Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1994 [PAGE 626]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

614

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[June 13

In closing, the board agreed that Dr. Broski should be certain that minorities were involved in the review process for all plans related to this project, that the four firms who had submitted "Requests for Qualification'' and were no longer under consideration be so notified, and that the five firms that will be considered in Phase II be notified of their status.

Report from Chancellor, Springfield

Chancellor Lynn noted for the board that a recommendation for appointment of a vice chancellor for student affairs was on the agenda for their consideration later in the meeting. She stated that it would be necessary to have an interim appointee for this position for a few weeks, since the recommended individual would not be available until August 1996. She indicated that Dr. Pamela David would assume this role. Dr. Lynn also reported that she was recommending an interim dean of the School of Health and Human Services, which was also in the agenda for this meeting. This was recommended as a one-year appointment.

Report from University Counsel Discussion of Legislative Scholarship Recipients' Right to Privacy

Mr. Higgins reported that a Cook County judge had decided that the names of students receiving legislative scholarships should be released, counter to the University's interpretation of State and Federal law. He explained that the judge had said that the privacy issue for the students was not so important as to prohibit the release of the names of the scholarship recipients. Mr. Higgins also said that the opinion of this particular judge was that the Federal Privacy Act did not apply in this case. Mr. Higgins stated that the Court gave the University ten days to release the students' names. Mr. Higgins reminded the board that the University was not allowed to release these names, according to State and Federal laws. He stated that the University would file a motion for a stay on June 13, 1996. Mrs. Calder asked about the policy issue here. She opined that such scholarships ought not be given in secret. She asked that the decision of the judge not be appealed. Mr. Hard then indicated that this would not be wise, given the stance of the U.S. Department of Education on privacy rights of students and the fact that the Legislature had dealt with this issue in the recent session so that in future, all recipients of such scholarships would be identified publicly. Mrs. O'Malley urged that the board not release this information about individual students, unless ordered to by the Court. Mr. Lamont also agreed that the University should appeal this decision of the Court. President Stukel added that the appeal seemed advisable, given the need he saw to protect students' privacy. Dr. Bacon said she accepted Mr. Hard's advice.