Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1972 [PAGE 470]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

460

BOARD O F T R U S T E E S

[December

17

INTRODUCTION OF DR. RODNEY GROVE

The Chairman recognized Dr. Rodney Grove who attended the meeting as an observer-representative of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY The Board considered the following reports and recommendations from the President of the University.

PRESIDENT'S REPORTS

President Corbally presented a report on selected topics of current interest, copies of which were distributed at the meeting, and a copy was filed with the Secretary of the Board. The President also presented the following reports of special interest.

R e p o r t on R O T C The following report deals with steps which are being taken on the Chicago Circle campus and the Urbana-Champaign campus with regard to having R O T C programs on the two campuses. Because Army R O T C is the only R O T C program on both campuses, University-wide coordination of those programs is more necessary than is true for the Navy and Air Force programs offered only on the Urbana-Champaign campus. I would report, however, that I have approved a recommendation forwarded to me from the Urbana-Champaign Senate with the concurrence of Chancellor Peltason and Provost Lanier that credit for all R O T C courses on that campus be considered graduation credit for students in L A S only when such courses are cross-listed with academic departments and are taught by faculty members with appointments in such departments. This recommendation is consistent with policies of the Department of Defense and of the three services and requires no further action for implementation. Suggested next steps with regard to having R O T C are as follows. In accordance with Board of Trustee action in the spring of 1965, the University negotiated a contract for its R O T C program with the Department of the Army which was signed by both parties in the summer of that year. More than six years have passed and many significant changes in R O T C have been made although the original contract remains. The programs at both the Urbana and the Chicago Circle campuses have been carefully studied internally and externally, and they have been brought closer in line with the recommendations contained in the joint statement on R O T C issued by all of the major national associations of higher education. These reforms have consistently sought to strengthen R O T C , not to bury it. The University remains firmly committed to a sound and modern R O T C program that responds to the current needs of our society and conforms to the values of our students and faculty. I am convinced that as part of this commitment to improve and update the program, it is time to renegotiate the University's contract with the Army and I have asked the Chancellors to provide the initial steps toward this objective. T h e Chicago Circle campus, which at present has adjunct status under the University's single contract, will be accorded independent status through the new negotiations. There will be system-wide coordination during each step, in accordance with the following guidelines (excerpted from my charge) : I therefore authorize each Chancellor to draft a letter to the Department of the Army, embracing the present conditions your campus has adopted for R O T C , in order to initiate informal negotiations of new contracts for the University based upon those conditions. I recognize and accept the fact that both campuses do not have identical programs, but I do expect general compatibility in the major areas, and both contracts obviously must share the common quality of being acceptable to the Army. Toward these objectives I am asking Associate Provost Munitz, by copy of this letter, to assume responsibility for general administration review of each draft and to represent me in University discussions with the Department of the Army. This assignment merely con-