Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1912 [PAGE 137]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1911]

.PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

93

A f t e r a n e x t e n d e d d i s c u s s i o n of t h e policy i n v o l v e d i n t h e g r a n t i n g •of s c h o l a r s h i p s a n d f e l l o w s h i p s , t h e list p r e s e n t e d h y t h e e x e c u t i v e facu l t y of t h e g r a d u a t e school was a p p r o v e d , a n d t h e p r e s i d e n t w a s a u t h o r i z e d to m a k e t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s t h e r e i n r e c o m m e n d e d .

APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR R. M. ALDEN.

12. T h e following letter addressed to Professor Alden, in accordance -with the a u t h o r i t y given by the Board of Trustees a t t h e i r last m e e t i n g :

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, I I I . , Mar. 1, 1911.

Dr. Raymond M. Alden, Leland Stanford University, Palo Alto, Gal.: M Y DEAR S I R — I beg t o inform you t h a t I am authorized hy t h e Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois to t e n d e r to you the position of professor >of E n g l i s h in t h e University of Illinois at a salary of $4,000.00 per a n n u m . "We should expect to associate w i t h t h e position of professor of English t h a t of c h a i r m a n of t h e Managing Committee of t h a t department. This, of course, is a n a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a r r a n g e m e n t whicji m a y he changed from time to t i m e as t h e i n t e r e s t s of t h e d e p a r t m e n t m a y demand. I t m a y for instance t u r n out t h a t in t h e course of t i m e the c h a i r m a n s h i p of t h e department should rotate, a s is t h e custom at H a r v a r d . B u t t h a t is a m a t t e r for future decision. F o r t h e present we should wish you to act as c h a i r m a n of t h e M a n a g i n g Committee, w i t h t h r e e other members of t h e department. I believe t h a t you would find a pleasant and fruitful field of work a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y of Illinois. Your salary would.be paid in twelve m o n t h l y installm e n t s . We desire t h a t you should begin work Sept. 1, 1911, and your salary would date from t h a t time. T h e actual opening of t h e University for t h e n e x t academic year t a k e s place Sept. 18, 1911. I t is desirable t h a t t h e members of the faculty should be on t h e ground a t least one week in advance of t h a t date. I n your own case I t h i n k you would find it helpful to be h e r e earlier, so as to be entirely ready for t h e work w h e n it begins. I believe t h e first faculty m e e t i n g of t h e College of L i t e r a t u r e and A r t s is held on t h e 16th of September, and all members of t h e faculty are expected to be present, b u t exact information in r e g a r d to t h a t will be sent to you by t h e dean of t h e College of Litera t u r e and A r t s . I am sending you a copy of tjhe s t a t u t e s of t h e University of Illinois. You will note t h a t u n d e r p a r a g r a p h 10, page 4, is indicated t h e general organization of t h e University, but t h e organization of the English Departm e n t is a t p r e s e n t u n d e r a committee. I presume Dean Green h a s explained t h i s to you in full. T h e t e r m s of employment of t h e m e m b e r s of t h e faculty a r e indicated on pages 6, 7, 8 and 9. T h e y are t h e t e r m s usually in force in American universities, t h e t e n u r e of office a t t h e pleasure of t h e Board of Trustees. I believe t h e t e n u r e of office a t t h e University of Illinois is as safe a n d as free from all illegitimate influences as in any other i n s t i t u t i o n in t h e country. We a r e t r y i n g to build up here a g r e a t university. We have laid some .very respectable foundations, a n d men who like yourself m a y have an opportunity to cooperate in r e a r i n g t h e s u p e r s t r u c t u r e I am sure a r e to be congratulated. We for our p a r t shall be very glad indeed to welcome you into t h i s fellowship and to t h i s cooperation. I should be glad if you would inform me as soon as possible w h e t h e r you will accept t h i s appointment. Faithfully yours,

E D M U N D J. J A M E S .