Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1908 [PAGE 137]

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1907J

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOAED OF TRUSTEES.

109

now attained, unless his office is amply fortified and sustained, and his executive freedom is kept intact. Policies must be pursued which keep all officers and teachers at the matters for which they are responsible, and promote exactness rather than confusion in administration. • "It seems to me there is no difficulty about the matter, and that all that the board had in mind when it adopted the resolutions may be easily attained by a request that the president, in his discretion, send such reports and papers to members of the board in advance of meetings as will be of aid to them and promotive of the best interests of the University. This, I am constrained to say, after full experience and reflection, and with no purpose to magnify my own importance, is*as far as the board may safely'go with security to the interests which are committed to my official care in advance of a meeting of the board. In a board meeting all the president knows and all the papers of his office are at the disposal of the board. "Therefore, I recommend that the resolutions referred to, be rescinded and that the following be adopted: "Resolved, That the president of the University be requested, in the exercise of his free discretion, to send to members of the board of trustees in advance of meetings such reports as may be made to him by the deans or other officers of the instructional force, or any other papers, when such early distribution will be likely to'aid trustees in the better understanding of matters to come before the board, and not be incompatible with what the president conceives to be for the best interests of the University." " I could doubtless work my way along to the end of my administration without any very serious difficulty over this matter, but I never can hope to transmit my office to another with its functions unimpaired and its freedom assured without making this request, and the remainder of my administration will be made smoother and the future will be more secure if you will give it your favorable consideration." "It was moved to adopt the recommendations with regard to reports, and the.motion prevailed." It seems to me that the recommendation of President Draper was an eminently proper one, and in the absence of any action of this board to the contrary, I shall follow the orders of the board as indicated at that time. DEGREES. 4 The senate of t h e ' University makes the following recommendations < concerning degrees; 1. ; In view of the fact that the approaching commencement is the twentyfifth anniversary of the class with which Mr. Frank B. Maltby would have graduated had he continued in the University, and in view of his experience since leaving and of his present position in immediate charge of the construction of one-half of the Panama Canal with a rank next to that of the Assistant Chief Engineer, the senate recommends that Mr. Maltby be granted.the degree of Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, and that he be given rank as a member of the class of 1882. 2. The University senate recommends to the board of trustees for the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws, Professor George C. Comstock, director of the Washburn Observatory and Professor of Astronomy in the University of Wisconsin. 3. The senate recommends to the board of trustees that the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws be conferred at the approaching commencement upon the Hon. James Bryce, British Ambassador to the United States. 4. The council recommends to the trustees that the degree of Master of Arts, honories cause, be granted to Miss Katharine Sharp, head librarian and director, of the School of Library Science in the University of Illinois.

Voted to suspend the rule requiring nominations for. honorarydegrees to be presented to the board at the March meeting, and voted that the above recommendations of the senate be approved and that the president be authorized to confer the above degrees at the approaching commencement.