When the Board of Visitors of UVA (www.virginia.edu/bov) is in session, as it will be February 8, the 17 board members gather around a large oval table in the Rotunda. There is one student who has a place at that table—but no seat for University faculty. They are relegated to the chairs that line the walls, set up for onlookers or those making presentations to the board. UVA faculty are looking quite literally for a place at the table.
 State Senator Creigh Deeds proposed legislation that would mandate that UVA appoint a nonvoting advisory faculty member to the Board of Visitors, but it failed in subcommittee. |
UVA leadership has remained steadfast in keeping faculty off the Board of Visitors (BOV), despite the fact that a majority of State schools in Virginia now have such representation. Legislation that would have required UVA and other hold-out schools, such as Virginia Military Institute, was shot down in subcommittee on January 18. Local State Senator Creigh Deeds (www.creighdeeds.com) introduced the legislation at the behest of the statewide faculty senate.
“If you think about it, it just makes sense to include people that are part of your institution,” Deeds says. “I can’t understand why people think it won’t be helpful. It seems to me communication is the best rule of management and governance.”
Deeds’ legislation would have amended legislation passed in 2004 that allowed BOVs to appoint one nonvoting, advisory faculty representative, making the practice mandatory. But, thanks in part to opposition from UVA’s BOV, the legislation won’t make it out of subcommittee this year.
UVA Rector Thomas F. Farrell II could not be reached by presstime. Board member Gordon F. Rainey, Jr., did not have a comment on the issue. The traditional argument is that faculty representation would muddy the line between employer and employee.
Despite the failure of the legislation, UVA faculty hope for an internal resolution. The UVA Faculty Senate passed a resolution in April that called for the University to add a faculty member. According to Ricardo Padron, chair-elect of the Faculty Senate, he and others have a meeting in the coming weeks with BOV members to continue the dialogue.
