Traditionally in an academic community in general and at Virginia Commonwealth University in particular, the faculty, staff, students and administrators participate in the governance of the university. It is recognized that the legal authority to guide and regulate the university is vested by the commonwealth of Virginia in the board of visitors and the president. It is also recognized that as a corollary of academic freedom, the university community has a collective responsibility for guiding the scholarly pursuits of the university. The university council, as a representative body of faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, students and administrators, is the deliberative body that has university-wide representation. To that end, the university council serves to aid communication and understanding among the faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, students and administrators. University council reviews and offers recommendations regarding university programs and proposed or potential policies to the president of the university.