Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1968 [PAGE 313]

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1966]

U N I V E R S I T Y OF I L L I N O I S

261

years ago, I remember only too well. For my information and the public's — and I trust this will be of no less interest to other members of the Board (I know it will be to Trustee Watkins) — I request that the University Administration provide at our December meeting a report on the numbers and percentages of men and women in the several academic ranks — assistant, instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. I request this by divisions and departments, these units to be gathered into their respective colleges and other administrative units with numbers and percentages finally for the University as a whole. I request also this information for the nonacademic administrative staff and for the service personnel. I am sure this data is readily available and needs only to be assembled, if indeed it is not currently collected, as I would expect it to be. All I ask, in effect, is that we feed the current Staff Directory into a computer and call on it to organize the faculty and staff by subject units into numbers and percentages of men and women according to the several levels of academic rankings. I realize, of course, that large diversities are inevitable, that the percentages of women in Home Economics and Nursing will be different from the percentages in Mechanical Engineering and Animal Husbandry. But whatever the facts we should know them. We should know particularly what the statistics show in the humanities, in liberal and fine arts and in the social sciences in which fields so many women students take their degrees. There are several reasons for compiling this information on the basis I have requested and for making it public: First, there is the matter of simple justice to women. We can not hold an informed opinion about this until we are sure of the facts with respect to how women are treated in the matter of appointments, advancements, and scholarly recognitions at the University of Illinois. Second, there is the growing problem of the development of adequate faculties to teach the ever-increasing enrollments flooding our campuses. I have been told that some colleges and universities are allowing old prejudices to cause them to employ third and fourth rate men rather than first rate women. Third, in view of the generous reception of large numbers of women into such fields as business, merchandising, advertising, public relations and publishing, to name only a few, those of us who are related to advance education and scholarship owe it to our area to make sure that it does not lag behind but indeed is the leader that we have every reason to expect it to be. Fourth, in the light of the advancement of women in such countries as Soviet Russia, India, and others that might be mentioned, we in the United States, where women are in the majority and possess more than half the wealth, must be sure that we are not treating women as second-class citizens on our college and university faculties. Democracy must be democracy not only with respect to race but also with respect to sex. T o summarize, Mr. President, I make no apology for bringing this topic before the Trustees even though some may say it is not a matter of current concern. I happen to believe that colleges and universities should anticipate developments, that they should lead in developing informed opinion. Since this subject will receive widespread attention in the near future, I would like to see the University of Illinois step out in the forefront and in doing so become known over the country as an educational institution where demonstrably there is no prejudice against women in academic position, advancement, and responsibility. It will not be long before what I ask us to do voluntarily will be required under pressure of all colleges and universities inasmuch as Federal Civil Rights legislation prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sex. Let us proceed then before we are forced to do so and in proceeding learn just what the facts are. Mr. President, I ask that this statement of request for information be made a part of the minutes of this meeting with a view to an official report to the Board when we meet next month. Thank you very much.

President Henry stated that the information requested by Mr. Dilliard would be presented to the Trustees as soon as it can be obtained and by the December meeting of the Board insofar as may be possible.