Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1962 [PAGE 1333]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[February 21

The picture in terms of the total numbers of student living spaces is more significant. Whereas only 26 per cent of the total spaces was available on a nondiscriminatory basis in March, I960 (848 spaces), the percentage has increased to 49 per cent at the present time (1,862 spaces). Percentagewise, the greatest gain was made in houses for women, although the total number of spaces available for women is relatively small as compared with the total for men. The gains reflected in these comparative figures lend some support to the University's position that encouragement of voluntary compliance will reduce discrimination (combined with the policy of nonapproval of new houses or houses that change ownership if discrimination is practiced). However, a total of 194 housing units with some 1,932 student spaces (the latter representing 51 per cent of such spaces available for undergraduates) is still operated on a presumed discriminatory basis. While continuing progress toward compliance with University policy may be anticipated, it is now obvious that many years would elapse before nondiscrimination would voluntarily be accepted completely as the practice. Thus, I believe that the time has arrived when the University should specify a date within which owners or operators of commercially-operated rooming houses will be expected to meet the standards which the University applies to its own housing and I recommend that the Code of Fair Educational Practice be amended so that University approval will be denied to such houses which have not, by September 1, 1965, indicated that their facilities are available to all students, without regard to race, creed, or national origin. You will note that the recommendation is broader than that offered by the Committee on Student Affairs, applying as it does not only to race but to creed and national origin as well. The broader scope is in accord with our general University philosophy and responsibility and is consistent with past actions and positions on this subject (cf. Appendix B ) . The exception to the requirement recommended should be, I believe, the one applied in March, 1960, to houses which are the private homes of the owners and in which no more than three rooms are rented. This exception would not result in a material loss of student living spaces. There are sixty-three such homes with a total capacity of 157 student spaces, a capacity which represents 4 per cent of the total spaces. W e will, of course, continue to seek voluntary compliance with University policies from among these owners. Although the Senate Committee proposed September, 1963, as an effective date for the application of the new standard, I believe that September, 196S, is a fair deadline. It allows three years for rooming house operators or owners to adjust or make other arrangements for their property. It also allows the University time to build additional housing units if needed to offset any withdrawal of housing as a result of the action here described. I suggest that your action on the recommendation before you be the adoption of the following statement of policy, which may then be implemented through appropriate amendments to the regulations governing approval of housing ior students: Statement of Policy The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois reaffirms its position that discriminatory practices based on considerations of race, creed, or national origin affect the general welfare of its students and are detrimental to a proper educational environment. So far as may be practicable and consistent with its paramount obligation to provide appropriate facilities for higher education of qualified students, the Board will discourage, limit, or seek to eliminate student involvement in such discriminatory practices. The Board now deems it appropriate to particularize this policy further as it relates to the housing of students at the UrbanaChampaign campus. It is therefore determined that: From and after September 1, 1965, single undergraduate students will not be permitted to reside in commercially-operated rooming houses in which the occupants are selected on the basis of race, creed, or national origin. There may be excepted from the foregoing a residence in any facility which is the private home of the landlord and in which no more than three rooms are rented.

On motion of Mr. Dilliard, the statement was amended by the addition of the following sentence: "It is to be hoped that full compliance will be achieved on a voluntary basis long before the 1965 date."