Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1972 [PAGE 167]

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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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ions — Fiscal Year ( F Y ) 1972 and the recommendations of the Board f Higher Education. Following discussion of various reductions in requests and the effect if these reductions on the mission of the University, President Hughes ead a statement concerning the recommendations of the Board of ligher Education. Mr. Swain moved that the Board adopt this statement. Mr. Jones pointed out that the negative recommendations of the Joard of Higher Education with respect to funds for student aid and ducational assistance for the disadvantaged would also have a serious mpact upon the University's educational program. He suggested that he statement be amended to reflect the Board's concern in this regard ince the University's educational mission as a land-grant institution deluded the education of the "industrial classes." Mr. Swain consented to the amendment. The following statement, as amended, was adopted. Mr. Hahn asked D be recorded as voting no. 1 Action of the Board of Higher Education on the University of Illinois' Budget Requests for Operations in FY 1972 !"he University of Illinois Board of Trustees has reviewed with mixed feelings the ctions on its budget requests for FY 1972 taken by the Board of Higher Educaon. While appreciating the endorsement given to approximately seventy-five per ent of the overall increases requested — and especially the strong support for proosals in the health fields — we are gravely concerned over several negative actions. 'urthermore, we note that about forty per cent of the approved increase would be or funding the State's liability under the State Universities Retirement System. The following are the four negative actions by the Board of Higher Education bat will have the most serious impact upon the University's educational program: 1. Serious cuts in existing budgets for instruction, research, and public service — on the mistaken assumption that these reductions can be absorbed in FY 1972 through "improved efficiency." 2. Sharp reductions in the funds needed for salary increases — far below the levels established under the guidelines issued by the staff of the Board of Higher Education last fall. The cut of almost two-thirds in the amount requested for nonacademic salary increases will be especially damaging. It will be impossible to maintain the projected level of operations in FY 1972 in the face of both sharp reductions in funds for salary increases and simultaneous cuts in the base budget — without increases in workload, impairment of staff morale, curtailment of plant maintenance and supporting services, and retrenchment in educational operations. 3. The disapproval of two critical items totalling $403,983 for the support of the Library at the Chicago Circle campus — one of them involving loss of funds in the current budget. 4. The refusal to recommend increases totalling $990,060 for financial aid to disadvantaged students at the Medical Center and Urbana-Champaign campuses. These funds are necessary if the enrollments of these students are to be appropriately expanded — in conformity with the historic mission of the University of Illinois as a land-grant institution, dedicated to fostering the education of the "industrial classes." We note that action was deferred on requests from all three campuses for addiional funds needed to strengthen campus security. It is hoped that these funds will e approved when the proposals are reconsidered in April. Such crimes as theft and

1 Subsequently Mr. Hahn informally advised the Secretary that he was willing to accept le majority view on this action.