Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1940 [PAGE 355]

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352

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[June 8

The passage of the resolution was prompted by the belief that fraternities here could and should play a more vital part in the lives of their members, as well as in the affairs of the entire student body. Furthermore, it was felt that fraternities should take the initiative in the development of a program which would secure for the University and themselves the maximum benefit from and through their existence. The Committee on Fraternity Affairs recommends: ( i ) That the University create a Board of Fraternity Affairs which shall have jurisdiction over all men's fraternities operating houses on the UrbanaChampaign campus, the Board to be appointed by the President of the University, and to be composed of ten men who are members of fraternities, divided as follows: five non-faculty alumni, three members of the faculty, and two undergraduate students. Each member will serve for a term of two years. (2) That the University create a Fraternity Affairs Office, to be in charge of a full-time officer of the University. This office would be the central agency through which all fraternity affairs would be handled. (3) That the proposed Board of Fraternity Affairs and its executive officer conduct their affairs under and in accordance with the declarations of principles and standards set forth in the publications: Relations between College and Fraternity and The Fraternity Criteria. There are 61 fraternities in Urbana-Champaign with a total membership of 2,200, occupying houses with a total valuation of $4,600,000, and with operating budgets totaling more than $1,000,000. The University now exercises control over fraternities through the Committee on Student Affairs, with certain routine details handled through the Offices of the Dean of Men and Dean of Women. No officer of the University is specifically assigned the responsibility of advising, supervising, or aiding fraternities. Fraternities handle some of their affairs through the organizations known as the Interfraternity Council and the Interfraternity Alumni Association, but neither of these has the authority or is in a position to carry on effectively over a period of years any general fraternity program. The Committee believes that with the University and fraternities working together the objectives of each can be more nearly attained. Opportunities for this cooperative program present themselves particularly along the lines of: chapter finance and management, scholarship, social and moral codes, rushing, fraternalism in its broader aspects, housing and physical plant.

C . J . ROSEBERRY S. D. DANIELS H. S. DAWSON JOHN MlTCHEM FRED MCKINSTRY WALTER BENSON CHARLES NORTON SLEETER BULL J. J. DOLAND EDWARD E. BAUER, Chairman

On motion of Mr. Moschel, this report was referred to the Committee on Affiliated Student Activities for study and report.

VICE CONDITIONS IN UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY (28) At the meeting of the Board on May 26, the President of the University was requested to formulate a plan for continuous measures to combat vice in the University community of Champaign and Urbana. It was suggested that his representatives could confer with the Secretary of the Chicago Committee of Fifteen on such a program. I submit, as a report of progress and for further discussion, Exhibits A and B, copies of which are hereby given to the Secretary of the Board for record. Exhibit A summarizes the principal points in a program for dealing with vice conditions through action by the Board of Trustees. Such a program, in principle at least, has already been authorized by the Board. Exhibit B represents the suggestions made by the Secretary of the Committee of Fifteen. It should be noted in this connection that the present budget situation with respect to the State appropriations for 1939-1041 will make it practically impossible to add a new full-time administrative officer and staff such as was proposed