Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1938 [PAGE 242]

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240

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[April 14

b. F o r the degree with H i g h H o n o r s the student must have an average of 4.25 in all courses used for graduation and pass an examination in his field of major interest. c. F o r the degree with Highest H o n o r s the student must have an average of 4.5 in all courses used for graduation and pass an examination in his field of major interest. T h e examination must give evidence of exceptional ability. 3. F o r graduation with honors the diploma shall contain after the degree the words "with Honors," or "with High H o n o r s , " or "with Highest H o n o r s . " 4. This plan of graduation honors shall take effect at the beginning of the first semester of 1937-1938.

On motion of Mrs. Plumb, this recommendation was adopted.

O F F E R O F PACIFIC F L U S H TANK C O M P A N Y F O R B U S W E L L P A T E N T S (25) At its meeting on March 29 the Board of Trustees, on recommendation of its Committee on Patents, authorized an exclusive license in municipal waste, with a reservation in favor of the State of Illinois and all its institutions, to the Pacific Flush Tank Company to use the Buswell Patents Nos. 1,838474 and 1,838475 for the remaining life of such patents for a consideration of $5,000. T h i s was a counter proposal to an offer of the Company to purchase these patents outright for $3,000. Representatives of the Company met with the Comptroller, the University Counsel, and Professor Buswell on April 10 to discuss this proposal. T h e company is now licensed to use these patents on a royalty basis under which the minimum annual payment is $350 a year. It feels that the present worth of the patents on this basis is considerably less than $5,000 and that therefore the price asked by the Board of Trustees is too high. Moreover, the Company feels that there would be essentially no difference to the Board of Trustees between an outright sale, which would include an assignment of the patents to the Pacific Flush T a n k Company, and that of an exclusive license, since the legal rights of the Company would be the same under either arrangement and since the reservations in favor of the State of Illinois and its institutions can be incorporated in the transfer of title to the patents. Consequently, the Company has made a compromise offer of $4,000 in cash for the purchase of the patents outright but with a reservation in favor of the State of Illinois and its institutions.

On motion of Mr. Moschel, this offer was accepted.

R E L E A S E O F P A T E N T R I G H T S T O L. F . A U D R I E T H (26) A recommendation from the Faculty Committee on Patents that a discovery by Assistant Professor L. F . Audrieth, of the Department of Chemistry, described as " T h e ammonolysis of esters to the corresponding acid amides by treatment with liquid ammonia in the presence of ammonium salts," be unconditionally released to him and that he be authorized to make an application for a patent in his own right. T h e Board has already released this patent to Professor Audrieth ( J a n u a r y 29, 1937, Minutes, page 158) on recommendation of its Committee on Patents. T h e record includes the phraseology "as it has no commercial value," which language was used in the recommendation of the Committee on Patents. This language in turn was based on a report of the Faculty Committee on Patents that in its judgment the discovery would not have such possibilities as to justify the expenditure by the University of the customary fee for filing the patent application. In order to secure aid in financing a patent, it is necessary for Professor Audrieth to present a certified copy of the action of the Board releasing the patent rights to him. T h e phraseology of the previous Board action implying that the patent rights were released to him on the ground that the discovery has or had no commercial value makes it difficult for him to secure such aid because it has apparently raised a legal question as to his rights should the discovery ultimately have commercial possibilities.

On motion of Mr. Cleary, the action of the Board on January 29, 1937 (Minutes, page 158) relating to this discovery was rescinded, and the discovery was unconditionally released to Dr. Audrieth.