Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 40]

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1942]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

37

SUMMER S E R V I C E S O F P R O F E S S O R C H A R L E S M. KNEIER (3) Professor Charles M. Kneier of the Department of Political Science has been asked to serve for two or three months in the Community Management Division, W a r Relocation Authority, of the United States Government in connection with the evacuation and relocation of Japanese moved from the Pacific Coast into other areas. H e has accepted this position during the months of July and August and until September 15, just preceding the beginning of the academic year 1942-1943. Doctor Kneier's position is that of Professor on indefinite tenure, and his contract for the University calls for his services during the two semesters of the regular academic year beginning in September and ending in June. H e is not teaching in the Summer Quarter and has no University duties before the opening of the next academic year.

On motion of Mr. Cleary, this service by Professor Kneier was approved.

STATUS OF STAFF MEMBERS BORN IN ENEMY COUNTRIES W H O ARE NOT NATURALIZED CITIZENS (4) The Board of Trustees on June 28, 1040 (Minutes, page 978), adopted the following policy: "No individual will be appointed to the faculty of the University of Illinois (with the exception of temporary appointments of distinguished scholars, scientists, and lecturers, or to visiting professors who are on the campus for definitely limited periods), or employed in other capacity, who is not a citizen of the United States, unless he has declared his intention to become naturalized and formally takes the necessary steps to acquire citizenship. Any such appointment shall be on an annual basis and will be renewed only if the individual is making satisfactory progress toward becoming naturalized." On May 16, 1942 (Minutes, page 888), the Board amended this policy to permit, for the duration of the war, the employment of students who are citizens of countries with which the United States is allied. This applies only to the employment of students and not to the employment, on a part-time or full-time basis, of other individuals who are not citizens of the United States. While this policy applies to all non-citizens, and there are no special provisions relating to non-citizens who were born in countries with which the United States is at war, a check has been made on the present status of those members of the staff who were born in enemy countries and have not yet become naturalized citizens. There are fourteen members of the staff (eight in Chicago and six at Urbana) who were born in enemy countries. All of them have declared their intention of becoming citizens and were making satisfactory progress toward becoming naturalized prior to the declaration of war, when the Department of Justice announced that the naturalization proceedings of enemy aliens would be postponed until the end of the war. T w o of these staff members are of Japanese birth and race and under United States laws are not eligible for citizenship aside from the suspension of naturalization proceedings during the war. All of these individuals were members of the University staff prior to the policy quoted above. The names of these individuals and the pertinent data about each were submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Department of Justice. This information was prepared for presentation to the Board along with the budget for 1942-1943, but it was the judgment of the President of the Board that it should be sent to each member by mail for an expression of his or her judgment as to whether these individuals should be continued in the service of the University. The foregoing statement was sent to each member of the Board on June 22. Two members who replied indicated approval of the appointments. One member suggested that the President secure a statement from each department head as to the character and patriotism of each individual and of his value to the department concerned. Such statements were secured and are submitted along with other pertinent data about each individual. I should point out that continuing these staff members in service would not