23-50.16:36 - Establishment of a branch campus in the State of Qatar
§ 23-50.16:36. Establishment of a branch campus in the State of Qatar.
In recognition that global educational opportunities benefit the intellectualand economic interests of the Commonwealth, the board of visitors of theVirginia Commonwealth University is authorized to establish, operate, andgovern a branch campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in the State ofQatar. The board of visitors shall have the same powers with respect tooperation and governance of its branch campus in Qatar as vested in the boardby the Code of Virginia with respect to Virginia Commonwealth University inVirginia, including, but not limited to, the fixing of fees and charges, theestablishment of academic standards, and the conferral of degrees. Inoperating such branch campus, the board of visitors shall provide appropriateprofessional opportunities for Virginia-based faculty to teach or conductresearch on the Qatar campus and educational opportunities for Virginia-basedstudents to study or conduct research on the Qatar campus.
Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed a waiver of the sovereignimmunity of the Commonwealth or of Virginia Commonwealth University.
In its operation of any branch campus established in the State of Qatar, theboard of visitors and its employees shall not discriminate on the basis ofrace, color, religion, national origin, or sex, and shall not abridge theconstitutional rights of freedom of speech and religion. Any agreement theboard of visitors enters to establish, operate, or govern the branch campusin Qatar shall contain contractual assurances to the board that the branchcampus shall operate without discrimination on the basis of race, color,religion, national origin, or sex, and without abridging the constitutionalrights of freedom of speech and religion.
(2002, c. 801.)