Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1980 [PAGE 179]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1979]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

169

fully with that committee in its further deliberations upon the question of governance, in order to provide the committee with full information about the history and rationale behind the present structure of the University and the adverse effects which the suggested changes would have upon it. Resolution Directed to the Board of Trustees of Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center Requesting the Reopening of South Paulina Street, Medical Center

C h a n c e l l o r B e g a n d o p r e s e n t e d b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n o n this s u b j e c t , a n d t h e p r e s i d e n t p r e s e n t e d t h e following r e s o l u t i o n for a c t i o n b y t h e B o a r d of T r u s t e e s : The chancellor at the Medical Center campus has recommended adoption of the following resolution pertaining to the recent vacation and closing of a one block segment of South Paulina Street, a major access street to the West Side Medical Center District in Chicago: Whereas, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center recently purchased from the City of Chicago the one block segment of South Paulina Street between West Harrison Street and West Congress Parkway and plans to close permanently this segment of the street to vehicular traffic in connection with the construction of a new hospital facility; and Whereas, this segment of South Paulina Street serves as the major entrance to the West Side Medical Center District for vehicular traffic coming from the west via the Eisenhower Expressway and from the north via South Paulina Street; and Whereas, the Medical Center Commission of the State of Illinois acted on January 26, 1979, to request a review of the Ordinance approved November 14, 1978, by the City Council of the City of Chicago vacating and closing South Paulina Street between West Harrison Street and West Congress Parkway; and Whereas, the University of Illinois at the Medical Center, Chicago, is located within the Medical Center District and is a major provider of education and health care services; and Whereas, the University of Illinois at the Medical Center, Chicago, has experienced real and significant interference with, and delay of, emergency as well as general vehicular traffic seeking to reach its facilities; and Whereas, the vacating and closing of this segment of South Paulina Street will continue to interfere seriously with emergency as well as general vehicular traffic seeking to reach or depart from University of Illinois educational and health care facilities in the Medical Center District; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that T h e Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois hereby protests in the strongest possible way the action initiated by Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center to vacate and close South Paulina Street between West Harrison Street and West Congress Parkway. Be It Further Resolved, that The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois urges the Board of Trustees of the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center to take or initiate the actions necessary to reopen to vehicular traffic this segment of South Paulina Street at the earliest possible date, in consideration of the detrimental effects on all other institutions in the Medical Center District, their employees, students, patients, and visitors. I recommend approval.