Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1942 [PAGE 136]

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1940]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

133

SECOND SESSION, D E C E M B E R 5, 1940 When the Board convened after the recess, the same members and officers were present as during the first session; and also Mr. Oscar G. Mayer, member of the Board.

APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES

President Pogue appointed Mr. Chester R. Davis to the positions on standing committees held by Mr. Kenney E. Williamson.

MATTERS PRESENTED BY PRESIDENT WILLARD

The Board considered the following matters presented by the President of the University.

ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL TESTING SERVICE (1) The Illinois High School Principals' Association requests that the University of Illinois take over the Illinois High School Testing Service, heretofore carried on for the past several years under the sponsorship of another institution of higher education in the state. The purpose of such a service is to secure a more adequate appraisal of the abilities and interests of high school students, particularly of those who intend to enter a college or university. The Director of the Bureau of Institutional Research and its Advisory Committee recommend that the University of Illinois take over and place this service on a state-wide basis. It is proposed that this program be carried on in cooperation with the high schools, colleges, and universities of the State. There is a great demand for such a service. The University itself undertook to test all its incoming freshmen, and with the organization of the Personnel Bureau, further testing service for University students has been made available. Four years ago Knox College took the initiative of sponsoring these tests on a wider scale and worked out a program of tests available to as many high schools as wished to use them. The movement spread until well over half of the high schools outside of the Chicago area were participating. Because of this development, the cost of the service, which had been wholly assumed by Knox College, became too great, and the University of Illinois is now formally requested by the Illinois State Principals' Association to take over the sponsorship of the program, but with the aid of other colleges and universities to make it self-supporting, or as much so as possible. The colleges and universities have not yet been heard from, and inauguration of the testing service will be delayed until a satisfactory response is received. The program would be partially inaugurated during December, 1940, and continued for the balance of this biennium. However, approval of the request involves the implication that the program will be continued next biennium and augmented by a test-construction and distributing service, which would concern objective tests of achievement in special types of subject matter. There are two distinct services involved and only one starts this year, but it is proposed to operate both for the biennium of 1941-1943, and thereafter. The program for 1940-1941 requires an advance from University of Illinois funds of $8,073, of which approximately $1,260 will represent actual net cost to the University, and the balance will be recovered in fees from the high schools and colleges which have agreed to use and pay for the service. Provision has been included for this service in the 1941-1943 budget in the amount of $37,500, of which $30,600 is estimated as recoverable during the biennium, resulting in a net cost to the University of $6,900. Both projects will be handled as revolving funds, except as to an appropriation of $1,260 from the current year's reserve, to cover the estimated net cost to the University, this item representing the prorated share of the cost of testing freshmen entering all institutions cooperating in the program, starting this year. Approval of the complete program for 1941-1943 is not requested at this time but will be requested at a later date if State appropriations approved for the 1941-1943 biennium are sufficient to provide for the full program.