Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 104]

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96

PEOCEEDINGS OF THE BOAKD OF TRUSTEES—APEIL, 1886.

The Board met at the office of the President, room 90, No. 115 Dearborn street, Chicago, on Tuesday, April 6th, 1886, at 10 o'clock A. M., pursuant to adjournment from March 23d, as designated by the President. Present—Trustees Pearman, Eisenmayer, Bennett, McLean, Earle and Millard. Absent—Governor Oglesby, Hon. John Lan/irigan, Trustees Cobb, Follansbee and Paden. President Millard in the chair. Minutes of the last meeting read and approved. The Regent offered a communication from E. Lemme, class of 1886, asking to be excused from elocution. It was moved and carried that the above communication be referred to the Regent and Faculty with power to act. The following communication from C. B. Gibson, President of the Chicago Club, University of Illinois, was offered and read:

To the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois: GENTLEMEN : At a special meeting of the Chicago Club of the Alumni of the University of Illinois, the undersigned were appointed a committee to prepare a memorial address to your honorable body in relation to the subject of endowments, praying that you may take such action, at the meeting of Trustees March 23d, as shall be deemed by you advisable, after hearing this petition, and upon a careful consideration of the whole subject at this meeting. The students and graduates of the University desire to cooperate with the Trustees and Faculty in their efforts" to make the University of the greatest possible benefit to all who shall enter it; and to assist in the work of presenting to the people of this State and of the country the privileges and advantages to be enjoyed here by those who are seeking a broad and liberal education; and to unite with you in placing the University among the foremost institutions of learning in the land. With this subject before us we have brought up and discusssd the subject of endowments, as a means of commanding the attention, and securing the help of those who are empowered to grant appropriations for the fund of the University, and to invite the notice and enlist the good will of public spirited and generous citizens of our State and the nation, who are able, and with the proper understanding of the matter would be ready, to make donations, gifts or bequests. Correspondence has been had with the leading colleges and universities of the country, which has furnished information, in facts and figures, upon this question of endowment. Section 7 of the Organic Act founding the University, in relation to the power of Trustees upon the question of endowments,reads; "They may accept the endowments of voluntary professorships of departments in the University from any person, or persons, or corporations who may proffer the same, and at any regular meeting of the Board may prescribe rules and regulations in relation to such endowments, and declare on what general principles they may be admitted: Provided, that such voluntary endowments or professorships shall not be incompatible with the true design and scope of the act of Congress, or of this act." Your memorialists/representing the alumni and students of Chicago and vicinity, referring to the act and section above quoted, respectfully ask that at the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees March 2od, 1886, you will prescribe the rules and regulations in rela-