Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1960 [PAGE 61]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

S8

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[July 29

and to which he was entitled. H e was paid nothing for the forty-three days he lost from J a n u a r y 30 through April 5, 1957. After he was restored to active duty, Mr. Gorey and the business agent of his local union demanded that he be paid what he would have earned had he been permitted to work from January 30 to April 5, 1957, and that the fifteen days of sick leave and five days of vacation time be restored. Action upon this request was deferred while attempts were made to hold a conference with the business agent of the union concerning Mr. Gorey's claims and concerning charges which that union had preferred against Mr. Gorey's foreman and a fine which it had imposed upon the foreman stemming out of the latter's action in reporting Mr. Gorey's claim that, because of his physical condition, he was not supposed to be required to do overhead lamping work. T h e business agent of the union ignored requests for a conference and apparently was unwilling to hold it with University representatives. Mr. Gorey then instituted the mandamus suit. As the result of conferences with University officers and study of the facts and law, it is the conclusion of the Legal Counsel that the University had no legal right or authority to place Mr. Gorey upon enforced disability leave, and that the University does not have a good defense to Mr. Gorey's suit. It is his recommendation and that of the Director of the Physical Plant and of the Director of Nonacademic Personnel that the University pay Mr. Gorey $1,331.60 for wages which he would have earned had he worked between J a n u a r y 30 and April 5, 1957, and the fifteen working days sick leave credit be restored; and that, for purposes of seniority and accruing sick leave and vacation benefits, Mr. Gorey's full-time employment status include the period January 2, 1957, to April 8, 1957. In return, Mr. Gorey will waive any claim for restoration to him of the five working days of vacation time credit against which a portion of the wages paid him for the month of January, 1957, was charged. In addition, it is understood that Mr. Gorey will do what he can to secure dismissal of charges against the foreman now pending before the Executive Board of the local union of which the foreman and Mr. Gorey are members. I concur.

Mr. Swain stated that the Committee on Nonacademic Personnel had previously received this report and was prepared to support the recommendation. On motion of Mr. Swain, the recommended settlement was authorized.

ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AT 5 0 8 EAST J O H N STREET, CHAMPAIGN (34) T h e property at 508 East John Street, Champaign, Illinois, consists of a lot 66 feet by 187 feet (12,342 square feet) with a frame residence which had been used as a rooming house but which was recently seriously damaged by fire. Since this property is in the area within the University's land acquisition program, it is important that the University acquire it now, and before the house is rebuilt and the cost of acquiring it increases accordingly. Until it is required as a site for a University building, the land can be used as a University parking lot, it being situated in an area where parking space is greatly needed. T h e property is zoned for B-2 business operations which is the general classification of the University business district in Champaign. T h e University has secured two appraisals of the property, one appraising its value at $25,000 and the other at $32,000. University officers believe that $29,000 constitutes a fair and reasonable price for the property. T h a t figure is in line with appraisals and would represent a land acquisition cost of $2.35 per square foot, which compares favorably with other recent property purchases near the campus ranging from $2.33 to $5.83 per square foot. F u n d s for the purchase of the property are available in the contingencies item in the state capital appropriations to the University for 1957-59, subject to release by the Governor. T h e Director of the Physical Plant and the VicePresident and Comptroller recommend the purchase of this property at a price of $29,000 and that the Comptroller and the Secretary of the Board be authorized to execute the necessary documents, subject to the approval of the same