Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1928 [PAGE 88]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1926]

U N I V E R S I T Y O F ILLINOIS

8S

figure does not take into account the area in the new Library. Taking that into account, the Supervising Architect's figures show 140.5 for the Last year. As long as this state of affairs continues w e shall find it necessary to add service buildings. T h e Supervising Architect recently informed m e that in his opinion w e would need to add to our buildings at the rate of a million per biennium in order to keep up with the addition in our enrollment. His estimate m a y be a bit high, although much depends, of course, on the character of the building. At the meeting of October, 1924, I submitted a list of service buildings of which the University was in pressing need. There were twenty-one. The first five of them were provided for in the last appropriation; namely, a second unit of the Library, completion of the Armory, addition to the N e w Gymnasium, a building for Architecture and allied subjects, and a building for Pharmacy. W e are still in need, as I just remarked, of service buildings. The question has been raised w h y w e should not put into our building budget items for dormitories. Without discussing the policy of dormitories at a State university, a subject on which m u c h can be said on both sides, m y o w n opinion is that until w e have furnished adequate service facilities it would be unwise to begin dormitories. W e need room to work in. T o encourage still greater attendance by dormitories is to increase the pressure on our work space, make the best work impossible and ultimately to degrade the standard of our teaching and research on account of poor physical conditions. Y o u m a y take a different view, and you, of course, will decide. Coming to details on the next building program, I take it for granted that the policy adopted several years ago, of providing an adequate new Library, will be adhered to. Your plan has been to erect a library in three units, which would provide for the needs of the University for a few years in advance. W e are finishing the second unit. W h e n finished the two units will not do more, or much more, than take care of the books already on hand, which will necessarily be transferred to this building, making all allowance for the departmental libraries that will be left in various buildings. T h e plan contemplated a third unit and the third unit is a necessity in order to provide adequate study space and adequate stackroom space. Therefore, I recommend without hesitation that our appropriation bill include provision for the third unit of the new Library #500,000. Y o u heard at the June meeting the statements in support of a request that the University ask an appropriation for a State building. This request was made by the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation, consisting by law of the Director of Registration and Education, the President of the University or his representative, and one expert each in biology, geology, engineering, chemistry, and forestry. M y representative on the Board does not recall whether he was present at the meeting, nor was J consulted in the matter before action was taken. Under the law the functions and duties of the divisions of this Board "shall continue to be exercised at the University of Illinois in buildings and places provided by the Trustees thereof." One can not help sympathizing with the heads of these various divisions. They are suffering because the University is suffering. For the University gives them all the space it can afford. It shares generously. Baldly stated, a proposal to ask for a new building for their exclusive use means to provide adequately for them while leaving the University work proper still in a cramped condition. It seems to m c that all w e can be asked to do is to share, as w e have been doing, generously, the space that we have, or get, for University purposes. Therefore, I can not recommend the inclusion in our very restricted budget of an item for this purpose. Beyond this, in the matter of buildings, I a m not at the present moment prepared to make a recommendation. I therefore submit for further consideration and future decision the following list of buildings, which in m y opinion are all necessary, from which to select those of which w e are in greatest need, when the budget is finally made up: Testing Laboratory, etcLaboratory or a Hydraulic and $500,000 I. Either an Electrical Engineering Materials