Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1960 [PAGE 459]

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456

BOARD OF T R U S T E E S

[June 23

Company to substitute vinyl asbestos tile for asphalt tile in the upper floor corridors of the Physics Building. This tile has a longer useful life and is less subject to grease and acid contamination from adjoining shops and laboratories. Funds are available in the building appropriation for this change. I recommend that the Comptroller be authorized to execute this change in the contract.

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

ADDITIONS TO CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF BIOLOGY BUILDING (33) Among the deferrable items of work omitted from the contract for the construction of the Biology Building to insure that a usable building could be built within the funds available, were the painting of all interior walls and ceiling surfaces in the laboratories and other areas, and installation of some of the airconditioning equipment. The Governor has recently authorized the transfer of $35,000 from the item for contingencies in the state capital appropriations to the University for 1957-59 f ° r additional work on the Biology Building for which funds were not previously available. Bids on interior painting were solicited by advertisement, as required by law, and twelve painting contractors were specifically invited to bid, but no bids were received. Contractors have advised that no bids were submitted because the heavy seasonal demand for painting work in the Urbana-Champaign area makes it impossible for them to employ enough painters to handle a major job of this size within the time available to complete the work. The state appropriation will lapse on September 30, and any unexpended funds must be encumbered by June 30. In view of this situation, the Director of the Physical Plant and the Vice-President and Comptroller recommend that the Board authorize negotiations with the painting subcontractor of the Mayfair Construction Company for as much additional painting work as he can complete within the time limit, this work to be done on a change order basis. These officers also recommend that the Board authorize negotiations with the subcontractor of the Mayfair Construction Company who installed the airconditioning equipment for the installation of automotive stand-by equipment for temperature control in certain areas where failure of one of the two main airconditioning systems would be serious and could result in serious damage to valuable laboratory experimentation. Additional installation would be on a negotiated change order basis. It is estimated that the total expenditures would be between $12,000 and $20,000. The Physical Plant Department is unable to submit change orders with firm estimates of costs for the proposed painting work and additional air-conditioning installations prior to the Board meeting today. Hence, advance approval is requested. I recommend that the Comptroller be authorized to execute these change orders upon certification by the Director of the Physical Plant and approval of the same by the President of the University.

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

USE OF UNIVERSITY FACILITIES BY CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE (34) The University policy which has come to be known as "the political speakers ban" was established by the University Board of Trustees on December 9, 1890, when the Board resolved: "that hereafter the University buildings and grounds be not used for political purposes." Although numerous requests from University groups for a change in Board policy have been made, only one modification has been adopted. On May 19, 1955, the Board decided to allow candidates for the offices of President and/or Vice-President of the United States the use of University facilities for appearing in person to speak on the campus. Requests for a broad change in policy on this subject have been made by the Student Senate, the University's undergraduate representative body at Urbana, in 1950; the University Senate (the University faculty), in 1951; and the Student Senate again in 1955. None of these petitions was approved by the Board. A new resolution was made by the Student Senate in April, 1959, and adopted by the Urbana University Senate in June.