Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 220]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1942]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

217

(p. x ) T h e reduction of the span of control for the President is a wise recommendation. It does not need to be as narrow as is proposed. Furthermore, there are officers who should be responsible to the President who are not included in the recommendations. See the above section dealing with general considerations. (p. 2 of Review) It should have been evident to the Administration from the inception of the survey that it would not be practicable to deal adequately with the business management of the University without impinging on the educational organization. If the two were discreet the proper administrative organization would be for the Board of Trustees to have two coordinate executives. The survey staff may at times have gone further into the educational organization than was necessary, e.g. the suggestion of the divisional organization of the College of Liberal Arts. T h e first two paragraphs under "basic considerations" on pages 2 and 3 of the Review are sound. (p. 38, first paragraph) The Board of Trustees should retain this function for all promotions and appointments above the rank of instructor. The presentation to the Board of information about appointees is one means of keeping the membership informed on an important phase of the University—its personnel. The fact that the Board rarely declines to accept the recommendations made to it is not an argument for discontinuance of the practice of securing its approval. If the Board found itself in frequent disagreement with the President on the appointments and promotions to be made, it should change its chief executive officer. (p. 38, second and third paragraphs) These responsibilities clearly should be delegated by the Board. (pp. 41-45) T h e criticisms on these pages are partly sound and partly unsound. In the case of assistants to department heads, it is usual for them to carry a full load of duties. It is convenient to have someone to act in the absence of the head. It may well be that the actual allocation of functions is out of line with the titles. One cannot be certain on this point either from the Report or the Review. (pp. 46-48) The Guidance Conference for High School Students, the Dean of Men and the Dean of Women, the University Health Service, the Personnel Bureau, the social and recreational activities associated with the residence halls, and the Social Director of the Mini Union should be a part of the office of the Dean of Students. T h e title of Dean of Men, and Dean of Women, should give way to that of Assistant Dean of Students. (PP- 79-8i of Review) T h e argument for placing the auxiliary enterprises under the physical plant department rather than the business office is not convincing. (PP- 55-36) This seems to be a case in which the surveyors went afield, but their suggestion does have merit nevertheless. (p. 92 of Review) It can not be fairly stated that the Report recommends the abolition of all committees. (p. 117 of Review) T h e action proposed by the Administration concerning business management does not go far enough. T h e recommendations of the survey staff appear to be sound. (P- 79) It is not sound to attempt to centralize graduate placement. No one office can serve all the diverse interests and needs of employers. The student placement service might well have responsibility for keeping in touch with departments and schools, stimulating and supplementing their efforts in placement work. (pp. 79-80) The suggestion for an office of Dean of Students is good but it should include, as is indicated elsewhere, additional responsibilities. T h e Dean of Students as an officer with university-wide responsibilities should report directly to the President. (p. 80) It would be unfortunate to separate the Bureau of Economic and Business Research from the College of Commerce. It should remain identified with that school as extension and research are in the College of Agriculture. The High School Visitor and the High School Testing program should be placed under the Dean of Students.