Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 249]

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246

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[January 23

T h e petition contains forty-five paragraphs. It is divided into seven divisions. F o r convenience these divisions will be followed in analyzing the averments of the petition. T h e first division describes generally the organization and history of the university; its functions as an educational institution and its relationship, through membership in the N o r t h Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, with other educational institutions. It is averred that the university was created by an act of the legislature in 1867, and has existed and operated under that act and supplemental and amending acts since that t i m e ; that it is a public tax-supported institution offering instruction in liberal arts and sciences, agriculture, mechanical arts and military science; that it operates various colleges and schools specializing in certain general and professional fields, such as Colleges of Law, Medicine and Dentistry, the Schools of Journalism, Physical Education and Graduate Studies; that the governing body of the university since its inception has been the Board of T r u s t e e s ; that the trustees have power to adopt rules and bylaws, elect officers, prescribe the duties of its officers, and act generally as the policy-forming body of the university; that the board also is empowered to elect a President of the University, who acts as the executive agent of the board. It is further alleged that the board has divided the university into various schools, colleges and departments, each administered by an officer designated as Director, Dean or H e a d of such department. F o r the purpose of providing instruction it is alleged that the board employs more than one thousand professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors and assistants; that full professors are hired on a permanent basis, and their employment can be terminated only by retirement, resignation, or discharge for cause after a full hearing before the b o a r d ; that this plan is in conformity with the practice followed by similar educational institutions of higher learning, throughout the country. The board has created an organization known as the University Senate, composed of full professors, the president, and certain other staff members. This group deals solely with problems of internal administration and educational policy, and recommends rules and regulations for adoption by the board. T h e rules and regulations, when adopted by the board, become the University Statutes and are binding upon the administrative agents, staff members and employees of the university; they deal with the organization of the schools, colleges and departments, terms of employment, policies regarding patents and research, student loans, gifts and trust funds, and any other matter which has to do with carrying out the general policies of the board. It is averred that the board holds and administers trust funds for endowment and other purposes, including student loan funds of approximately $359,000; that pursuant to power granted by its charter, the board enters into contracts with its staff members, both teachers and administrative workers. The petition alleges the necessity for competing with other educational institutions in the securing of competent staff members. It also describes the accrediting system whereby the members of the North Central Association are constantly supervised and given accredited ratings only if they maintain certain standards of effectiveness as educational institutions; that in the interests of the citizens of the State it is imperative that the university retain its standing as an accredited institution; that in order to meet the requirements of the North Central Association for accredited status, it is necessary that the board alone shall have the responsibility for the employment or removal of the university staff members, and that no outside person or official shall have the right to order the dismissal of one of the staff members of the institution. T h e second division of the petition relates to the position of relator Hodges. It is alleged that Hodges was hired in September, 1041, as Student Loan Assistant in the Bursar's Division of the Business Office, at a salary of $2100 per y e a r ; that Hodges, who is an attorney, was also given the title of Assistant University Counsel, with an additional salary of $900 per year; that $2100 of his annual salary is paid out of the student loan funds and $000 from the State appropriation for the University; that Hodges' duties are to assist in the admin-