The Daily Progress: UVa reins in proposal to muzzle board dissent The University of Virginia is backing away from a controversial proposal that would have muzzled dissent from members of its Board of Visitors. UVa released a revised “Statement of Expectations” Wednesday afternoon removing a passage from the original draft that would have prohibited board members from initiating discussions about “board business” with outsiders, including elected officials and the media. The new version would allow members to talk with outsiders about the business of the board, as long as they say they are speaking as individuals. “If Visitors wish to address a board matter outside of the boardroom, they should make clear that they are speaking in their capacity as an individual board member and not on behalf of the Board or the University,” reads the new draft. Once decisions are reached, only the rector or a designee would speak on the board’s behalf, said university spokesman McGregor McCance. “The revised draft clearly articulates that constructive dissent is encouraged and invited,” McCance said in a statement. The revision also softened language that previously barred board members from questioning a board decision. The previous draft asked board members to “publicly support, or at least not openly oppose,” board decisions. The revised version says that once a decision has been reached, visitors “bear a collective responsibility to ensure, as much as possible, that the Board’s actions and decisions are successfully implemented.” The proposal — originally drafted by board member John L. Nau III, consultant Timothy B. Robertson and higher education governance expert Richard P. Chait — drew criticism from state legislators and other board members when the school released the document last week. State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, called the initial proposal “undemocratic.” State Sen. J. Chapman “Chap” Petersen, D-Fairfax, also spoke out against the proposal, saying a public university shouldn’t muzzle dissent on its board. dailyprogress/uva-reins-in-proposal-to-muzzle-board-dissent/article_4691115e-1dc4-11e4-a257-0017a43b2370.html
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 01:20:28 +0000
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