Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1940 [PAGE 123]

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120

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[October 17

of other items. F o r example, its recommendations concerning increased salaries, a special fund for distinction in teaching and research and for increased maturity, were made with the hope that some of this money could be used not only to promote existing forms of work but to strengthen the staff and reduce its teaching load so that an effective and highly individualized FreshmanSophomore program could be established. T h e Advisory Committee wishes most urgently to press the claims of such a program, partly because of the demands of society for junior college training of a scholarly type, partly because of the new social conditions to be faced by young people, and partly because one of the most effective methods of solving the junior college problem is to adapt the curricula of some of the divisions of the University in some of their phases to the peculiar needs of junior college students. The Advisory Committee looks with concern upon any movement which would further duplicate in various portions of the State the facilities that are needed for college training. In view of these considerations, the Advisory Committee recommends an item of $50,000 per biennium for a Freshman-Sophomore program. 2. The Summer Session,—The Advisory Committee urges most strongly material additions to the Summer Session budget in two respects: (a) The creation at an early date of a pre-school clinic for the training of teachers, for research purposes in child development and to provide observational material for students in H o m e Economics, (b) The expansion of a number of graduate courses especially designed to train teachers in their subject matter fields rather than in the field of scholarship and research. Both of these proposals touch the University at one of its most vulnerable points. The Graduate School, for example, is carrying a heavier load in the summer time than it does in the regular school year, but this load is carried with only a fraction of the regular year staff. Classes of from 100 to 175 graduate students taught by one and one-half or two instructors cannot be defended on any grounds whatsoever. Through the character of its instruction, both as regards the size of classes and as regards courses adapted to the training of teachers in their subject matter fields, the University owes an obligation to the secondary schools of the State which cannot any longer be evaded. In addition, then, to the item of $14,000 per biennium listed in Schedule G of the June report, the Advisory Committee recommends a further increase of $36,000 per biennium, or a total of $50,000 for the biennium (item E in Exhibit I ) . It should be pointed out that this recommendation will not adequately care for the needs of a pre-school clinic for the training of teachers. 3. The Social Science Curriculum.—Pressure is being brought to bear upon the University to establish courses and curricula which would prepare students to administer the various forms of social service. This pressure is only part of a pressing need for a revitalized and coordinated grouping of the Social Science Departments of the University. It is recommended that $20,000 for the biennium be definitely allocated to increased strength in the Social Sciences. 4. Radio Station WILL.—A special committee reported on June 23, 1938 to the President regarding the educational and public service functions of radio station W I L L . The report of this committee includes a budgetary item of $7,800 per biennium, which is not now included in the budget in any other place. The Advisory Committee is convinced of the significance of the report of the committee on the radio station and recommends that an item of $7,800 be allocated to the improvement of radio programs. In making this recommendation, the Advisory Committee wishes to point out that there are other pressing needs, one of the most important of which would be a wage item for speakers and entertainers on radio programs. The Bureau recommends the addition of $5,000 for this purpose. 5. University Extension.—Due to an oversight, the needs of the Division of University Extension, especially in its extramural work, were not included in the original budget proposals for the biennium. The Advisory Committee has had before it a request for $18,000 per biennium from this division. The Committee recommends the inclusion of this amount in the 1939-1941 budget for the expansion of the extramural program.