Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1994 [PAGE 554]

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542

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[March 14

athletes on five teams achieved a grade point average of 4.0. She also noted that the grade point averages for men's basketball and football were under 3.0 for the teams taken collectively. Mrs. Gravenhorst then reported that the construction of the Bielfeldt Building was progressing. Dr. Bazzani then took a few minutes to describe for the trustees the financial status of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA), stating that there was concern about the revenue sources that support the DIA keeping pace with expenses. He pointed out that other institutions of comparable size usually gain greater revenues from merchandising efforts. He also noted that the Urbana campus has 17 athletic programs while others in the Big Ten have as many as 34. Finally, he told the board members that the football stadium at Urbana is markedly smaller than those at other comparable institutions. In closing, Dr. Bazzani stated that the DIA has more strains on its budget than other institutions and recommended a long-term assessment of the resource needs of the division. President Stukel added that it was necessary that the DIA be made truly viable. Chancellor Aiken mentioned that the DIA has to handle its own debt service and repair and remodeling costs, unlike other units on the Urbana. (Mr. Malone and Mr. Mathew joined the meeting at this time.)

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

President Stukel recognized and introduced observers from the campus senates and from the University Senates Conference.1

President's Reports Governor's Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 1997

The president reported on the governor's budget and said that the governor had embraced the budget recommended by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. He noted that one-third of this budget was intended to go to fund the State Universities Retirement System. Other funds are slated for student aid. Further, it is recommended that the operating budget receive a three percent increase. Dr. Stukel explained that the matter of funds for capital projects was much the same as has been the case for this year — there is no movement in the direction of approval of a bond issue for capital projects. President Stukel urged the trustees to be supportive of the governor's budget and reminded local legislators that the budget recommended is a student-centered budget, citing the amount for student financial aid.

1 University Senates Conference: Kenneth E. Andersen, professor emeritus of speech communication; Chicago Senate: Ann C. Weller, deputy librarian of the health sciences and associate professor, University Library; Springfield Senate: Ronald E. Ettinger, professor, experimental studies; Urbana-Champaign Senate Council: James E. Simon, associate professor, School of Architecture.