Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1910 [PAGE 541]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1910]

PROCEEDINGS OE THE BOARD OE TRUSTEES.

503"

In this they think that, first, we do not enforce strictly our preliminary requirements; second, advanced standing is granted for work done in low grade medical schools; and, third, members of the University faculty teach in low grade schools. 4. I have received an informal notice which I presume will be followed by a formal notice, that the present attitude of the University Medical School is not satisfactory to the Association of American Medical Colleges on the ground that its standards are decidedly lower than those set as the minimum which ought to be accepted by that association. All these things point to the fact that the medical school of the University will have some difficulty in making good its claim to rank among the good medical schools of the country. It would seem as if something ought to be done in the premises. You will remember also that the Board of Trustees last year asked the medical faculty to make in its next budget more ample provision for the underlying scientific work of the college, including better teaching in the first two years of the course, better facilities, and the employment of a larger teaching force. I think the medical faculty will recognize that all these things taken together point to a very serious condition indeed with which this faculty ought to wrestle in earnest. It is quite certain that in the long run the University cannot accede to a standard in the medical department which is distinctly lower than that insisted upon by the average run of good medical schools in the country, and of course it is desirable that it should stand in the front rank of the better medical schools and not at the lower end. I have also received an inquiry from the Association of American Medical Colleges as to the standard of admission which the University is going to insist upon in its medical school. They say that they received notice from the medical college that beginning in the autumn of 1910 a year's additional work would be required over and above the completion of a high school course, but that they have heard lately from some source that the medical college does nol; propose to carry out the promise made at that time. I find that the last announcement on this subject in the University catalog, the register for 1908-09, page 180, is to the effect that beginning with the session of 1910, one year of nine months of college work will be required, consisting of chemistry, biology, physics and modern language, preferably German, in addition to the high school diploma. This action of the faculty has been in effect approved by the Board of Trustees. I know of no action rescinding this rule, which has been approved by the board. What is the fact in the case? It would seem that we ought to advance at least to this standard since the other university medical schools, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota require two years. Faithfully yours,

EDMUND J. JAMES.

3. Copy of a letter received by the President of the University from Dr. William B. Quine, dean of the Medical College of the University of Illinois, dated Jan. 29, 1910, as follows: Jan. 29, 1910. President E. J. James: DEAR SIR—Our executive faculty has voted to recommend to the trustees that henceforth every applicant for admission to the College of Medicine be required to furnish proof of a satisfactory high school education; that no credits be accepted from colleges of inferior standing; and that no member of the teaching force of the College of Medicine be permitted connection with any other institution. Your demand that better teachers and more of them and better equipment be furnished for the freshman and sophomore courses of instruction has been referred to the Committee of University Relations, (Pusey, chairman) and you will be informed in due time of the action taken by the faculty on this question.