Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1908 [PAGE 136]

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108

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[June 4

T h e said a r c h i t e c t s h a l h a v e t h e supervision of a l l a l t e r a t i o n s , reconstructions a n d r e p a i r s t o be m a d e in t h e University building's a n d o t h e r s t r u c t u r e s , a n d no bill s h a l l b e paid for w o r k or m a t e r i a l s used in such r e p a i r s u n t i l i t h a s been s u b m i t t e d t o said a r c h i t e c t for his approval. Said a r c h i t e c t shall be t h e s u p e r i n t e n d e n t for t h e University of all b u i l d i n g s erected on t h e c a m p u s unless some o t h e r person shall b e especially selected for t h a t w o r k , a n d h e s h a l l be advisor to t h e p r e s i d e n t a n d b o a r d in all m a t t e r s relating 1 to t h e p l a n s for t h e erection of b u i l d i n g s . . . '...'/.-

Voted that said position be created and the president requested to make nominations for the same.

TRANSMISSION OF R E P O R T S OF DEANS. 3. F r o m r e m a r k s m a d e b y different m e m b e r s of t h e b o a r d a t t h e l a s t m e e t i n g , I infer t h a t t h e r e m a y be some misunderstanding- as to t h e action of t h e b o a r d of t r u s t e e s concerning t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n of c e r t a i n r e p o r t s from t h e deans of t h e University to t h e m e m b e r s of t h e Board, in advance of board meetings. '• , I n order t o m a k e t h i s perfectly clear, I b e g to s u b m i t t h e following" m i n u t e s t a k e n from t h e Proceedings of t h e Board on J u n e 8, 1903. [Report from President Draper] " D e c e m b e r 19, 1899, t h e b o a r d a d o p t e d t h e following resolutions t o u c h i n g t h e transmission of c e r t a i n r e p o r t s to t h e m e m b e r s of t h e board, in advance of m e e t i n g , viz.:

R E P O R T S OF D E A N S .

'19. (a) To i n s u r e more i n t e l l i g e n t action on t h e p a r t of t h e T r u s t e e s , t y p e w r i t t e n copies of such r e p o r t s of t h e d e a n s of t h e several colleges as a r e m a d e shall be sent from t h e office of t h e p r e s i d e n t of t h e University to each m e m b e r of t h e b o a r d five d a y s before t h e q u a r t e r l y m e e t i n g . (b) T h e s e r e p o r t s shall b e confined s t r i c t l y to t h e i n t e r n a l affairs of t h e several colleges a n d to t h e i r i m m e d i a t e needs in respect to t h e facilities for i n s t r u c t i o n . At t h e m e e t i n g of t h e b o a r d t h e p r e s i d e n t shall p r e s e n t h i s approval or o t h e r w i s e of a n y suggestions in t h e s e r e p o r t s , w h i c h shall be considered t h e first official recognition of t h e i r existence.' (c) T h e s e t y p e w r i t t e n copies shall be p r e p a r e d in t h e offices of t h e Deans a n d sent to t h e P r e s i d e n t w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l r e p o r t . ' [Adopted December 19, 1899.] " I felt a t t h e t i m e t h a t t h e r e w e r e c e r t a i n e l e m e n t s in . t h i s legislation w h i c h u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y invaded t h e executive freedom of t h e p r e s i d e n t of t h e University, b u t I did n o t care to seem to be a stickler for p r e r o g a t i v e , unnecessarily, a n d said l i t t l e a b o u t it. I have h a p p i l y lived l o n g e n o u g h to k n o w t h a t w i t h people w h o h a v e no e n d save t h e r i g h t in view t h e r i g h t is m a d e clear in t h e course of t i m e , and no g r e a t w r o n g is suffered by the t r i a l of experiment. " T h e purpose of t h e b o a r d in a d o p t i n g t h e resolutions w a s . as i t w a s declared t o be, to secure information in advance which would aid i n t e l l i g e n t action upon business to be s u b m i t t e d a t a n a p p r o a c h i n g m e e t i n g . B u t t h e r e s u l t is m u c h more t h a n t h a t . I t t e n d s u n m i s t a k i n g l y to n o t h i n g less t h a n a lessening of respect for t h e office of p r e s i d e n t of t h e University, a n d a c h a n g e in t h e c h a r a c t e r of t h e r e p o r t s . Officers speak of t h e i r r e p o r t s to t h e b o a r d of t r u s t e e s , a n d to t h e public, w h e n t h e y a r e n o t expected to r e p o r t t o a n y o n e b u t t h e president; a n d t h e y i n t r o d u c e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s touching" m a t t e r s c o n c e r n i n g w h i c h t h e y h a v e no responsible a u t h o r i t y , w i t h t h e evid e n t expectation t h a t t h e y will be specifically .approved or disapproved b y official action. U n d e r t h e operation of t h e resolution information upon confidential m a t t e r s r e a c h e s persons personally interested, in advance of lawful action, a n d produces u n n e c e s s a r y a n d h u r t f u l discussions t h r o u g h o u t University circles, a n d sometimes outside of them. " N o one can expect t o meet, j u s t l y and r a t i o n a l l y , t h e responsible duties of president of. t h i s University, in t h e proportions w h i c h t h e University h a s