Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 1038]

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U N I V E R S I T Y OF I L L I N O I S

I035

Comparisons were favorable to the University on the points of degrees, of scholarly productivity, of distribution of faculty ranks, and of conditions of tenure and retirement. On the other hand, there was apparently a slight drop in national ratings and salaries paid, although the last condition is one reflected in other comparable institutions for the same period by reason of the depression. Statements were secured from persons who left the University and from others who were invited to come but did not accept. Although the number of persons so consulted was limited the evidence thus secured apparently reflected a rather critical attitude toward certain aspects of the University. On the whole it would seem that certain major conditions determining faculty quality have changed somewhat during the period under consideration. In some respects these conditions have definitely improved, in others there has been no perceptible change, and in still others there has been some retrogression. When all these items are considered as a whole, however, it can be said that a general improvement has occurred with regard to the general quality of the faculty. There are several matters, however, which should be given consideration if the faculty is to be continuously replenished with new members of high quality. Salaries must be maintained at a high level if the University is to meet the competition of other similar institutions for superior personnel. Another fact that must be considered is that faculty members do not find at the University of Illinois the progressive educational point of view and alertness toward problems of curricula and teaching that they can find elsewhere. It should be said that this condition is one that does not seem to be different from what it was in 1934, except that greater progress has been made along these lines during this period at some other institutions than at the University of Illinois. 7. The seventh feature examined to determine whether "the University of Illinois has been on the downgrade since 1934," was the general character and direction of its educational program. During this period a greatly increased burden has been placed on the educational program by reason of the much larger number of students than before. To meet this the University seems, with some exceptions, to have concerned

[A.C.K. Report—17]