Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1922 [PAGE 305]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1921]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

9

" During the last two years all students who could meet our entrance requirements were admitted and the University was run upon a reduced budget, altho this involved a detriment to teaching standards, insufficient class room space and inadequate facilities for research and experimentation. Such conditions may be tided over if they are temporary, but if they continue from year to year they will do lasting injury. " I believe it is time to face our situation squarely and instead of putting up temporary buildings and trying to do more than we can do well on the insufficient funds allowed us, that we do all we can within the limits of our restricted means. As I see my duty as a trustee, it is to do my part toward formulating and maintaining such a policy as will make adequate provision for whatever number of students can properly be taken care of with the money and means at our disposal—and no greater. " T o my mind it is clear that we will serve the state and the students best if this principle is followed. Our standard should not be the greatest number of students we can manage somehow to provide for, but the number, whatever it may be, for which we have means to make adequate provision according to standards of teaching and scholarship maintained by Universities of first rank. " In regard to teaching standards, the Board will remember that President Kinley has told us that at this late date we cannot engage for next year the requisite number of professors of the required capacity. "As would occur in any business concern, an extended university program insufficiently sustained will surely sooner or later break down in its weakest point. " I repeat therefore it is my conviction that now is the time for the University either to register only that number of students which can be taken care of while maintaining adequate standards or to curtail the number of classes offered. For the foregoing reasons, I vote no on this motion." COMPLETION OF TRANSPORTATION B U I L D I N G (20) A recommendation that the $90,000 provided for the addition to the Transportation building (see also page 2) be appropriated for that purpose, and that the Supervising Architect be directed to proceed as rapidly as possible, under a contract providing for the construction of the building before September 15, 1921, at cost plus a fixed fee, the total to come within the amount provided ($90,000).

On motion of Mr. Herbert these recommendations were approved, and the President and the Secretary of the Board were authorized to execute contracts as outlined. The vote was as follows: Aye: Mr. Abbott, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Hoit; no, Mrs. Blake; 1 not voting, Mrs. Grigsby; absent, Mr. Blair, Mrs. Busey, Mr. Noble, Mr. Small, Mr. Trimble.

(21) FEES FOR N O N - R E S I D E N T S T U D E N T S A report showing the fee schedules of neighboring universities (see page 225).

On motion of Mr. Hoit, the recommendation of the President of the University to adopt a policy of exacting greater fees from students not residents of Illinois than is required from Illinois students was approved.

PROFESSOR PROVINE H E A R D O N S T A D I U M PLANS

At this point, President Abbott introduced Professor L. H. Provine, head of the Department of Architecture, who made a statement concerning the qualifications of certain members of his department to act as architects for the Stadium.

i M r s . Blake stated t h a t her opposition was not to the building b u t to the kind of contract proposed.