Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1994 [PAGE 575]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1996]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

563

Medicine at Chicago had developed a gene therapy to develop a new treatment for melanoma. He mentioned that clinical trials would soon commence for this treatment. In closing these remarks, Dr. Stukel informed the board members that a new scholarship to honor Lee Humphrey Dodd had been established at the Springfield campus by her parents Howard and Linda Humphrey and her husband, Brian Dodd. Over $100,000 has been raised for this. It is currently the largest single endowment at the Springfield campus. This concluded the president's report. He then asked Mr. Kirk Hard to give the board an update on legislative matters affecting the University.

Legislative Report

Mr. Hard noted that the University's budget bill would become a part of a large higher education funding omnibus bill. Further, he reported that the bill to allow the University to retain control of its income fund was approved in the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate awaiting a vote. He then gave status reports on bills that dealt with: funding for the Cooperative Extension Service activities in the counties and a proposal to transfer the State portion of these funds to the State Department of Agriculture; State payment for patients in research wards of State mental health facilities; pending legislation that would give the University the power to develop the south campus at UIC; and a plan for an optional retirement plan for higher education employees in the State. Trustee Engelbrecht asked what would suffer if the higher education budget were to be reduced drastically. In response to this, President Stukel noted that the portions identified for funding the retirement system and for support of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission would be unaffected. He noted that the part of the budget that would be affected would be the monies for salary increases. The president added that this fact points up the need at this time for advocacy of the governor's recommended budget for higher education.

REPORT FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION

President Stukel welcomed Dr. B. A. Nugent and invited him to address the board and give a report on the status of Campaign Illinois. Dr. Nugent reminded the board that the University of Illinois was now one of the top 12 universities in the country in terms of private support. He added that this includes both private and public institutions. Dr. Nugent then told the board that the campaign had raised close to $600 million to date. He indicated that the University's endowment was the most important part of this in terms of growth. He noted that there are now over 100 endowed chairs and professorships at the University. This is up from 54 at the outset of the campaign. He also noted that $65 million had been raised for scholarships. Dr. Nugent