Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1930 [PAGE 422]

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1929]

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

419

the Board has made an appropriation for "School of Music Equipment," provided, of course, that the total expenditure shall not exceed the appropriation? Must the Board take action directing the purchase of the particular articles before each is bought? (3) T h e Board makes annually an appropriation known as the "President's Entertainment Fund." This meets the expenses of receptions, monthly and others; entertainment of University guests, individually, or in groups; and all matters of that kind. M a y the Comptroller, under his general authority, pay such expenses or must he have action of the Board directing him to pay such expenses when duly submitted? Does the direction pertain to the whole group of different kinds of entertainment? Or, on the other hand, is it necessary for the Board to direct the C o m p troller to meet the expenses of each particular entertainment? If an appropriation has not been made for a specific article or for a group of articles, to be drawn against as per the practice described above, of course the specific request must go to the Board of Trustees for an appropriation, whether it be $100 or $5,000. It happens, therefore, that the Comptroller in presenting his monthly report of purchase orders to the Board reports sometimes the purchase of an article costing from $500 to $1,000 or several thousand dollars under the general authority given him by the rules, charged to the appropriation for the general group of articles of which the article purchased is one. At the same meeting, I m a y present a request for an appropriation of $200 or $300 for some article or articles. Surprise is sometimes expressed that the Comptroller makes an expenditure of the former magnitude while I a m asking for specific authority for an expenditure of the smaller magnitude. T h e reason is that in the former case an appropriation has already been made, either for the particular article, or for a group of which the particular article bought is one; whereas no appropriation had been made in the latter case. Hence, a special request is necessary. S u m m i n g the whole matter up: 1. A specific article, whether it cost $10 or $1,000, m a y not be purchased unless an appropriation has been made for the purpose by the Board of Trustees in advance. 2. If an appropriation has been made for a specific article, do the existing rules of the Board give the Comptroller sufficient authority to go ahead and purchase it without getting an action of the Board ordering him to purchase, in addition to making the appropriation? 3. W h e n the Board has made an appropriation of, say, $8,000 for equipment for the School of Music, is the Comptroller at liberty, on recommendation of the Director of the School of Music with the approval of the President, to purchase specific articles whose cost totals or falls within the whole amount appropriated for the grqjjp of articles, assuming that the general rules of the Board now in existence give him authority to make purchases when appropriations have been made? The essence of this question is, of course: Is an appropriation for a group purpose proper and sufficient without specification of the individual article? 4. If the rules of the Board do not at present give the Comptroller authority to purchase without a specific order to purchase, will you kindly suggest the amendments necessary to cover this point? 5. If, in your opinion, the appropriation of a total sum of money, like $50,000 for the Library, does not carry with it sufficient authority to justify the Comptroller on recommendation of the Librarian to purchase the books called for by the several departments, must the Board order the purchase of individual books, or in what form can it make its appropriation so as to render this unnecessary? I shall be much obliged if you will kindly consider these questions and prepare an answer for submission to the Board at its meeting on October io, if possible. Very truly yours,

David Kinley

President October 7, 1929 President firstmatter ofis, in 30, 1929, araises twoTspecificmaking to consummate the for you and a questionKinley: to solve. F r o m the questions of law and in the background the of SeptemberAdministration {West)h e be impliedpeculiarly a problem My the purchaseKinley, J55 substance,ythis: DearDavid Board specific article m policy. Your letter of a of administrative authority latter is of an appropriation President Trustees