Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 74]

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1942]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

71

(4) In my opinion, therefore, it is best not to hold over any of the present staff, because of the paradoxical situation facing schools at this time. That is to say, although there is need for additional resources for professional education, because of a noticeable falling enrollment of all schools which have placed serious financial difficulties in the way of several schools, the decision be postponed by the University until such time when recruiting possibilities would be more favorable. (5) That considering the long-range viewpoint and the favorable possibilities for a strong school that the University make a small beginning by appointing first a qualified director who could lay the groundwork for developing and utilizing resources in the state and in Chicago. Note: T h e director may decide after the first year's experience that it would not be advisable to establish a school.

III. T H E PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS OF POLICY

1. Some guiding circumstances for arriving at recommendations: a. T h e results of the three-year experimental curriculum: (1) Student enrollment at professional level declined toward vanishing point. (2) Outlook in near future for increased enrollment, in spite of increased need for welfare workers, is poor: ( a ) Potential students for the program are going to other positions available at the end of four years and are going into war and war industries, even before graduation in some cases, (b) Long established institutions for social work training have reduced enrollments and some are closing. (3) Recommendation for discontinuance by Miss Massoth as originally recommended and now reaffirmed by Dean McClure. b. An all-out training program would involve: (1) Budget outlay of at least $25,000 to $30,000 a year, without additional field work facilities in outlying counties and scholarships thought necessary to encourage enrollment. Twelve scholarships at $600 a year would amount to $7,200, and $S,ooo would be needed for expanded field work. (2) Securing an outstanding director for exploring possibilities at least a year before actual training is begun, (a) There is some doubt as to how much such exploration could add to knowledge already gained by the experimental program, and it would cost heavily (estimated $8,000) without any certain results to show for it. (b) Final decision for recommending the establishment of a school or not might be left to him after a year. (3) Difficulty of proper weighting of factors favoring location of school if established ( a ) at Chicago, (b) at Urbana, or (c) with planned responsibility divided between the Chicago and Urbana departments. c. An immediate service can be rendered the University's students at the pre-professional level: (1) By continuing and strengthening undergraduate courses which especially aid students in preparing for Merit System examinations required for gaining eligibility to positions in County Welfare Departments, and by the addition of two more specialized public welfare undergraduate courses. (2) By continuing and revising the pre-professional guidance program to advise students (a) in selecting foundation undergraduate courses on a basis for later training in any professional school of social w o r k ; (b) in selection of courses helpful in meeting examination requirements for welfare positions; (c) regarding information as to time, place, and requirements of examinations for welfare position candidates. (3) There are some 500 to 1,000 such welfare positions in Illinois with approximate yearly turnover of about ten per cent. (4) A budget of $3,600 to $4,000 is estimated to be adequate for this program including additional teaching staff assistance and stenographic service.