 led by faculty in coordination with four
student organizations (Multicultural Leadership Council, S.E.E.D., B.O.N.D., and Political Poetry).
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Vice President Landphair detailed that the social justice institute is a day-long program open to
students to learn about activism.
Faculty Recruitment Objective: Develop procedures to ensure the consistent expectation and
application for current faculty and staff recruitment practices.
Actions/Status: Implemented strategies are ongoing:
Conducted training on implicit bias for all faculty/staff
Conducted training on universal design for all faculty/staff
Changed requirements for faculty search plans including use of new required language in all
advertisements, focused recruitment/advertisement in venues to attract underrepresented
candidates; candidate pool review at several stages; also ensuring diversity of search
committee members and compliance with all requirements pertaining to application review,
interviews, etc.
HR created resources for search committees including lists of venues for advertising and
other strategies reaching out to diverse candidates.
Vice President Johnson noted that there are eight active searches at this time. She explained that
hiring a great faculty begins with a strong pool of candidates. You need a search committee that is
actively engaged in a search for qualified diverse faculty.
Vice President Johnson added that the Athletic Department is continuing work on their Diversity
and Inclusion Plan. The first draft is currently under review. President Paino will ask
administrators to provide a status report in April.
In other business, Vice President Johnson announced that the President’s Community Advisory
Committee on Diversity met at Brompton in January for a get-acquainted session. Dr. Gene Carter
has accepted the invitation to serve as Committee Chair. The Committee will hold its first meeting
on February 28.
B. Campus Environment Committee Update
Dr. Michael Spencer, Chair of the Campus Environment Presidential Ad Hoc Committee addressed
the Committee. He stated that the objective of the committee is to conduct an audit of the public
displays of history on campus, including common areas, academic and administrative buildings and
residence halls, and to make recommendations where appropriate. The committee’s goal is to
recognize and preserve the school’s history while also updating and contextualizing displays to
reflect the changes in our student body and to create a fully welcoming environment for all students,
faculty, and staff. The committee is further charged to ensure that the physical environments on our
campuses more generally reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The Campus Environment Committee have had four meetings to discuss what specifically to
observe. Committee members built on the National Park Service guidelines to help determine
classifications related to: race, gender, and sexuality. A survey sheet was created to begin the
process. The survey sheet is attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Campus Environment
Committee Survey Sheet_BOV Feb 2018.
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There are 79 distinct buildings on campus, including landscape areas, accessible by the public on
the Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, and Stafford campuses. The Committee hopes to have the survey
sheets complete by the end of February that will provide them with information about the physical
displays. A preliminary report is anticipated for completion and presentation to the Board of
Visitors in April.
Once the physical display items are determined, the Committee can take action on non-historic
locations. These displays can be altered. The Committee will assist the departments in creation and
update of displays that they can maintain.
The Committee is also identifying components on campus to develop places, virtual and physical
where the diversity of our alumni can be celebrated.
Ms. VanLowe commented that this is a very complex project and urged the Committee to move
forward to get the big picture.
In closing, Dr. Spencer noted that older photos of alumni at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center
will be replaced with more contemporary photos. Ms. Worrell added that this could be a rotating
show. The Alumni would enjoy being involved to provide the photos as well.
C. Revision of Statement of Community Values
Dr. Anand Rao and Dean Cedric Rucker provided an update on activity to date on the review of the
Statement of Community Values and the Statement of Guiding Principles on Diversity and
Inclusion. The written report is attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Statement of Community
Values and Guiding Principles on Diversity and Inclusion_BOV Feb 2018.
Representatives of the committee have met with several campus leadership groups to raise
awareness of the committee’s charge and to solicit their participation and feedback. Open forums
were held in February with these same groups for discussion of the draft statements. An online
comment box was publicized for UMW community members to provide written feedback and
comment on the values that should be reflected in the revised statements, and how best to market
and raise the profile of the statements.
All feedback will be reviewed and then two or more drafts will be developed for campus
community consideration in early March. By mid-April, the committee will develop a
recommendation to the Board of Visitors for consideration at its April meeting. The
recommendation will include the revisions statements and a plan to market and raise awareness
about the statements.
Discussion was held about reaction from campus leadership groups and the feedback given. There
were not a lot of fully engaged participants at first; however, feedback is coming in from alumni,
students, faculty, and staff. There are a lot of similarities in terms of these statements. Individuals
have indicated that they do not want statement(s) to just live on a wall, but to be able to define them
in the everyday life of the institution.
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There was robust conversation from the leadership groups about community values. When the
statement(s) are finalized, they will need to be integrated into everyday life at the university. They
want to see the statement(s) continue to engage the community not just at honor convocation, but
through commencement. Dr. Landphair added that there are not many universities that have such a
statement. The end result would be even more influential.
D. Campus Climate Study
Dr. Debra Schleef, Interim Assistant Provost for Assessment, presented findings of the 2017
Faculty and Staff Climate Study. She stated that there was a strong response rate from the faculty
and staff. Overall percentages for different statutes relating to diversity and respect were good.
Data that scored low was flagged and marked for no comparative data or baseline for faculty and
staff. Dr. Schleef highlighted areas of concern related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
political beliefs, and recognition of work related to diversity.
Discussion was held on how UMW might use this data, in combination with the student climate
study data that was reported to the Diversity Ad Hoc Committee in February 2017.
Vice President Johnson commented that the Climate Survey provides the framework to give
everyone some sense of what we’re doing and to show progress.
There being no further business to come before the committee, Ms. VanLowe adjourned the
committee meeting at 2:40 p.m.
14. AUDIT
Committee Members present: Rhonda S. VanLowe, Chair; Sharon Bulova, Heather M. Crislip
’95, Devon W. Cushman ’93, Fred M. Rankin III, ex-officio
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Jeffrey W. Rountree ’91, Chief Executive Officer, UMW
Foundation; Lynne D. Richardson, Vice President for Administration and Finance, CFO; Lisa D.
Bowling ’89, Vice President for Advancement and University Relations; Kimberley Buster-
Williams, Vice President for Enrollment Management; Hall Cheshire, Chief Information Officer;
Carrie S. Nee, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Section Chief; Zafeer Mobashar, Audio Visual
Technician; Betsy Chinn, Deputy Clerk
Chair VanLowe called the Audit Committee meeting to order at 2:50 p.m. in the Minor Board
Room. In the essence of time, the order of the agenda was altered to allow Mr. Hal Cheshire to
present his report.
A. Email Filtering Report
Mr. Hall Cheshire, Chief Information Officer, addressed the committee to discuss safeguarding of
data through email filtering. The Division of Information Technology increased their protection of
UMW email through new and better email filtering management tools.
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B. Information Technology Security Update
Mr. Cheshire meets weekly with the university’s information security officer to discuss security in a
broader context of risk and to prioritize resources by utilizing a risk register. The risk register uses
a simple qualitative ranking system that ranks risks from high to low and helps to determine the
type of controls to use. There are three broad categories of controls:
Administrative controls – policy/procedures/ cyber security insurance
Technical controls
Physical controls
The goal is to educate people of the dangers of these attacks and to provide protective measures
against them.
C. Results of Internal Audit Survey
At the request of the Audit Committee, the UMW Internal Auditor conducted a survey of the
organizational structure and operation of six university internal audit departments within the
Commonwealth. Based on the results of the survey, the majority of these internal audit departments
administratively report to the president and functionally report to their Board of Visitors. The size
of the various internal audit departments range from three to six staff members. The reporting
structure varies for each. The UMW Internal Auditor and Audit Committee Chair will use this
information to determine how to restructure the UMW Audit Plan.
D. Results of Foundation Survey
The UMW Internal Auditor conducted a survey of various university foundations across the
Commonwealth, including the University of Mary Washington. There are many similarities
between the schools that were surveyed and Mary Washington in that university staff serve as ex-
officio members to the Foundation boards and have the authority to vote on financial goals and
budgetary matters.
Chief Executive Officer of the UMW Foundation, Jeff Rountree ’91, provided a summary of
Virginia’s independent and interdependent/dependent foundations. He led discussion and answered
questions from the committee about foundation support and real estate holdings. The UMW
Foundation is independent. Approximately ten years ago, the Association of Governing Boards was
brought in to inspect the UMW Foundation and to offer advice on its structure. The Foundation
was advised to revamp their bylaws, have office space independent from the university as well as
their staff, telephones, etc.
Ms. Bulova indicated that she would like to grasp a better understanding of the nature of other
foundations in regard to finances and aspects that support them. Chair VanLowe felt that there was
dialogue missing on how to obtain information and would need time to do her due diligence to
ensure we are getting the proper information.
Rector Rankin added that he felt, from a structural level, that UMW has their operation set up in the
proper way, although communication between the two boards needs improvement.
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Further discussion will be taken up at the next Board meeting.
E. Student Tuition Appeal Process Report
Students who withdraw from the university after the posted deadline for refunds may appeal within
30 days of the billing or withdrawal date, whichever is later. The Internal Auditor conducted a
review of the Student Tuition Appeals Process to determine whether the process is effective and
appropriately adhered to.
Most appeals for refunds are medically related or due to a death in the family. Based on the test
work performed by the Internal Auditor, the determination was made that there were no significant
deficiencies in the Student Tuition Appeals process.
Ms. Kovanes answered questions from the committee in regard to who has the authority to override
the policy. Ms. Buster-Williams added that there are some federal considerations in this process
that the university has no control over, especially if the student was receiving federal financial aid.
Chair VanLowe adjourned the Audit Committee meeting at 3:38 p.m.
15. NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE
Committee Members present: Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Chair; Edward (Ted) B. Hontz, R. Edward
(Edd) Houck, Patricia G. McGinnis ‘69
Committee Member absent: Davis C. Rennolds ‘06
Also present: Jeffrey W. McClurken ‘94, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the Board; Sabrina C.
Johnson, Vice President for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer; Audrey Burges,
Assistant Attorney General, Education Section; Mark Simpkins, Assistant Director of Events and
Audio Visual; Paula A. Zero, Executive Office Manager, Office of the President
Chair Cuellar called the meeting to order at 2:51 p.m. in the Rappahannock Ballroom at the Jepson
Alumni Executive Center.
Chair Cuellar asked everyone to introduce themselves. She thanked the committee members for
their willingness to meet last week on short notice to discuss nominations for the BOV Executive
Committee.
A. Annual Planning Retreat Suggested Topics
Chair Cuellar reported that the Annual Planning Retreat will be held in August. The committee will
be asked to offer support in preparing the new member orientation and agenda for the retreat.
B. Public Comment Discussion
Chair Cuellar offered Mr. Houck an opportunity to explain his recommendation that the committee
discuss offering public comment at BOV meetings.
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Mr. Houck offered background to support his personal desire to offer public comment at meetings.
For nearly 28 years he served the state in multiple legislative positions and has always been
accustomed to hearing public comment at meetings. He strongly believes in public access to
meetings and citizen rights as they relate to government issues since the BOV is a public body,
using public money and property, and working on behalf of the public. He also acknowledged that
exemptions must also be considered in the process. Through research and visiting many colleges
and universities, he has found that nearly all in Virginia do not offer public comment at BOV
meetings. Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is one college that does. A few other states have a
provision for public comment, providing a precedent. Several bills have been introduced in the VA
General Assembly, mandating that Virginia BOVs offer public comment. Mr. Houck believes that
since public notice of meetings for fee changes is required, public comment is the next to follow.
He suggested that UMW be a leader in this effort and begin to set the framework for establishing
public comment at BOV meetings.
Mr. Hontz offered support to Mr. Houck’s appeal, stating that he believes we should offer public
comment at BOV meetings.
Ms. McGinnis agreed that the opportunity for the community to participate in meetings is
something that the BOV should consider. She suggested it be structured such that it complements
the business at hand and does not take time away from work that needs to be accomplished. She
recommended developing a process that requires people to request time prior to the meeting,
allowing the BOV to schedule adequate time for all comments during the meeting. Best practices
within higher education need to be reviewed so that an optimal model can be selected.
Mr. Hontz commented that there is nothing wrong with UMW being a leader in this process.
Mr. Houck mentioned that there have been numerous conversations with legal counsel, counties,
associations, etc. within Virginia for many years about this topic.
Chair Cuellar referenced House Bill 1473 which says that “No governing board of any public
institution of higher education shall approve an increase in undergraduate tuition or mandatory fees
without providing students and the public a projected range of the planned increase, an explanation
of the need for the increase, and notice of the date and location of any vote on such increase at least
30 days prior to such vote.” § 23.1-307. Public Institutions of Higher Education; Tuition and Fees
Ms. Burges clarified that VMI offers public comment once a year regarding a specific agenda
item/topic rather than at every meeting. Longwood University requires a five-day notice prior to
attending meetings. Ms. Burges summarized the legal risks of offering public comment at
meetings, stating that the worst effects can be verbal and physical attacks on staff and their families.
A public comment period establishes a forum where you can restrict the time, place, and manner of
comment, but you may not restrict content. It is important to set restrictions initially because it is
problematic to add additional restrictions once they are in place. Regardless of the restrictions that
are put in place, you must enforce them with absolute neutrality and no inconsistencies.
Ms. McGinnis emphasized the importance of involving the UMW leadership in this process.
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Chair Cuellar noted that the UMW BOV meetings are announced in various ways, including the
BOV website, the Governor’s calendar, the local newspaper, and the UMW Blue and Gray
newspaper, as well as posted at the Fredericksburg Courthouse, the UMW Office of the President,
and the UMW Office of University Relations.
Ms. McGinnis reiterated that there are several models that can be reviewed. It may be wise to
implement public comment incrementally to determine what process works the best for this Board.
Mr. Houck commented that he has chaired many public meetings and the overwhelming majority of
public comments are positive. He suggested that we need to encourage public comment to garner
more public support and develop relationships with constituents for future needs.
Ms. McGinnis commented that parents are constituents and that geography may play a role in
limiting the number of parents who are available to attend meetings.
Dr. McClurken reported that the University is actively engaged in regular conversations with
various local groups and organizations to address topics such as parking, student parties, regional
economic development, etc. Likewise, there are many internal constituents with which the Office
of the President has regular conversations.
Mr. Houck suggested that legislators want to know what is going on at colleges and he would rather
have UMW lead the effort than be told what to do.
Ms. McGinnis commented that no one on the committee is saying no to discussing whether or not
public comment should be included at the meetings.
Chair Cuellar asked that the committee continue the discussion at the April BOV meeting. By that
time, they will know more about the General Assembly actions and can incorporate this information
in the discussions.
C. Staff Advisory Council Recommendations
Chair Cuellar reported that the Board of Visitors Executive Committee referred to the Nominating
and Governance Committee to discuss the request for the Staff Advisory Council (SAC) to have a
more regular role/voice in the Board of Visitors meetings as other University groups do. SAC
already provides a regular report to the Board of Visitors.
Ms. Johnson reported that the University staff takes the work of the University very seriously. Staff
would like the opportunity to be more engaged with the BOV and have more ownership in
discussions. This involvement supports their work at the University.
Dr. McClurken confirmed that the Board of Visitors Bylaws include participation by faculty and
students but not staff. If it’s determined that staff will participate, it is advisable to write this in the
Bylaws to ensure it’s not forgotten and to send an important symbolic gesture to the staff. He also
noted that there is definite value in adding a staff presentation at the regular BOV meetings.
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Mr. Hontz added that he believes there’s no question that staff should be added to the Bylaws.
Chair Cuellar suggested they invite the President of the SAC to the next BOV meeting, as well as
review the current Bylaws more generally. Chair Cuellar will talk with Ms. Burges personally
about the Bylaws and then share the information with the committee for discussion.
Ms. McGinnis commented that the discussion at lunch with members of the SAC was very good.
Mr. Hontz added that the SAC representatives definitely showed their love and support of fellow
staff.
Mr. Houck commented that the SAC members were a great representation of staff at UMW.
D. Secretary and Executive Committee Nominees
On February 9, 2018, the Nominating and Governance Committee met to consider nominations to
fill the unexpired term for the position of the Office of the Secretary to the Board of Visitors. The
committee voted Ms. Rhonda S. VanLowe as nominee.
Selection of Ms. VanLowe as Secretary created a vacancy in the Executive Committee At-Large
positon. The Nominating and Governance Committee voted Ms. Devon W. Cushman ’93 as
nominee to fill the unexpired term for the Executive Committee At-Large position.
The committee simply noted their decision to move forward the two nominees for Secretary and At-
Large position.
Chair Cuellar adjourned the meeting at 3:48 p.m.
16. BOARD OF VISITORS MEETING RECONVENES
Board Members present: Fred M. Rankin III, Rector; Heather M. Crislip ’95, Vice Rector;
Sharon Bulova, Holly T. Cuellar ’89, Devon W. Cushman ’93, Edward (Ted) B. Hontz, R. Edward
Houck, Patricia G. McGinnis ’69, Rhonda S. VanLowe
Board Members absent: Davis C. Rennolds ’06, Deirdre Powell White ‘91
Also present: Troy D. Paino, President; Jeffrey W. McClurken ‘94, Chief of Staff and Clerk of the
Board of Visitors; Lisa D. Bowling ’89, Vice President for Advancement and University Relations;
Kimberley Buster-Williams, Vice President for Enrollment Management; Sabrina V. Johnson, Vice
President for Equity and Access and Chief Diversity Officer; Juliette Landphair, Vice President for
Student Affairs; Nina Mikhalevsky, Provost; Lynne D. Richardson, Vice President for
Administration and Finance and CFO; Jeffrey W. Rountree ‘91, Chief Executive Officer, University
Foundation; Paul C. Messplay, Executive Director of Budget and Financial Analysis; Anna
Billingsley, Associate Vice President for University Relations; Marcel Rotter, Associate Professor,
Modern Languages and Literatures, and Chair, University Faculty Council; Jackie Gallagher,
Associate Professor and Chair, Geography, and Vice Chair, University Faculty Council; Sarah
Karwowski, Student Government Association President; Natalie LeMay, Acting Honor Council
President; Ken Tyler, Athletic Director; Carrie S. Nee, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Section
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Chief; Audrey Burges, Assistant Attorney General, Education Section; Betsy J. Chinn, Deputy
Clerk, Board of Visitors; Susan Worrell, Special Assistant to the President for Special Events;
Zafeer Mobashar, Audio Visual Technician
Other faculty and staff were present.
Rector Fred Rankin reconvened the meeting of the Board of Visitors at 3:55 p.m. He asked
everyone present to introduce themselves.
17. FACULTY AND STUDENT REPORTS
A. Faculty Representative Report
Dr. Marcel Rotter presented the University Faculty Council Report. The written report is attached
to the BoardDocs agenda: University Faculty Council Chair Report to the Board of
Visitors_February 2018.
Highlights of the written report were shared:
In January, four UMW faculty members attended Higher Education Advocacy Day in
Richmond. The event was organized by the Faculty Senate of Virginia and the Virginia
Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. College educators and
students throughout Virginia had the opportunity to meet with legislators to discuss the need
for support of higher education.
Four reports presented by the General Education Task Forces for the Natural Sciences were
presented at a recent University Council Meeting on the assessment of certain GenEd
requirements. Wording of the respective Student Learning Outcomes, the required
workload, and distribution of work among the faculty were points of consideration and will
be further discussed.
The General Education Task Forces also reported to the University Faculty Council the
necessity of maintaining lists of faculty publications and conference attendance by the
respective deans. The University Faculty Council voted to eliminate the lists as they are
rarely used by the faculty and administrators.
The University Faculty Council has taken under consideration an initiative to create an
institutional repository and a faculty initiative on Open Textbook Resources proposed by the
Simpson Library.
The Rector thanked Dr. Rotter for attending the Board meetings and for reporting back to his
colleagues.
B. Student Government Association Report
The Student Government Association Report is attached to the BoardDocs agenda: Student
Government Association Report to the Board of Visitors_February 2018. The report includes an
update from each student leadership division.
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Ms. Karwowski stated that the SGA is continuing to focus on the revision of their constitution. The
Student Senate has approved the document and the student body will take a final vote on February
22. The SGA is very excited about the revised constitution and hope to see change as they strive to
make their Senate stronger.
The SGA was introduced to a student initiative to promote the use of Open Educational Textbooks
and Resources as a cost savings. Dr. Rotter recently reported that faculty members have taken this
initiative under consideration as well. At this time, the SGA will wait to hear more information that
will be forthcoming from the University Faculty Council.
C. Honor Council Report
Ms. Natlaie LeMay, Interim Honor Council president, addressed the Board of Visitors. She
explained that Joshua Hunt, former Honor Council president had stepped down from that office.
Attached to the BoardDocs agenda is the February Honor Council Report listing pending cases:
Honor Council Report_Board of Visitors February 2018.
Ms. LeMay noted that the Honor System makes UMW unique. Honor constitution changes are
being reviewed by legal counsel at this time and will then be presented to the student body for
ratification. In April, changes will be brought before the Board of Visitors for review and approval.
A brief synopsis of pending cases listed in the written Honor Council Report was provided.
Rector Rankin welcomed Ms. LeMay and relayed to the representatives that the Board looks
forward to seeing them again in the spring.
18. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND BOARD ACTIONS
A. Academic and Student Affairs
I. Report from Chair Crislip
Ms. Crislip, committee chair, summarized topics discussed during the Academic and
Student Affairs Committee meeting. Highlights of the meeting included:
Report from Disability Resources
Retention Efforts Presentation and Discussion
Strategic Plan Update
The following action item came forward from the committee:
II. Approval of the Personnel Docket for Teaching and Instructional Faculty
On behalf of the committee, Ms. Crislip made a motion for approval of the teaching and
instructional faculty docket, as presented.
The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the Board.
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B. Administration, Advancement, Finance and Facilities
I. Report from Chair Houck
Mr. Houck, committee chair, provided a recap of the committee meeting. He announced
that the Administration, Advancement, Finance and Facilities Committee will hold a
meeting on Wednesday, March 14, to discuss the 2018-19 budget. All members of the Board
of Visitors are welcome to attend.
Highlighted topics of the committee meeting included:
2017 Budget Performance Report
2018 General Assembly Update
Overview of UMW Foundation Support
Update on 2018-19 Budget Development
Fixed Tuition Discussion
The following action items came forward from the committee for approval:
II. Approval of Donor Resolutions and Named Gift Policy Actions
On behalf of the committee, Mr. Houck made a motion to approve the following donor
terms of agreement and naming opportunity as presented:
Scholarships:
Mary Elwang Sharpley ’49 Scholarship
Robert ’93 and Dodie ’95 Whitt Scholarship
Laura C. Hudson ’72 Scholarship
Naming Action:
Morris Stage in the Heslep Amphitheatre
The motion was passed by unanimous vote of the Board.
C. Diversity Ad Hoc
I. Report from Chair VanLowe
Ms. VanLowe, committee chair, outlined topics presented during the Diversity Ad Hoc
Committee meeting:
Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Committee Progress Report
Campus Environment Committee Update
Statement of Community Values Update
Campus Climate Study Presentation
There were no action items to bring before the Board of Visitors from the Diversity Ad Hoc
Committee.
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D. Audit
I. Report from Chair VanLowe
Ms. VanLowe, committee chair, reported on the activities of the Audit Committee. The
following agenda items were discussed:
Email Filtering Report
Instructional Technology Security Update
Internal Audit Survey Results
Foundation Survey Results
Student Tuition Appeal Process Report
There were no action items to bring before the Board of Visitors from the Audit Committee.
E. Nominating and Governance
I. Report from Committee Chair Cuellar
Ms. Cuellar, committee chair, provided details about the agenda items discussed:
Annual planning Retreat Suggested Topics
Public Comment
Staff Advisory Council Recommendation
Executive Committee Nominees
As per the Board of Visitors Bylaws, a vacancy in an office of the Executive Committee
shall be filled by the Board of Visitors for the unexpired term, following the procedure for
regular elections. The vacancy shall be filled at the first regular meeting of the Board after
such vacancy occurs.
On February 9, 2018, the Nominating and Governance Committee met to consider
nominations to fill the unexpired term for the position of the Office of the Secretary to the
Board of Visitors. The committee puts forth Ms. Rhonda S. VanLowe as nominee to fill the
unexpired term of Secretary.
The floor was opened for discussion. There being none, the following action item came
forward from the Nominating and Governance Committee for approval:
II. Approval of Executive Committee Nominations
On behalf of the Nominating and Governance Committee, Chair Cuellar made a motion for
approval to accept the nomination of Ms. Rhonda S. VanLowe to fill the unexpired term of
Secretary. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Board.
Selection of Ms. VanLowe as Secretary creates a vacancy in the Executive Committee At-
Large position. The Nominating and Governance Committee puts forth Ms. Devon W.
Cushman ’93 as nominee to fill the unexpired term of the At-Large position.
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The floor was opened for discussion. There being none, the following action item came
forward from the Nominating and Governance Committee for approval:
On behalf of the Nominating and Governance Committee, Chair Cuellar made a motion for
approval to accept the nomination of Ms. Devon W. Cushman ’93 to fill the unexpired term
of the At-Large position. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Board.
The new officers were applauded. Ms. Cuellar thanked the nominees for taking on their new
leadership roles.
19. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Board, Rector Rankin declared the February
2018 meeting of the Board of Visitors adjourned at 5:44 p.m.
20. 6:00 P.M., BROMPTON DINNER
Members of the Board of Visitors, President’s Cabinet, and other guests dined at Brompton, home
of the UMW President.
MEETING MINUTES APPROVED
UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
BOARD OF VISITORS
APRIL 19, 2018
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