Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1990 [PAGE 587]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1992]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

575

been in existence, the Voorhees Center has achieved significant recognition among housing and neighborhood groups and funding organizations. Since 1989, however, the Voorhees Center has been without a director. At that time, the acting dean of AAUP appointed the director of the Center for Urban Economic Development as the acting director of the Voorhees Center. For over two years the two centers, while maintaining their separate identities and programs, have shared common leadership, support staff, and office space. The operational integration has worked well and has been cost effective. The Voorhees programmatic focus, particularly on housing, has been maintained through the appointment of an associate director who has coordinated research grants and technical assistance performed under the Voorhees rubric. In fact, the Voorhees Center's external grants have actually increased under the current arrangement. The recommended action — changing its status from a center to a program within CUED — will bring its official status into line with the current successful operating model. To restore it to a free-standing status would be a needless waste of scarce resources and would serve no programmatic purpose. Retaining a discrete Voorhees Program within CUED would continue to honor the intent of the Voorhees gift to the college conveyed by the former dean of AAUP, Alan Voorhees, in 1979. The dean of the college has contacted Mr. Voorhees about the proposed change. Mr. Voorhees has offered no objection. The vice president for academic affairs concurs in this recommendation. The University Senates Conference has indicated that no further senate jurisdiction is involved. I concur, pending further action by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

On motion of Mrs. Gravenhorst, this recommendation was approved. By consensus, the board agreed that one roll call vote would be taken and considered the vote on each agenda item nos. 20 through 40 inclusive. The recommendations were individually discussed but acted upon at one time. (The record of board action appears at the end of each item.)

Amendment to Liability Self-Insurance Plan

(20) The University has operated a program of liability self-insurance since August 1, 1976, for the purpose of protecting the University, its trustees, officers, employees, and agents against liability claims arising from the performance of University duties. The limit of liability on any claim has been the balance of the plan funds at the time of settlement or entry of judgment less obligations of the plan incurred through settlements previously executed and judgments previously entered. Over the past 16 years, as claims have become known and reserves established, there has been a substantial increase in the plan funds. This has resulted in an increase in potential liabilities associated with a single claim. It is now recommended that the Board of Trustees establish a definite limit of liability. The Liability Self-Insurance Plan will establish $5 million as the limit of liability for each occurrence or University service resulting in a claim on or after July 1, 1992. The University will continue to acquire excess insurance coverage when deemed appropriate. The plan's limit of liability for claims made before July 1, 1992, will continue as originally described. The plan document is also being amended by deleting the reference to the Risk Management Policy Committee. It is recommended that the vice president for business and finance continue to use an advisory committee, but this procedural matter need not be included within the plan document. The plan document also clarifies the prior position that the plan does not apply to liability or other financial obligations resulting from cleanup of landfill or other contaminated-site actions.