Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1992 [PAGE 470]

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458

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[March 11

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.

MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

The Committee on Academic Affairs received a report on the status of the Great Cities Program at the Chicago campus. Chancellor Stukel introduced the program and asked Dr. David C. Broski, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, to introduce Professor Wim Wiewel, special assistant to the chancellor for the Great Cities Program. Professor Wiewel described the tenets of the program and how it integrated teaching, research, and service. He also noted that this concept was a way of coordinating many efforts on the campus that focused on urban issues, such as the UIC Neighborhoods Program and the faculty research grant for study in areas related to the Great Cities Program. Professor Wiewel then described the plans for a new College of Urban Studies to be formed at UIC. This will be for the purpose of training professionals to address urban issues. The goal is to make this a major center for urban studies. Within this will be the Great Cities Institute which will provide for approximately 12 visiting faculty at a time to have a place for research on urban issues. Also, the Master's degree in Public Administration (M.P.A.) will be administered by this new college. In discussion, Trustees Lamont and Riley voiced their wish that the M.P.A. program be offered on an evening schedule as well as the usual day time offering of courses. Trustee Gindorf asked if health programs would be integrated into the areas of study in the new college. Professor Wiewel asked Dean Leopold Selker, College of Associated Health Professions, to comment on this. Dean Selker noted that the Great Cities Institute was to bring disciplinary specialists together for more interdisciplinary research and that this would be an appropriate place for health related research. Trustee Lopez asked for elaboration on the issue of the campus' involvement with the surrounding community and for a definition of community. She encouraged greater exchange between the community and the campus, particularly the diverse cultural communities that surround the campus. She asked for more information in the future about how the campus will work as an agent of change in their interactions with local communities. She also asked about how faculty would be asked to participate in the new college. Provost Broski explained that there would be certain incentives for this participation. Trustee Gravenhorst asked how many students might be enrolled in the college. Professor Wiewel indicated that the new college would enroll all those students currently enrolled in the extant degree programs that would come together to form the college.