Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1950 [PAGE 1197]

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U N I V E R S I T Y OF I L L I N O I S

1189

MR. H. E. CUNNINGHAM TERMINATES WORK AS SECRETARY President Williamson read the following letter from the Secretary.

J u n e 22, 1950 TO THE BOABD OF TRUSTEES:

This is my formal request for leave of absence from my duties and activities as Secretary of the Board, effective July 1, 1950, and continuing through March 31, I95 1 . a s previously arranged. As I terminate my active service as Secretary, I must express my appreciation of the confidence the Board has had in me over the years, and of the pleasure I have had in such close association with the members of the Board. Sincerely yours,

H . E. CUNNINGHAM

Secretary President Williamson, Dr. Meyer, M r . Livingston, M r . Fornof, a n d o t h e r m e m b e r s of t h e B o a r d e x p r e s s e d t h e i r a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h e Secretary a n d his long service. O n m o t i o n of M r . L i v i n g s t o n , t h e S e c r e t a r y w a s g i v e n l e a v e a s requested. D r . K a r l A . M e y e r presented t h e following tribute a n d m o v e d its adoption:

MR. PRESIDENT:

As the senior member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois in number of years of service, it is my privilege to speak of the work of our retiring Secretary, Mr. Harrison Edward Cunningham. In his forty years on the staff of the University — thirty-six of them as Secretary of the Board of Trustees — Mr. Cunningham has served many Boards of Trustees. H e has done his work well, with serenity, dignity, and with unfailing courtesy to all who have held the office ot University Trustee. Through the years we who have known him best have taken these things for granted, scarcely noting how much they have meant to us. But now, as he is about to retire, we desire to take this occasion to record our appreciation for all he has done for us, for his devotion and many years of fine service to the University of Illinois. His career is woven into four decades and some of the glorious chapters in the University's history. We wish for him and Mrs. Cunningham good health and happiness for many, many years to come. I ask, Mr. President, that this tribute be made a permanent record in today's transactions of the Board of Trustees, and that a suitable engrossed copy, signed by all members of the Board, be given to Mr. Cunningham as a tangible expression of our appreciation. And this tribute was unanimously adopted and ordered spread upon the minutes. MR. A. J . JANATA ELECTED SECRETARY On nomination and motion of Mr. Livingston, M r . A. J. J a n a t a was elected Secretary of the Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 1950. REPORT O N CASE OF PROFESSOR R. H. BLODGETT President S t o d d a r d presented the report of a fact-finding committee appointed by the Provost to investigate and report on the question of possible violation of academic freedom in the College of Commerce and Business Administration, leading to the resignation of Professor Ralph H. Blodgett. T h e committee consisted of Dean A. J. H a r n o , Chairman, Director F . S. Siebert, and Professor F . Wheeler Loomis (see A p pendix, page 1269). W i t h the report of the fact-finding committee, President Stoddard