Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1902 [PAGE 23]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[Sept. 21,

9. The University is seriously embarrassed by the loss of the building which was destroyed by fire in June. The best arrangements which we are able to make in order to relieve the embarrassment are altogether inadequate. A considerable part of the instruction and laboratory work in the College of Engineering will have to be omitted for the year, and the want of a gymnasium seriously interferes with both physical training and military work. In my judgment, a committee should at once take up the question of what we are to do concerning University needs in connection with the approaching session of the General Assembly. I recommend that such committee be appointed, with instructions to consider thoroughly the whole subject and report thereupon at the next meeting of the board. The recommendation was adopted and President McLean appointed Messrs. Bullard, Bayliss, and Smith as such committee. 10. The attendance at the summer term this year was 115 as against 148 last year. It is the common remark that the students were more substantial in character, and better prepared, than those of last year. The work seems to have been prosecuted to the general satisfaction of all concerned. The appropriation for this work by the Board of Trustees was $2,000.00. The term fees amounted to $700.00. The payments for instruction amounted to $2,700.00. The advertising was charged to the advertising account, and probably amounted to $500.00, so the University was really out of pocket about $2,500.00 by reason of the maintenance of the summer's work. The question ought to be settled now, or at least very soon, whether we shall continue this venture as a permanent feature of our University work. 1 do not think we ought to attempt to do this without materially enlarging the scope of the work and strengthening the instruction. The attendance can undoubtedly be enlarged by this process. It is not difficult to see why the attendance fell off this year as against last year. It was because we were unable to add to the offerings, and because the normal schools and other prominent institutions opened summer terms. We can easily recover this loss and considerably enlarge the attendance by enlarging our offerings and making the announcements earlier. There is, at least, some satisfaction in having felt the ground under our feet and gained some confidence as to what we can certainly do. I think all will agree with me that we should either give up this enterprise, or enlarge it. On the whole, I am in favor of going on with it, and strengthening it. We need to procure a few workers from outside, and to cater specially to students, and to teachers; and we need also to organize a more complete system for managing and energizing the whole undertaking. This can easily enough be done if we can have the money with which to do it. It is quite possible that we can procure a special appropriation for the purpose of meeting the expenses of this work, but we cannot wait until we know the result of an application for such appropriation before we decide what we shall do and begin to make our announcements. I am in favor of deciding now that we will put at least $5,000.00 into the work of the Summer Term for 1901, and that the maintenance of a summer term shall become a permanent part of University policy, and I so recommend. This recommendation was adopted and the appropriation was made.