Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1940 [PAGE 268]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1939]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

265

RECORD OF CONFERENCE O F BOARD MEMBERS O N FEBRUARY 18 (34) T h e following report of a special emergency conference of members of the Board of Trustees and of a meeting of the Executive Committee held in Chicago on February 18, 1939:

MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, FEBRUARY I 8 , 1939

On call of President Mayer, a special emergency conference of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and a meeting of its Executive Committee were held jointly at the Blackstone Hotel, in Chicago, at 12:30 o'clock p.m. on Saturday, February 18, 1939, to consider the problems of student welfare involved in certain conditions of environment existing in the University community in Champaign. T h e following members were present: President Mayer and Dr. Meyer, members of the Executive Committee; and Mrs. Plumb, Mr. Pogue, Mr. Cleary, and Mr. Moschel. President Willard was present; also Judge Sveinbjorn Johnson, University Counsel, Mr. C. S. Havens, Director of the Physical Plant Department, and Mr. A. J. Janata, Assistant to the President. President Mayer stated that a meeting of the Executive Committee and a conference of all other members of the Board who could attend had been called at the request of the President of the University to consider a course of action to be followed by the University administration in dealing with the menace to student welfare of vice conditions existing in certain areas of Champaign. President Willard presented the following statement: " T h e recent tragedy, resulting in the death of Mr. William Spurrier, an undergraduate student, who was shot during the night of February 15-16 near a notorious resort in Champaign, has focused State-wide attention on a situation which the University authorities have been asking the Champaign municipal officials to remedy, but without results. Since the University itself has no police power in areas outside of its grounds, the responsibility for keeping the community free from vice and for maintenance of wholesome conditions in the environment in which its students must live is wholly on the local municipal and county authorities. "At various times during the past two years or more the University has brought to the attention of the Champaign city administration conditions in certain quarters of the city which the University deemed highly objectionable from the standpoint of the students at the institution. On the occasion of these visits in the offices of the administration in Champaign and on occasions when Champaign city officials have been requested to attend conferences on the subject in certain offices of the University, assurances were repeatedly made by the Champaign city administration that efforts would be made to correct the evil conditions pointed out. By the first of April, 1938, the University had become convinced that no substantial and permanent improvement in the objectionable moral conditions in these quarters could be expected. The University conferred with Attorney General Otto Kerner on April 4 and laid before him the situation together with the facts which previously had been put before the Champaign city administration but without results. It is true that isolated raids were made, but, as the public by this time understands, these occasional raids served no useful purpose as far as eliminating vice conditions is concerned, beyond giving the impression that there is some activity in behalf of law enforcement. "Attorney General Kerner was entirely sympathetic and indicated that he would endeavor to correct the situation, although he was obliged to inform us that the resources of his office, both legal and financial, were very limited. Since that date the University has kept close watch of the situation, has kept in touch with the Attorney General and cooperated in every way within its power and as required in the direction of improving the environment in which the students are obliged to live. As a result of these conferences and in view of past experiences the University deems it necessary to secure more effective measures for dealing with these conditions. Accordingly the following program is recommended at this time: " 1 . Calling on the Governor and the Attorney General to bring to bear whatever powers they may have under the law to stamp out illegal liquor