VCU news

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley
Division of University Relations

The Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors and VCU Provost Stephen D. Gottfredson today issued the following statements.

Statement of the Board of Visitors of
Virginia Commonwealth University
August 21, 2008

The VCU Board of Visitors, in its first meeting since President Trani announced his revised timetable for retirement from the position of President of VCU, issues the following statement:

The Board of Visitors is both saddened and pleased to be informed by President Trani that, because of his recent serious health issues, he will be retiring as President of VCU at the end of June 2009.

We are sad that VCU will be losing his extraordinary leadership earlier than we had originally hoped. His departure as President will mark an unprecedented era of transformation for VCU and the City of Richmond. President Trani has provided visionary, inspired and tireless leadership. The Board of Visitors looks forward to another vigorous academic year working with the President.

We are pleased for Gene, Lois, his children and grandchildren that he will have more family time as he enters the next phase of his career as a full-time scholar and that VCU will continue to benefit from his intellectual energy.

The Board of Visitors has as its highest priority a successful Presidential Search, having already started planning for that process last spring. We intend to share those plans and timetable in the near future.  One of President Trani's lasting legacies will be having made the VCU Presidency an attractive position for quality candidates.

 

 Statement of the Board of Visitors of
Virginia Commonwealth University
August 21, 2008 

The Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University reviewed the investigation into the anonymous allegations of the improper awarding of a degree.  It also considered the administration's follow up action plans. The Board concluded that the investigation, conducted by Executive Director of the Department of Assurance Services, Richard O. Bunce, Jr., and his staff, with the approval and oversight of the Academic and Health Affairs Policy Committee of the Board, was fair, professional and thorough. The investigation involved hundreds of hours of quality work by Mr. Bunce and numerous in-depth meetings of the Committee. The Board also affirmed the investigation's conclusion that the improper awarding of a degree resulted from serious errors of judgment on the part of individuals in the degree-awarding process.

While there has been some debate concerning the intensity of the investigation, especially in the context of an academic environment, the Board had an overall responsibility to find the truth to the extent possible, and believes it appropriately fulfilled that obligation. We regret that there is a perception that the Board would take any action to disrupt the normal tenure process. It has not done so, and the Board fully supports the tenure policy and process at VCU. The policies and procedures related to investigations are routinely reviewed by the Audit and Compliance Committee and the Academic and Health Affairs Policy Committee. 

The Board additionally was presented two plans for action by the administration.  The first is to assess and correct deficiencies in policies and procedures for the awarding and revoking of VCU degrees.  The second is to conduct university-wide discussions on the VCU Code of Ethics.  The Board is confident that these action plans and the personnel actions which have been completed by the Provost will both ensure and underscore the commitment of the entire university community to the integrity and value of every single VCU degree.

Statement of Stephen D. Gottfredson
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Virginia Commonwealth University
August 21, 2008

The Board of Visitors requested that I review Mr. Bunce's report of the investigation of the improper awarding of a degree, and advise them of its accuracy.  In my opinion, the report provided to the Board contained no material errors of fact or conclusion.

Following my review of the results of the investigation, I accepted the resignations of the dean of University College and the dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences.  Interim appointments have been made, and national searches for permanent replacements will be conducted.