Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 1101]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1098

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

From its study the Commission has received the impression that in general the younger men feel themselves left without the opportunity to make themselves heard or to participate in discussion or legislation regarding educational policy, both in the college and in the Senate. The Commission is of the opinion that the government of the faculty may be characterized as an Athenian democracy, a rule of the elders. It is further of the opinion that the present organization actually weakens the operation of the University by excluding representation of such a large portion of its teaching body from deliberations and legislation concerning educational policy. As already stated, the pattern of organization and administration of the educational program of the University was set some decades ago and has been consistently followed in its main outlines for a considerable time preceding the present administration. There has, therefore, been no important change in this respect during the present administration. However, as already pointed out, the Commission is strongly of the opinion that this pattern needs modification in the direction of those of full professorial rank sharing organizational and administrative responsibilities with faculty members of lower rank. This comment holds true with reference to graduate as well as to undergraduate levels. T H E QUALITY OF E D U C A T I O N A L LEADERSHIP There is a fundamental difference between the delegation of administrative powers to assistants and the exercise of central educational leadership. The president of a university is responsible to the board of control for the conduct of the university. In this relation he should see that the measures adopted by the board are carried out wherever they apply. In the discharge of this responsibility he comes into official relation with all phases of the university-—educational, financial, and physical—as well as in its relation to the public. But he also has a responsibility to the faculties of the institution in addition to seeing that the policies as adopted by the board are adhered to. He should be the educational leader of the university. In this capacity, he should stimulate faculty members and initiate sound educational policies as well as encourage those originating from other sources. His duty as head of an educational institution is not discharged merely

[80 —A.C.E. "Report]