Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1928 [PAGE 419]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES This report was received for record.

[July 14

PERQUISITES OF AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYEES (34) For many years the College of Agriculture and the Agricultural Experiment Station allowed certain agricultural foremen perquisites such as meat, milk, chicken feed, etc., in addition to their money wages. O n February 24, 1924 (Minutes, page 422), the Board voted "that beginning with the next fiscal year, July 1, 1924, the monthly or yearly wages of the occupants of the houses n o w owned by the University on the farms shall be set forth in the agricultural budget in two items—the money wage proposed and the rental value of the house offered—and the two together shall represent the total monthly or yearly wages in each case. The rental value shall be determined by the valuation put on the house by the Supervising Architect, the Comptroller, and the Dean of the College of Agriculture." It has been impossible to carry out the instructions of this resolution as set forth, for there were many perquisites other than house rent, and the houses in which the foremen lived were assigned to them, being such houses as w e had available without reference to their value. It is obviously unfair to charge these tenants rent for houses better or worse than they would be willing themselves to rent. Accordingly w e have studied the situation thoroughly since that time, with the result that Dean Mumford has finally recommended that all perquisites be eliminated with the exception of house rent with heat, light, and water, and that in lieu of the perquisites which have been discontinued, the wages of the employees concerned be increased by the estimated value of said perquisites. This will leave only house rent, which is beyond the control of the tenant, and heat, light, and water, which will be a fairly constant item for all. Dean Mumford informs m e that "the employees w h o would be most affected by the proposed changes have been consulted and have made no serious objections." Accordingly, a careful estimate has been made to determine the value of the perquisites in the various cases, and a cash allowance for this value has been made and added to the cash wages to be paid these employees. T h e estimate of the income from the sale of agricultural receipts has been correspondingly increased. I concur in this recommendation. O n m o t i o n of Air. B a r r , this r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w a s adopted.

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM

(35) T h e Legislature passed a bill appropriating $30,000 to the University for the establishment of a School of Journalism. T h e appropriation comes so late that it is difficult to organize the work fully. Nevertheless, it should be started. A conference was held last Monday with several editors interested in the movement, and the whole situation thoroughly gone over with them by Provost Babcock, M r . Josef Wright, and others. I ask authority to organize this School as follows: (a) T o transfer from the Department of English, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, all members of the 6taff now giving instruction in journalistic work together with their salaries. (b) T o appoint a director or acting director, as circumstances m a y indicate, and to make up the expense and salary budget of the School of Journalism in general alignment with the University budget. T h e staff and income available for this purpose by transfer from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are as follows: L. W . Murphy, $3,800; C. B. Davis, $2,100; C. L. Allen, $2,200; F, S. Siebert, $1,800; Anita McLean, Clerk and Stenographer, $1,080; an aggregate of $10,980, to which must be added $15,000, or onehalf of the appropriation for a new School, making a total available for the year of $25,980. I ask authority to appoint a director or acting director for one year at a salary not to exceed $7,500 as a maximum. I recommend that the salary of C . B .