Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1986 [PAGE 279]

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268

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[May 16

Change in Status, African Studies Program, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Urbana

(18) The Urbana-Champaign Senate has recommended a change in status of the African Studies Program to the Center for African Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on the Urbana campus. In 1970, the Board of Trustees approved the establishment of a Center for African Studies. Because of uncertainty of funding prospects, the designation as a center was not pursued. Since then, the African Studies Program has grown steadily; and since 1973, it has received recognition and funding under the Higher Education Act of 1965 as a National Resource Center in African Studies. It now appears appropriate that African Studies — like Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, and Russian and East European Studies — be designated a center. The recommended status will enhance the ability of African Studies to attract excellent faculty and students, and aid in the ongoing applications for external funding. The chancellor at Urbana-Champaign and the vice president for academic affairs concur in this recommendation. The University Senates Conference has indicated that no further senate jurisdiction is involved. I recommend approval, subject to further action by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

On motion of Mr. Madden, this recommendation was approved.

President's Report on Actions of the Senates Merger of the Departments of Animal Science and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture, Urbana

(19) The Urbana-Champaign Senate has recommended and the chancellor at Urbana has approved the merger of the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Dairy Science into a single Department of Animal Sciences, effective immediately. In the past, there were strong historical and clientele reasons justifying the separate existence of these two closely related departments, reasons which no longer exist. The General Assembly has approved planning funds for Fiscal Year 1986 and building funds for FY 1987 for a major new addition to, and extensive remodeling of, the Animal Sciences Laboratory Building which will house both existing departments. Merging the two departments into a single unit will enhance the efficiency in planning the building and will save substantial administrative monies which can then be used to support teaching, research, and public service programs. Additionally, a consolidated and coordinated instructional program will benefit students; and increased research efficiency will be gained from the clustering of related research activities. There are no changes in undergraduate or graduate degree titles or in the curricula titles. The Department of Animal Sciences will be organized under a new head. T h i s r e p o r t w a s r e c e i v e d for r e c o r d .

Memorandum of Understanding, University Communications, Inc., Urbana

(20) University Communications, Inc. ( U C I ) , is a private, for-profit corporation, formed with venture capital to market advances in the University's Computer-based Education Research Laboratory's P L A T O technology. U C I proposes to license software, patents, and technology on a nonexclusive basis from the University. It is anticipated that U C I also will license some of the University's P L A T O courseware materials later.