Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1972 [PAGE 206]

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196

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February 13

President Hughes presented the following statement and recommendation: PRESIDENCY OF THE UNIVERSITY The Board of Trustees has been convened to take the most important action it has been called upon to consider since President Henry announced his intention to retire — the election of a President of the University of Illinois. Our responsibility is a solemn one, resting upon the statutory obligation specified in the laws of the State of Illinois. The pertinent passage is as follows: The board of trustees shall elect a regent who shall be charged with the general supervision of the educational facilities and interests of the university. Said regent shall be known as President of the University and his term of office shall be at the pleasure of the board of trustees. The Trustees have worked at this task with care and with a keen sense of the responsibility before them. They have been assisted very materially by the excellent Consultative Committee established last spring, and in particular by its Chairman, who has been kept informed of the Board's progress at every point. It is my understanding that the members of the Board now are ready to announce their selection of a President and to take formal action to elect him. The choice is Dr. John E. Corbally, Jr., presently Chancellor and President of Syracuse University. I am immensely pleased to announce as well that the three trustees-elect (Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Howard, and Mr. Neal), who will take office on March 17, 1971, are fully in agreement with the choice. The Trustees-elect have been involved in the deliberations of the Board throughout the period since their election and have had an opportunity to participate fully in the discussions. The ex officio members of the Board, the Governor of the State of Illinois and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, have been informed of the Board's choice. They concur in it and support it. Accordingly, I will now entertain a motion to the following effect: First, that Dr. John E. Corbally, Jr., be elected President of the University of Illinois effective September 1, 1971, at an annual salary of $50,000. Second, that if Dr. Corbally is able to make arrangements agreeable to him, he be named president-designate (on salary) for a period of time before September 1, 1971 (the date to be determined later). This procedure will provide an opportunity for him to become better acquainted with the University and with the responsibilities he will assume on September 1. President Henry is strongly in favor of such an arrangement. May I have a motion to approve these recommendations. Each of the Trustees and each of the Trustees-elect then spoke briefly, expressing his personal endorsement of the recommendations as presented. On motion of Mr. Swain, the recommendations were approved by the following vote: Aye, Dr. Bakalis, Mr. Clement, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Hughes, Mr. Jones, Mr. Pogue, Mr. Steger, Mr. Swain; no, none; absent, Governor Ogilvie and Dr. Walker. INTRODUCTION OF DR. AND MRS. CORBALLY At this point the Board recessed briefly while D r . and M r s . Corbally were being escorted to the meeting room. O n their arrival, President H u g h e s introduced them to the Board a n d to the assembly. APPRECIATION TO T H E CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE President Hughes then expressed on behalf of the Board of Trustees appreciation for the work of the Consultative Committee to Assist in the Selection of a President and called upon the Committee Chairman,