Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1988 [PAGE 402]

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392

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[October 15

EXECUTIVE SESSION President Howard, referring to Section T w o of the Open Meetings Act, stated: "A motion is now in order to hold an executive session to consider information regarding the appointment, employment, or dismissal of employees or officers, to discuss pending, probable, or imminent litigation, the acquisition of real property, and to discuss campus security." T h e motion was made by M r . Forsyth and approved unanimously.

I.

At the first executive session, the attendance was limited to the trustees, the president of the University, and the secretary. Discussion of Policy Question Regarding Employment President Howard reviewed discussions with the president of the University concerning the recruitment of an associate chancellor for campus programs at the Chicago campus. Difficulties in identifying an individual appropriate for the position now have led to its restructuring viz., to dividing the position into two, one with greater academic and internal emphasis; the other an associate chancellorship with responsibilities in public affairs, community, and minority relations, in short, external activities directed to the metropolitan Chicago environment and the University's relationship to it. T h e redefinition of the position and the prospect of identifying a significant pool of strong candidates for the second (external) position led President Ikenberry to raise with President Howard whether a member of the board might appropriately be considered by a search committee, should it so desire. Accordingly, Mr. Howard raised before the trustees the policy question: "Does the board believe that it is appropriate for a sitting trustee to be considered for a position with the University — recognizing that resignation from the board would be required prior to acceptance of any such position?" T h e trustees discussed this at some length, making the following general arguments: (1) T h e University's traditional commitment to the merit principle in all employment should allow its pursuit of individuals from any source for any position; (2) the extraordinary nature of such a situation, possibly unprecedented, emphasizes the need for complete fidelity to the normal and regular search processes. President Ikenberry stated that it would be his intention to advise the chancellor at Chicago that the search committee should follow the usual University procedures in carrying out its work. If a trustee should emerge from the review process, and should the search committee wish to be allowed to consider and interview such a trustee as an active candidate, h e then would review the matter with the Board of Trustees.