BOARD ELECTS NOMINATING COMMITTEE TO FIND REPLACEMENT FOR RECTOR

At a special meeting of the Board of Visitors July 17 called by members Beverly B. Graeber, John W. Hilgers and William M. Lechler, the board elected a new nominating committee that is charged with recommending a board member for the position of rector.

The board had elected Lawrie Falck Rollison as the new rector at its June 15 meeting, but it was announced last week that Gov. Jim Gilmore did not reappoint Rollison or fellow board member Lois S. Williams to the governing body. Elected to the nominating committee were Patricia M. Woolsey, James W. Beamer and William M. Lechler.

In other matters, the board voted to hold another special meeting on Aug. 14 to discuss student membership on the board, the institutional review completed earlier this year by James L. Fisher Ltd. as part of the presidential search process, and discuss the details of its contract with President-elect Roseann Runte.

At its June meeting, the board approved Runte's appointment as president for a three-year term, effective July 1, 2001, and her appointment as a tenured professor of French in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. At the August meeting, the board will examine and approve other customary provisions of a presidential contractual relationship, including expected residence in the President's House and provision of an automobile for university business.

Twelve of the 17 board members attended the July 17 meeting, which was presided over by Vice Rector Edward L. Hamm Jr. Among those in attendance were Gov. Gilmore's two new appointees, Norfolk lawyers Walter D. Kelley Jr. and Henry P. Bouffard.