Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1914 [PAGE 154]

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152

umvEKSiTY OF ILLINOIS.

[December 19,

The vote was as follows: Ayes, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Anthony, Mrs. Bahren- • burg, Mr. Blair, Mrs. Busey, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Grout, Mr. Hoit, Mr. Moore; noes, none; absent, Mr. Deneen, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Meeker.

REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO U N D E R T A K E OUTSIDE WORK.

(4) A request from Mr. Paul Hansen, Engineer in the State Water Survey, tobe permitted to accept an engagement to become an associate with Mr. R. W. Pratt, of Cleveland, Ohio, in the installation of a water filtration plant of the mechanical type at Logansport, Ind.; this work would require Mr. Hansen's presence at Logansport about one day a month during its progress, and some additional time in the office in Urbana.

President James explained that the question in this case involved (1) the value to the University of having professors keep in close contact with practical work, and (2) the possibility of attracting able men to the University for smaller salaries than would otherwise be possible if they be allowed to undertake such work. Further consideration of this matter was postponed until a later meeting.

ACOUSTICS O F T H E A U D I T O R I U M : R E P O R T O F PROGRESS.

(5) The following report of progress on the investigation of the acoustics of the Auditorium which has been made by Professor P . R. Watson: It will be remembered that Professor Watson took up sometime ago the question of what could be done to remedy the acoustical defects in our Auditorium. This work has been in progress nearly four years, Professor Watson giving it as much time as his other work in the University will permit. A year ago last spring, a conference was held in the Auditorium itself. President W. L. Abbott of the Board of Trustees, Professor E. J. Berg, Professor J. M. White, and other members of the faculty were present at this meeting, at which a demonstration was given showing the method by which t h e , investigation was proceeding. Dr. Watson was abroad on leave of absence during the year 1911-12, and thus had opportunity to inspect a number of buildings in various cities. He visited the Royal Albert Hall in London, the. Crystal Palace, and the Whispering Gallery at St. Paul's. During the five months he was in Berlin'he inspected a number of halls and churches, and he made. a. special trip to. Leipzig. to inspect the concert hall there. He had further opportunity to visit audience rooms at Munich and in Paris. On his return last summer, Professor Watson had a further conference with Mr. Blackall, the architect of the Auditorium, and they agreed upon certain suggestions. On the basis of these a set of plans was drawn, a copy of which was sent to Professor J. M. White and Professor Watson for inspection.. I t was deemed Wise, however, to make some further examination of the Auditorium, to see how the proposed plan will affect the acoustics—so far as can be determined by experimental work. When this examination has been completed, a final report will be presented to the board with a recommendation for action. »'•' Incidentally, while this practical work has been carried on, the purely scientific work ? in acoustics in the Department of Physics has received a decided impetus. A course in acoustics has been added to the courses in the Physics Department, amd the store of. apparatus for investigations in this line has been somewhat increased. A number of scientific papers will be the natural outcome of this investigation.

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The foregoing report was received to be printed in the minutes. %i this point Mr. Hoit withdrew.

FORM OF B U D G E T .

(6) The following statement and report with respect to the form of the University Jbudget: Early in the year I appointed a committee to consider the question of what improvements might be made in the budget accounting of the University, and I submit herewith a report of that committee, made on December 3, 1912. The suggestions made by the committee are valuable and are commended to the consideration of the board. It would be a comparatively simple matter to follow the suggestions of this committee if the Legislature would turn over the income of the mill tax to the University in a lump sum. It will be very difficult to follow them in such a way as to make the policy successful as long as our present method of assigning appropriations by the Legislature is followed. The last Legislature—and the same thing is true in a smaller degree of the preceding Legislature—made large special appropriations, but failed to make corresponding general appropriations, so that the University has suffered decidedly in its general work. We have lacked sufficient funds for repairs to buildings, for the proper care of the grounds, etc., and for additions to general equipment.