Board of Visitors

Executive Committee Meeting September 9, 2024

The Executive Committee met on September 9, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in Meeting Room 201 of the Freeman Center with Chair of the Committee Christy T. Morton, presiding.

Present from the Committee

• Christy T. Morton, Chair
• Brentley K. Archer
• John R. Lawson, II
• Kelli Purdy Meadows, CPA, CCIFP
• The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett
• C. Larry Pope (at large)

Absent from the Committee

• Lee Vreeland, Ed.D.
• William A. Estrada, Esq. (at large)

Present from the University

• Amie Dale, Liaison to the Board of Visitors
• William G. Kelly, President
• Quentin Kidd, Executive Vice President and Provost/Chief Academic Officer
• Jennifer B. Latour, Chief of Staff
• M. Jordan Minot, Legal Counsel
• Brian Puaca, Faculty Senate Representative
• Other Members of the President’s Cabinet

Others Present

None

LTC (R) Boris G. Robinson - Remote participation permitted due to distance between the member’s primary residence in Round Rock, Texas and the meeting location pursuant to Code of Virginia § 2.2-3708.3(B)(4).

At 11:01 a.m. Chair Christy Morton called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone present. She extended a warm welcome to several new senior staff members. Richard Long, the recently appointed Vice President for University Advancement; Jordan Minot, the new University Counsel; and Kayla Faulkner, who has taken on the role of Director of Internal Audit.

As the meeting began, the Chair reviewed some important housekeeping matters. Notably, Mr. Minot provided guidance regarding the role of Board members who are not part of the committee but wish to attend. Due to FOIA rules, any Board member participating in a committee meeting they are not officially part of could risk converting the committee meeting into a full board meeting. The Executive Committee and Finance and Facilities Committee meetings are scheduled when no other committees are meeting, allowing interested Board members to attend. However, these non-member attendees are advised to refrain from asking questions, participating in discussions, or voting. Topics discussed in these committee meetings will be open for discussion by the full Board the following day.

Since this was the Annual Meeting, Chair Morton took the time to review the Executive Committee's Charge, as outlined in the organization’s bylaws. The Committee’s responsibilities are extensive and include organizing board governance practices, conducting periodic bylaw reviews, advising on committee structure, providing FOIA training, monitoring compliance with a code of ethics, and developing qualifications and competencies for board membership.

Looking ahead to the November Board of Visitors meeting, the Chair proposed that the Committee set aside time to review governance documents thoroughly. Additionally, the Chair suggested that it would be beneficial to receive periodic updates from members who represent the organization on affiliate Foundations. For example, Mr. Pope, a representative of the Real Estate Foundation, was asked to provide updates on their activities, noting that some discussions might require closed sessions due to the nature of topics such as property negotiations or specific donor information.

Moving to the official business of the meeting, Chair Morton called for a motion to approve the minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting on June 6, 2024. Mr. Lawson provided the motion, which was seconded by Mr. Tillett and the minutes were approved by a unanimous vote of the Board.

President Kelly proceeded with his updates, beginning with recent university policy changes. He shared positive news before moving on to policy updates concerning free speech and student conduct, as well as heightened security measures on campus. He acknowledged the challenges in ensuring campus safety amid societal tensions, particularly with the September 12 Day of Unrest. The Committee expressed gratitude to President Kelly and Dr. Hughes for their efforts in updating policies to maintain a secure and inclusive environment. Chief Dan provided additional context, outlining specific steps taken to bolster campus security.

The Strategic Compass update followed, presented by President Kelly. He introduced upcoming initiatives and stated at the mini-board retreat planned for November, the Board will focus on a deep dive into the strategic plan. The Chair encouraged members to hold any specific questions regarding the Strategic Compass, as additional information would be forthcoming.

Next, the Committee addressed the proposed campus weapons regulation. After a thorough discussion on the importance of this regulation in ensuring campus safety, Mr. Tillett brought forward a motion to approve Resolution 1: Proposed Regulation on the Prohibition of Weapons on Campus and it was seconded by Mr. Pope. Chair Morton asked Ms. Dale for a roll call vote.

• Yay: Chair Morton, Chair, Mr., Mr. Lawson, Ms. Meadows, Mr. Tillett, Mr. Pope
• Nay: None.

Resolution 1 was approved by a unanimous vote of the committee members present.

In other business, Chair Morton revisited a matter from the June Executive Committee meeting, where former Rector Carney Smith had recommended the appointment of a Presiding Officer. The Chair shared that a Nominating Committee, chaired by Mr. Lawson and including members Mr. Robinson and Ms. Meadows had since been formed. Mr. Lawson presented the slate of officers recommended for Board vote, with thanks extended to the Nominating Committee for their work.

With no further business on the agenda, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 12:15 p.m.