Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1916 [PAGE 872]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

'872

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

[Jan 11,

(Dr. Billings to President James.) December 22, 1915. President Edmund J. James, University of Illinois. DEAR PRESIDENT JAMES : I succeeded in having a resolution passed by the Board of Trustees of the College for the appointment of an official committee which will confer with you in reference to the proposed union of Rush Medical College with the University of Illinois. The committee has just been appointed by President J. J. Glessner and consists of three of the trustees, Judge Jesse A. Baldwin, chairman, Charles L. Hutchinson, A. A. Sprague, 2d, and two members of the faculty, Dr. Arthur Dean Bevan and me. Mr. Glessner will act ex officio as member of the committee. It is my desire to get at things at an early date and as a preliminary, will you please write me a letter making me as definite statements as you can upon the following points in reference to the University of Illinois: First—The amount of money appropriated for the University Medical School for the biennium beginning July 1, 1915. In this to make a statement as to whether in addition to the money for the administration of the Medical School there is any .additional sum for the purchase of ground and the erection of buildings in Chicago. Second—The present organization of the University Medical School as to the appointment of permanent teachers and this to include not only the fundamental years, but also the clinical years. This second statement to include also the methods which you would follow for the appointment • of a new faculty in the clinical departments. Third—A statement as to the preliminary requirements of students admitted to medicine and this to include *a statement as to the status of the students now in the Medical Department of the University. Fourth—A statement as to the erection of Clinical Buildings in Chicago, should Rush Medical College be taken over by the University of Illinois. Fifth—What action would be necessary on the part of the Board of Trustees of Rush Medical College in reference to the property of the school should Rush Medical College be taken over by the University. Sixth—Please make statements as to the present faculty of Rush Medical College in the Clinical Department as to resignation from present positions and how you would propose to form a new clinical faculty. Seventh—Please make a statement as to how the Presbyterian Hospital, the Home for Crippled Destitute Children, and other hospitals now affiliated with Rush Medical College would be connected with the University of Illinois in the event of a union of Rush Medical College with the University of Illinois. Would it be in the power of the Trustees of the University to make contracts with these affiliated hospitals and carry them on in the same way that we have done in past years? Please add anything else that you may think essential points of consideration by the committee of Rush Medical College. I have wondered whether the law in reference to the transfer of the property of Rush Medical College by the trustees to the University of Illinois would be in anv way modified in the opinion of attorneys as to the legality of such transfer when it is known that the Rush Medical College holds a special charter from the State. As you know, the charter of Rush Medical College makes the Governor and Secretary of State ex officio members of the Board of Trustees and Rush Medical College is empowered to grant any degree whatever in addition to the medical degree. Probably the charter of Rush Medical College was granted by an act of the Legislature and in all probability the Legislature could enact a measure which would make the transfer of the property to the University legal. Would vou consult the Attorney General of the State in reference to this point? I should like to have an answer as early as possible because I believe that we should strike while the iron is hot. Very sincerely yours, (President James to Dr. Billings.)

FRANK BILLINGS.

Dr. Frank Billings, 122 South Michigan Boulevard, Chicago. MY DEAR MR. BILLINGS : In answer to your letter of December 22, asking certain definite questions concerning the College of Medicine of the University of Illinois, I beg to make the following reply: In answer to your first question I may say that the Legislature does not appropriate any money directly for the University College of Medicine, nor does it for any other single department of the University. The Trustees of the University approve from year to year a budget for the different colleges of the institution, and the annual report of the Comptroller shows the amount of money actually spent for different departments. I have directed that the Comptroller should forward to you a copy of his report for the year ending June 30, 1915, and also for the year ending June 30. 1914. From these two reports you can get an accurate statement • under the head of the Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry of the amount of money spent for these departments during those two years. The Departments of Medicine and Dentistry are housed together in the same buildings, and the instruction to dental students in certain subjects is given in the same laboratories as to medical students. Thus there is a certain consolidation of accounts. According to the last report of the Comptroller—that for the year ending June 30, 1915 (see page 52, "The Disbursements for the Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry for the two years 1914-14 and 1914-15")—the sum of three hundred and sixty-eight thousand four hundred and seventeen dollars ($368,417) in round numbers, was expended upon these two colleges. Of this sum, forty-six thousand nine hundred and eight dollars ($46,908) were spent in the payment to the Chicago School Board of certain mortgages on the property qwned by the University and used for its medical school, and in payment of interest on certain bonds secured

URBAN A, I I I . , January 6, 1915.