Virginia Law

A. The board of visitors of Old Dominion University (the board) is a corporation under the name and style of "Old Dominion University" and has, in addition to its other powers, all the corporate powers given to corporations by the provisions of Title 13.1 except those powers that are confined to corporations created pursuant to Title 13.1. The board shall at all times be under the control of the General Assembly.

B. The institution shall be known as Old Dominion University (the University).

C. All laws relating to Norfolk College or the board of visitors of Norfolk College shall be construed as relating to the University or the board, respectively.

1962, c. 69, § 23-49.11; 1966, c. 18; 1974, c. 317; 2016, c. 588.

A. The board shall consist of 17 members appointed by the Governor, of whom at least (i) 14 shall be residents of the Commonwealth, (ii) four shall be physicians or other medical or health professionals with administrative or clinical experience in an academic medical center, and (iii) three shall be alumni of the University.

B. The alumni association of the University may submit to the Governor a list of at least three nominees for each vacancy on the board, whether the vacancy occurs by expiration of a term or otherwise. The Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation or any successor foundation may submit to the Governor a list of at least three nominees for each vacancy on the board that is required to be filled by a physician or other medical or health professional with administrative or clinical experience in an academic medical center pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection A. The Governor may appoint a member from the relevant list of nominees.

1962, c. 69, §§ 23-49.14, 23-49.15; 1966, c. 18; 1970, c. 624; 1974, c. 317; 1980, c. 100; 2016, c. 588; 2023, cc. 756, 778.

A. The board shall meet at the University once a year and at such other times as it determines. Special meetings of the board may be called by the rector or any three members. The secretary shall provide notice of any special meeting to each member.

B. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.

C. In every even-numbered year, the board shall elect from its membership a rector to preside at its meetings, a vice-rector to preside at its meetings in the absence of the rector, and a secretary to preside at its meetings in the absence of the rector and vice-rector. Such officers shall assume their duties on July 1 of such year.

D. The board may appoint a pro tempore officer to preside at its meetings in the absence of the rector, vice-rector, and secretary.

E. Vacancies in the offices of rector, vice-rector, and secretary may be filled by the board for the unexpired term.

F. At every regular annual meeting of the board, an executive committee for the transaction of business in the recess of the board may be appointed, consisting of at least five members. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the board and such other members as the rector may appoint.

G. The board shall have a standing committee to serve as the board of directors of the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University, which shall oversee the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University and exercise such decision-making authority over the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University as the standing committee deems necessary or appropriate under the authority of and in accordance with the bylaws of the board. The standing committee shall oversee financial management of the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University and approve and recommend to the board the budget for the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University. The standing committee shall consist of no more than 17 members, consisting of two ex officio members and no more than 15 appointed members who are appointed as follows: two nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor; one nonlegislative citizen member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; four members of the board appointed by the rector of the board; and no more than seven nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation or any successor foundation. The president of the University and the executive vice president for health sciences at the University shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members of the standing committee. The primary teaching hospital affiliated with the University may submit to the Governor a list of at least three nominees for any vacancy on the standing committee that is to be filled by the Governor. Any such nominee shall be an expert in a relevant sector of the health care industry and shall have no business or financial relationship with the primary teaching hospital affiliated with the University in order to be considered for appointment as a member of the standing committee by the Governor. In support of good long-term governance, the members appointed to the standing committee by the Eastern Virginia Medical School Foundation or any successor foundation shall file, as a condition to assuming office, a disclosure statement of their personal interests and such other information as is required on the form prescribed by the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council pursuant to § 2.2-3117 and thereafter shall file such a statement annually on or before February 1.

H. The standing committee shall meet four times per year and at such other times as it determines.

I. After the initial staggering of terms, members of the standing committee shall be appointed for a term of four years.

1962, c. 69, § 23-49.17; 1966, c. 18; 1974, c. 317; 1980, c. 100; 2002, c. 368; 2016, c. 588; 2018, c. 715; 2023, cc. 756, 778; 2024, c. 841.

A. The board shall (i) appoint all teachers, staff members, and agents and fix their salaries and (ii) generally direct the affairs of the University.

B. The board may confer degrees.

C. The board may take, hold, and enjoy any gift, grant, devise, or bequest made to the University for any use or purpose designated by the donor or for the general purposes of the board when no use or purpose is designated, whether such gift, grant, devise, or bequest is made directly to the corporation or to trustees for its benefit.

1962, c. 69, §§ 23-49.13, 23-49.17, 23-49.19; 1966, c. 18; 1974, c. 317; 1980, c. 100; 2002, c. 368; 2016, c. 588.

The University may maintain a program of instruction to educate and train teachers for the public elementary and secondary schools of the Commonwealth.

1962, c. 69, § 23-49.20; 1966, c. 18; 1974, c. 317; 2016, c. 588.

All real estate and personal property in the name of the corporate body designated "Eastern Virginia Medical School" transferred to, known and taken as standing in the name of, and under the control of the University is the property of the Commonwealth. The University is vested with all rights, duties, contracts, and agreements and is responsible and liable for all the liabilities and obligations of Eastern Virginia Medical School.

2023, cc. 756, 778.

The schools and divisions previously existing as Eastern Virginia Medical School and such other academic units of the University related to the health sciences as may be identified by the board are hereby designated as the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University.

2023, cc. 756, 778.

A. The University may provide medical and health sciences education and related research through teaching hospitals and related health care and health maintenance facilities, collectively referred to in this section as the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University or the Health Sciences Center. The Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University may participate in cooperative arrangements reflective of changes in health care delivery.

B. The University shall ensure that all tuition, funds appropriated, and clinical-affiliated financial support for the continued operation of the schools and divisions previously existing as the Eastern Virginia Medical School shall remain with those schools and divisions for their continued operation. Such funds shall remain separate from funds for the other academic units identified by the board to be part of the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center at the University.

C. The University may create, own in whole or in part, or otherwise control corporations, partnerships, insurers, or other entities whose activities promote the operations of the Health Sciences Center and its mission, cooperate or enter into joint ventures with such entities, and enter into contracts in connection with such joint ventures.

2023, cc. 756, 778.