Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 233]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[January 23

Women's Division is only 40 per cent of normal, (c) T h e total number of physicians in Champaign-Urbana has been reduced in approximately the same proportion. T h e University, therefore, can not get the help it could a year ago. ( d ) W i t h few exceptions the doctors remaining in Champaign-Urbana, like those on the Health Service staff, are above 45 years of age and have more work on their hands than they can do. ( e ) Reduction in the number of doctors in Champaign-Urbana increases the student load on the Health Service, (f) T h e University is having a marked labor turnover on account of war, with the result that more employees have to be examined than normally, ( g ) T h e new requirements in physical education, not only for freshmen and sophomores but for juniors, seniors, and graduate students, will greatly increase the work of the Health Service by increased examinations, more accidents, and additional calls. ( h ) T h e medical staff of the Health Service is being further loaded by giving first-aid instruction to some 300 to 500 civilian defense workers to protect the interests of the University. It has already had 800 to 900 employees under instruction in first aid. (i) T h e r e has been no such percentage decrease in the student body and number of employees as in the medical staff of the Health Service. 2. F r o m January 1 to May 1 is the period of the greatest prevalence of illness, particularly communicable disease, among students. It is, therefore, in the interest of the University that the doctors remaining on the Health Service staff see as many students as possible who call at the Health Service Station, in order to detect contagious disease in its incipiency before the victims have an opportunity to expose others. 3. About 500 employees and faculty members have already left the University for war work, and a number of obviously temporary people have been employed to meet the emergency. If such temporary employees were examined, there would be considerable expense with little permanent benefit to the University. 4. At the present time, the Health Service is examining as fast as it can all new employees who must enter the Retirement System and all employees who have reached the age of thirty since the introduction of the Retirement System. These two groups represent a total of approximately 500 to 600 persons. In view of these circumstances, the following program has been authorized: All new faculty members and employees will be given medical examinations on entering the service of the University. Examinations will be given to other faculty members on request, if circumstances permit after provision has been made for those mentioned in paragraph four above. Periodic or follow-up examinations will be given those members of the faculty who desire them. O n m o t i o n of M r . D a v i s , t h i s r e p o r t w a s r e c e i v e d f o r r e c o r d , a n d t h e a c t i o n of t h e P r e s i d e n t in a u t h o r i z i n g t h i s p r o g r a m w a s a p p r o v e d a n d confirmed. REPORT FROM FACULTY COMMITTEE ON PATENTS (5) T h e Faculty Committee on Patents submits the following recommendations relating to discoveries by members of the faculty: Dr. C. C. Price, Associate Professor of Chemistry, in a study of the mechanism of addition polymerization, has discovered several procedures for preparing addition polymers, such as polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate, with certain reactive functional groups in the molecule. T h e procedures for the preparation of such polymers are: (1) use of substituted acyl peroxides as catalysts; (2) use of substituted aryldiazonium hydroxides as catalysts; and (3) use of various nitro and polynitro aromatic compounds as retarders for the polymerization. Professor W . C. Rose, Acting Head of the Department of Chemistry, has advised that on the basis of available information, it does not seem that the procedures in question will prove to be of commercial value. He recommends release of rights to the discoverer so that he might assume the risks involved in patent applications, should he so desire. Professor Roger Adams concurs in this recommendation. Accordingly, the Committee recommends release of the discovery to Dr. Price.