Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1992 [PAGE 520]

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508

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[May 12

Thompson, secretary. In addition, the following persons were also in attendance: Mr. Donald K. Coe, director, University Office of Public Affairs; and Mr. Kirk Hard, executive assistant to the president of the University.

PUBLIC COMMENT

In accord with the board procedures regarding comment from the public, Mr. Antonio Rodriguez, who had requested time for a presentation concerning the status of recruitment and retention of Native American students and staff, spoke for five minutes. He presented data concerning the representation of Native American students and staff at the University and stated that the University's efforts had been virtually insignificant. He added that he had heard from many Native Americans who had left the Urbana campus and said that they felt uncomfortable at the campus. In closing, Mr. Rodriguez asked the board to recommend an increase in Native American students and staff and urged the hiring of an administrator to deal with issues of recruitment and retention. Mr. Lamont thanked Mr. Rodriguez for his remarks and noted that the board should reflect on the comments. At 10:10 a.m., the board recessed for meetings of the Committee on Buildings and Grounds, the Committee on Academic Affairs, and the Committee on the University Hospital and Clinics.

MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

Trustee Lamont, chair of this committee, asked Mr. Robert K. Todd to present comments on several recommendations to select architect/ engineer for projects. The first project was a proposed design for a new building for WILL radio at the Urbana campus. There was discussion about the fact that this will contain no classroom space. Chancellor Aiken explained that this facility was intended to house the radio station exclusively and that classroom space had never been envisioned. The next presentation concerned a preliminary design for a new administration building for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. President Ikenberry emphasized that this was a preliminary presentation intended to show the general design and that it would be refined if the trustees agreed that the design was appropriate in the first stages. There was a brief discussion of a design for remodeling the Obstetrics/Gynecology Department in the Clinical Sciences Building at the Chicago campus. After a short presentation on the status of all capital projects in process at the University and another on plans for the repair and replacement program for the Auxiliary Facilities System, the committee chair adjourned the meeting of the committee.