Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1938 [PAGE 562]

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560

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[November 10

a grant on what appears t o be a technicality, and Administrator Ickes' reply to Governor H o r n e r ' s excellent letter of September 17th appears to be final. T h e project, therefore, has resolved itself into a State project and now steps should be taken immediately to construct a unit of the building with the present appropriation. T h e appropriation bill reads as follows (Senate Bill No. 44, Sec. 2 ) : "There is appropriated to the Department of Registration and Education the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the construction including service connections of a State Natural Resources Building for the Scientific Surveys located at Urbana. Cooperative agreements may be entered into with Federal agencies by which additional funds may be secured from the Federal government. "If such building is constructed on the campus of the University of Illinois, an agreement shall be entered into between the Department of Registration and Education and the Trustees of the University of Illinois that the University shall, in consideration of the cooperation of the Surveys with the University, maintain such building in good repair and condition inside and outside, maintain the grounds and furnish light, heat, power and water and janitor service at no expense to the Department of Registration and Education, thereby carrying out the present agreement that the University of Illinois house such Surveys. " N o contract shall be entered into or obligation incurred for any expenditure from the appropriation herein made for contingencies or Natural History preserves until after the purpose and amount of such expenditures have been approved in writing by the Governor. "The appropriations herein made are subject to the provisions of 'An Act in relation to State finance,' approved June 10, 1919, as amended." An analysis of the provisions of this bill reveals the following facts: 1. T h e sum of $300,000 is available without reservation. 2. T h e building is to be constructed at U r b a n a ; it may be constructed on or off the campus. It appears, however, to be the intent of the bill that the building be constructed on the campus. 3. If it is constructed on the campus an agreement is to be entered into between the Department of Registration and Education and the Trustees of the University of Illinois for certain things. T h e first fact needs no comment, except that the money is available for immediate use. T h e second and third facts call for constructive judgment on the part of both parties, the Department of Registration and Education and the University Board of Trustees. T h e Board of Natural Resources and Conservation, acting as an advisory board of the Department under the Civil Administrative Code, and having under its purvey the work of the scientific surveys, should, we believe, make its recommendations for the consideration of both parties. F o r several years we have from time to time given thought to the different aspects of the question as to whether this proposed building should be located on or off the campus of the University, and our own judgment is that it should be located on the campus. Aside from any material savings or conveniences that will likely accrue from avoiding extra overhead for maintenance and operation of the building, there is the very important principle to be mutually perpetuated, of cooperation between the University and the scientific surveys. No step should be taken which will lighten the emphasis on, or depart from, this cardinal principle, the observance of which has been of great benefit to both parties. T h e mutually valuable and established relationships existing call for unhesitating agreement by both parties that this building be located on the campus. W e desire, therefore, to suggest that this Board make an unqualified recommendation on this point, and that a building committee be authorized to confer if necessary and to handle other matters, some of which will be mentioned hereinafter. It is also suggested that this committee be given power to act during the interim between the meetings of the Board. T h e question of the effect of this upon the University's present budget does not appear to be involved, since occupancy of the building is not contemplated