Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944 [PAGE 409]

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406

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[June 19

Willard on steps taken and under consideration to carry out the recommendations of the reports of Booz, Fry, Allen, and Hamilton and of the Commission of the American Council on Education, the Committee, having excused President Willard, Dean Allen, the Secretary, and, for a time, Mr. Olsen and Mr. Morgan, considered the reports in executive session. It was the conclusion of the group in executive session that the present administrative set-up and personnel did not represent the best organization, and that certain changes in the administrative organization should be given further consideration. At the conclusion of the executive session, all the persons attending it except Mr. Davis, Mr. Jensen, and President Livingston withdrew, and this group, having called President Willard and the Secretary of the Board into conference, communicated to them the conclusions reached by the Committee, and the Chairman stated that he would report these conclusions to the Board in formal meeting with President Willard and the Secretary of the Board present. This report was discussed fully, and President Willard, on request, commented on the detailed recommendations in pages 19-22 of the A.C.E. report. After further discussion, President Willard presented the following statement and recommendation.

C H A N G E S IN B U S I N E S S ORGANIZATION On November 27, 1942 (Minutes, page 180), I presented to the Board certain proposed changes in administrative organization and procedure indicating that other recommendations would be submitted from time to time. These recommendations were approved by the Board. Since that time steps have been taken to carry them into effect. In doing so, however, the duties added to the Comptroller result in making that position in effect primarily a business officer rather than merely a financial control officer. Thus, the Comptroller has, in effect, been made Business Manager, but without a change in title corresponding thereto. Furthermore, if the present title is continued, University departments as well as the business public do not have a clear understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the office. Accordingly, / now recommend that the position of general business officer of the University be designated as Business Manager and that Mr. Lloyd Morey be appointed Business Manager and Comptroller. A detailed list of functions to be assigned to this office is attached, a copy of which is hereby given to the Secretary for record. T h e status of Mr. C. S. Havens as Director of the Physical Plant Department is left as recommended on November 27. I am convinced that by these changes, the objectives of improved business procedure will be achieved, but that the benefits of the general plan of dual organization of business and plant activities as followed at the University of Illinois for many years will be retained.

These proposals were discussed at length. On motion of Mr. Davis, this recommendation was disapproved, by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Davis, Mr. Fornof, Mrs. Grigsby, Mr. Jensen, Mr. Karraker, Mr. Livingston, Mr. McKelvey, Mr. Nickell; no, none; absent, Mr. Green, Dr. Luken, Dr. Meyer. It was the sense of the Board in taking this action that it appreciated the valuable services of Mr. Morey as Comptroller and wished to retain him in that capacity; but that in the opinion of the Board the business management of the University should be in the hands of a man with actual and extensive business experience. The President of the University was requested to seek for and recommend to the Board