Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1980 [PAGE 574]

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1980]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

563

assistant professor of geology, Urbana, inventor; developed with support from the National Science Foundation. University Patents, Inc., reported that the necessary mineral is extremely rare, making commercialization impractical. T h e University Patent Committee recommends that no patent action be taken, which will result in the patent rights reverting to the National Science Foundation. 2. Self-hardening Sintered Steel — William Rostoker, professor of metallurgy in materials engineering, Chicago Circle, inventor. University Patents, Inc., reported that an existing patent appears to seriously affect patentability. The University Patent Committee recommends that the University retain shop rights and release all other patent rights to the inventor. 3. Removable Conforming Device for Cooling the Surface of the Brain or Other Tissue — Steven S. Orman, former graduate student, and Gordon L. Humphrey, senior research biologist in the Research Resources Center and assistant professor of physiology in the Department of Ophthamology, Medical Center, inventors. University Patents, Inc., reported that patent costs and market efforts would probably be nonrecoverable. The University Patent Committee recommends that the University retain shop rights and release all other patent rights to the inventors. I concur in these recommendations.

Amendment of Authorization to Make Purchases through the Illinois Educational Consortium

(14) In April 1975 the Board of Trustees authorized the Illinois Educational Consortium for Computer Services (now the Illinois Educational Consortium [IEC]) to act as the University's agent in preparing specifications, advertising, receiving, opening, tabulating, and evaluating competitive bids for commodities, equipment, and services as designated by the University director of purchasing. The purpose of the action was to facilitate joint purchases with other Illinois public universities where large-volume purchasing is advantageous and economical. Under the terms of the resolution approved by the trustees, bids are accepted or rejected and contracts are awarded by and in the name of the board, in accordance with procedures "heretofore or hereafter established by the board." In July 1976 the board adopted an amending resolution to exempt certain generic commodities from the requirement of specific board approval and authorized the vice president for administration to accept or reject bids and award contracts on behalf of and in the name of the board with the direction that all purchases and contracts in excess of $7,500 would be reported to the Board of Trustees. In December 1978 the Board of Trustees revised the dollar limits for all purchases upon authority of the vice president for administration from $7,500 to $12,500. The vice president for administration now has recommended the following amendments to the authorizing resolution: 1. that a similar change now be made in dollar limits (from $7,500 to $12,500) for purchases made through the IEC by amendment of the authorizing resolution; 2. that the officer authorized in the resolution to designate the commodities, equipment, and services which may be purchased through the IEC be changed from the University director of purchasing (there is now no such officer) to the vice president for administration; and 3. that purchases or contracts for commodities listed in appendices II and I I I be