Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1940 [PAGE 918]

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1940]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

915

and work of A r t h u r Hill Daniels, the Board of Trustees directs its Secretary to send a copy of this resolution to Mrs. Daniels as a formal expression of its deepest sympathy with her in the loss she has suffered. STATUS OF PROFESSOR IVAN WRIGHT

At the request of the President, the Secretary reported as follows:

At its meeting on January 27, 1940 (Minutes, page 708), the Board of T r u s tees accepted the resignation of Dr. Ivan Wright as Professor of Economics on indefinite tenure, effective September I, 1940. H e is at present on leave of absence without pay. At the same time the Board appointed him Professor of Economics for one year from September 1, 1940, at a salary of $4,800, under certain conditions which he had previously accepted in writing. On January 29 the Secretary of the Board sent him a contract for his new appointment. Under University Statutes a contract of employment is not complete until the signed acceptance is filed with the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, and if said acceptance is not received within thirty days after the date of notice the appointment becomes invalid and without effect unless for satisfactory reasons the President of the University extends the period of acceptance. This information is printed on all contracts for staff appointments. Doctor Wright failed to return his acceptance within the specified time limit. Nevertheless, on authority of the President of the University an extension was given, and the Secretary of the Board sent him a duplicate on March 12, 1940. H e returned the acceptance sheet under date of March 25 (received by the Secretary of the Board on March 29, 1940) without accepting the contract tendered him by the Board of Trustees. Instead he has offered a new proposal to the University, with new conditions and stipulations materially different from those which the Board originally approved, and which he indicated in advance that he would accept. T h e Secretary of the Board, having no authority to accept the contract Doctor Wright has offered without previous approval by the Board of Trustees, informed him that as his status now is (1) his resignation as Professor of Economics on indefinite tenure has been accepted by the B o a r d ; (2) he has in effect rejected the contract tendered him by the Board of Trustees for appointment as Professor of Economics for one year beginning September I, 1040. T h e Secretary of the Board, therefore, reports that Doctor Wright has no appointment for next year, and his position will become vacant unless action to the contrary is taken by the Board of Trustees.

In this connection, the Secretary read to the Board a letter written by Dr. Wright under date of April 15, 1940. Members of the Board asked questions on the matter, and the file of correspondence was placed before the Board, in such completeness that the members present had a full idea of the situation. The Board was not willing to take action to waive further the rule in the case of Dr. Ivan Wright.

MATTERS PRESENTED BY PRESIDENT W1LLARD

The Board resumed consideration of matters presented by the President of the University.

APPROPRIATION TO UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS FOUNDATION (34) T h e President of the University of Illinois Foundation has requested the Board of Trustees of the University to make an additional appropriation of $5,000 for the expenses of its campaign to raise funds for the furnishings and equipment of the Illini Union Building during the current fiscal year. T h e Board, at its meeting on March 14, deferred action on this request pending the receipt of more information on how it is proposed to use this additional money and a specific plan for raising the balance of the funds for the furnishings and equipment for the Illini Union Building. I have asked Dean Charles M. Thompson, President, and Mr. J. C. Colvin,