The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-15
PRESIDENT FOX UNIVERSITY
Renort Of the Committee Named by the
Society ofthe Alumni.

IKE renort of the Committee Of the
Alumni of the University OF virginia, ap-
noiu,ed on June 16 1897. to discuss the
,,dyissa billty Of having a presluen! q 1ne
University Of Virginia, is as folloWs;
| To the Society of the Alumni OF the one-
| versty of Virginia:
Al the annual meeting OF the General
Society Of the Alumni OF the University
of Virginia, held on June Is, 1897, the I'M
dcrs;gned were appointed a committee
to consider the question OF creating tne
Office Of president Of the university OF
Virginia. then before the Board OF Vlsl-
tors. who postponed Its consideration 70
q meeting to be held in November, 10
give the alumni due opportunity 70 DC
i.ation at the Hot Springs on the 4th
ard Sth days Of August. 1897. and have,
nv correspondence with alumni resident
and nonresident, and from. as fun advlces
as possible, prepared and here present
the result Of their conference and deilb-
erations upon this most important ques-
ton. The Board of Visitors is entitled
to receive from US and from the people
of the State just recognition of their SUI
reIior ability to pass upon this question,
and therefore the resorts OF the majority
and the minority the committee ap-
pointed by the board are referred to by
US as deserving especial attention. But
the fact that Il division OF opinion exists
in the board itself, as well upon the
policy of the proposed case as upon it's
char cter, deprives us of the benefit that
would come of It's unanimous conclusion.
| THE FACULTY'S POSITION
Next to the board, the faculty. it seems
To rs should be regarded as best quail
| flied to speak, and while that body is as
we have been advised unanimously on
posed to the cation of this office at
| present AID as proposed by the majority
| of the board. yet a respectable minority
| recognize and admit the advisability Of
| having an executive head of the irstitu-
| ton. and we DOUBT not that the entire
| faculty will cooperate to this end when
| the fundamental law governing the Uni
| yersity is clear as to the creation of the
Office its functions and limitations, and
we know that there are influential mem
bers of the faculty who believe that the
appointment of a president Of the Univer-
| sity Is most desirable.
| Amongst the alumni we find great di-
rcrsity Of sentiment and opinion, never
better illustrated than at the Hot Springs.
when a meeting of the alumni present
| upon the session Of the State Bar Asso-
| citation was authorized by your commit
lee to discuss the question. and at that
1 meeting, after warm hdebateNb by those
present, the vote stood thirty against
l
while the discussion showed that the old
or ard more conservative Of the alumni
/ we're generally opposed to. and the young
1 er almost solidly in favor Of the change.
BESIDES, many letters and newspaper
communications show a wide diversion
| Of opinion among the alumni.
4 Therefore, we have a total want of con-
| currence OF opinion, and in consequence
! there will be a total failure of co-opera-
| ton II the change is made now. and your
committee feels constrained to conclude
/ that the first, and most essential step IL
1 70 bring these d'versitiess Of opinion 10
! !. substantial aereemsntk As an essential
prerequisite of success.
i II IL our own conclusion that the de-
| tided trend Of opinion is towards the
change, ana that the University must
! have at Its head one man competent and
rsnable. whose entire time and ability
/ shall be devoted to It's upbuilding and
rroper management:
5 LEGISLATIVE8 AUTHORITY.
we need not repeat the arguments used
i IA support sf this conclusion. We feel
i that the Board OF Visitors have by their
Il peculiar opportunities especial ability Ia
4 90 % tAissauestion. and their optniau
L l