Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1992 [PAGE 172]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February 12

board, Dr. Craig S. Bazzani, comptroller (and vice president for business and finance); Mr. Byron H. Higgins, university counsel; and Dr. Michele M. Thompson, secretary. In addition, the following persons were also in attendance: Mr. Donald K. Coe, director, University Office of Public Affairs; Mr. Kirk Hard, executive assistant to the president of the University; and Mr. R. C. Wicklund, associate secretary.

PRESENTATION FROM STATE SENATORS

The board received a presentation from State Senators Miguel del Valle (2nd District) and Alice J. Palmer (13th District) in which the senators expressed concern about the under-representation of minorities, particularly African-Americans and Hispanics, in enrollment as students, as faculty members, and as support staff members at the campuses of the University. Senator del Valle urged the members of the board to become more involved in efforts to increase these numbers. He offered a suggestion for a board committee on diversity. Senator Palmer reinforced this recommendation and encouraged the members of the board to consider the representation of women at the University as well as underrepresented minorities. She also suggested to the trustees that a board committee on diversity would be something they ought to consider, indicating that such an action would be a sign of the board's awareness of current problems on university campuses and it would be a way to stress that the board intended to give leadership to this effort. Discussion with the trustees and President Ikenberry followed. In concluding this discussion, both the members of the board and the president of the University promised to reexamine the receptivity of the campuses' environments to minorities and women, to look for new and innovative ideas for change within the campuses' communities, particularly with regard to representation of women and minorities on the faculty and staff, and to review extensively, as is already underway, the student discipline system.

EXECUTIVE SESSION1

President Calder, referring to Section Two of the Open Meetings Act, stated: "A motion is now in order to hold an executive session to consider information regarding the appointment, employment, or dismissal of employees or officers, to discuss pending, probable, or imminent

1 Previous to the executive session, a meeting of the Committee on Buildings and Grounds was held. T h e proposal to select an architect/engineer to be employed by the Capital Development Board for remodeling the Neuropsychiatry Institute on the Chicago campus was reviewed and approved by the committee. Another recommendation to select the architect/engineer for renovation of the Materials Research Facilities on the Urbana campus was also reviewed and approved by the committee. Both of these will appear in the agenda for vote by the entire board. Last, a status report on all University projects underway at both campuses. This was followed by a meeting of the Committee on the University Hospital. This committee received a report on the budget for Mile Square Health Center, a report on the strategic plan for the hospital, and a report on the Quality Improvement that is ongoing at the hospital.