Repository: UIHistories Project: Booklet - Welcome to the University (1945) [PAGE 4]

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From Campus to Citizen

Millions of people in all parts of the world benefit from University of Illinois trained doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers, farmers, etc., and from the results of the University's research findings in almost every field of human activity and interest. Not all of the University's work is confined to the campus. The Division of University Extension takes the University to the citizens by providing correspondence courses in 85 college-level courses with University credit; it provides off-campus courses in 12 Illinois cities taught by faculty members who go from the campus; it supervises Engineering, Science, and Management W a r Training courses which train 10,000 war workers a year—32,250 since the war began—in 76 war-production centers of Illinois; its Visual Aids Service provides 600 schools with educational motion picture films and disk recordings; and its Speakers Bureau aids the programs of schools, civic organizations, and other groups. Agriculture and home economics extension activities are carried on by the College of Agriculture, with the assistance of federal funds, through 83 extension specialists and supervisors in agriculture, home economics, and 4-H clubs. They work throughout the state and maintain contact with 98 county farm advisers and 72 county home advisers. They hold as many as 20,000 meetings a year, attended by audiences totaling 942,000. At other off-campus meetings to which University staff members are called, audiences approximate 30,000 a year. In normal times conferences on the UrbanaChampaign campus and on the Chicago campus are attended by some 63,000 persons, athletic events by 297,000, and campus visitors coming other than for scheduled events number additional thousands—agriculture alone recording 27,000 visitors in one pre-war year. The medical and dental clinics on the Chicago campus treat more than 100,000 patients annually. The University's animal pathologists examine 50,000 tissue specimens a year, sent from all over the state. More than 870,000 informational publications are sent out by the University each year. Thousands listen regularly to the University's radio station, W I L L (580 k c ) .

of College Days'

Football Band

ROTC Color Guard

W h e n war began, President Willard immediately offered the services and resources of the University to agencies planning to meet the crisis. His offers were accepted— for research projects and for training of personnel. Many of the University's peacetime research discoveries had been long since put to use, and were of utmost importance in the war effort. There also were new and urgent requests. The University's facilities were freely contributed to war-important investigations. More than 700 faculty members left the campus to carry on vital research and industrial work elsewhere, or to join the armed forces. Nevertheless the University carried on its full-scale civilian program, but on an accelerated basis: at Urbana-Champaign three semesters yearly instead of two; at Chicago four quarters instead of two semesters. The Army Specialized Training Program in April, 1943, established at the University a reclassification unit which "processed" 7,000 men in the year to follow. A S T P training activities began in July, and at the peak of the program more than 4,000 soldiers were assigned to the campus, 41 fraternities became Army barracks, and the Ice Skating Rink became the Army mess hall. By the fall of 1944 the A S T P program had been greatly reduced. Some 437 members of the A S T P Reserve—youths who will be called to active Army duty when they reach 18—live in Newman hall, a private dormitory, and eat at Army mess in the Illini Union building ballroom. At the University's Chicago campus the A S T P has 357 soldiers training in medicine and dentistry. The V-12 Navy college training program opened at the University in July, 1943. Peak enrollment was 450, and present enrollment is 336. The men live and eat in the University Men's residence halls. At the Chicago campus the V-12 has 204 men studying medicine and dentistry. A Naval Training school also was maintained at Urbana-Champaign from May, 1942, until December, 1944, giving non-collegiate training in visual signaling and in diesel engines to more than 13,000 men. It utilized many University buildings and facilities.

Because the University of Illinois is located away from any large city, its students are in the university environment and influence 24 hours a day. In this respect it has probably more "full-time" students in normal times than any other institution. It recognizes its responsibility in all phases of student life, outside as well as inside the classroom. It was one of the first to give prime consideration to student welfare, and the first to have a Dean of Men. Today the Dean of Men and Dean of Women and other officers who devote their full attention to student problems and student life outside the classroom are co-ordinated under the Dean of Students. All undergraduate students are required to live in quarters inspected and approved by the University. On entering the University each student is given a physical examination, and his fees include membership in the University Hospital association, providing him care when he is sick. Extracurricular activities have always been encouraged as added social and recreational benefits supplementing academic achievement. While the Illini Union building is the center of student life, there are some 275 specialized social, scholastic, religious, and honorary organizations and groups in which students are drawn together by kindred interests. Among the more prominent student activities are the publications, including a daily newspaper, dramatic soMemorial Stadium

cieties, bands and musical organizations, professional societies, the YMCA and YWCA, Student Union organization, Concert and Entertainment board, and athletics and athletic managerships. The University of Illinois was the first institution to have a church exclusively for college students—the McKinley Presbyterian church, established in 1906. Likewise it was the first institution at which a church foundation came into being — the Wesley Foundation, established in 1913. The church foundation idea, "a student church home away from home" has become nation-wide. At this campus there are nine such foundations, and five other denominational groups maintain active work with students. Ninety-three per cent of the students enrolled this year indicate they have definite religious preferences. There are more fraternity and sorority houses at the Illinois campus than at any other institution. There are 56 fraternities in which 2,500 undergraduate men live in normal times, and 20 national social sororities with 1,000 members. These Greek letter organizations, of from 35 to 55 members each, are composed of groups of students who live together while attending the University. Membership in the organizations is by invitation. The University has residence halls for both men and women. All were utilized by the Navy during the peak of its training activities at the campus, but at present the Navy is using only the Men's residence halls, occupied by the V-12 trainees, while the Women's residence halls, no longer needed by the Navy, are being prepared for occupancy by women students next fall. Illini hall now is being occupied by student women. Normally, seven out of every eight students are from homes in Illinois; two of every three go back to their home communities. The places of those who move to other states are taken by graduates of the universities of those other states in that great exchange of intellectual fellowship which is a precious basis of democracy. On the University's Chicago campus, the number of student contacts and activities has been greatly increased since establishment of the Chicago Illini Union. This building, with its food services, lounges, meeting rooms, and recreational facilities is the center for a growing number of extracurricular activities.

Services for Veterans

A Division of Special Services for W a r Veterans has been organized to study needs of veterans entering the University, inform and advise them, adjust courses of study to meet particular needs, and, when necessary, arrange special programs of study which will meet requirements for degrees. All veterans who are Illinois residents receive free-tuition scholarships. The University's Personnel Bureau gives any veteran, whether or not he is considering college, free vocational and educational aptitude tests and counselling service, including problems of psychological adjustment.