Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1984 [PAGE 169]

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BOARD O F TRUSTEES

[February

17

consultation and special service as may be desired by the University, including service to the School of Public Health as a faculty member. I recommend approval. O n m o t i o n of D r . D o n o g h u e , this r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w a s approved.

Terms of Employment on Research Projects Conducted in Cooperation with State Surveys (Urbana)

(9) In 1917, the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois was amended to make the State Natural History Survey, the State Geological Survey, and the State Water Survey units in the State Department of Registration and Education. The functions and duties of the surveys were to "continue to be exercised at the University of Illinois in buildings and places provided by the trustees thereof." Responsibility for the survey functions subsequently was transferred to the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources. The legislation effecting this transfer continued the role of the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation (originally established in 1917) as the governing body for the surveys and further provided that all previously existing relationships between the surveys and the University of Illinois would be maintained. For many years, the University and the surveys have cooperated in the performance of sponsored research and research-related adjunct activities in which both are interested — with the University contracting, under an agreement between the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation and the University, with the sponsor. The University retains administrative and financial control and supervision of the research grants and contracts, with the surveys providing technical administration and scientific supervision for the work. From the indirect costs and overhead payments received by the University on a project, a portion is held by the University in a separate fund for the relevant survey to support further research. The relationship has been of considerable mutual benefit to the parties and has not presented significant administrative difficulties. As the recipient of the research funds, the University, with the approval of the survey chief, issues its standard employment contract to those individuals hired to pursue such research. These University employees work closely with survey employees who, as State employees, have different employment conditions and benefits, such as vacation and other leaves, holidays, and notices of nonreappointment. When the University changed its terminal notice policy in 1980 to provide from 2 months to 12 months notice of nonreappointment to its academic professional employees (depending upon the length of service), the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation expressed concern, on the grounds that the surveys could not fund such an extended notice period. The board further indicated its desire that survey employees and those hired by the University to work on sponsored research have the same employment conditions and benefits. Therefore, it is now proposed that, to the extent the employment conditions and benefits of the academic professional employees appointed by the University to work on research grants and contracts cooperatively performed by the University and the surveys differ from the conditions and benefits applicable to regular survey employees of comparable status, the conditions and benefits of the survey employees will apply to such University employees, subject to any existing contractual rights of the University employees. (University nonacademic employees would not be affected by the action.) The vice president for academic affairs and the acting vice president for business and finance have recommended approval of the proposal and, subsequent to such approval, amendment of the existing agreement with the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation to reflect the change described. I concur. O n m o t i o n o f D r . D o n o g h u e , this r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w a s a p p r o v e d .