Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1956 [PAGE 1041]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[April 25

On motion of Mr. Swain, this exchange of properties was approved, the Comptroller and Secretary of the Board were authorized to execute the necessary documents, and an appropriation of $7,500 was made from the General Reserve Fund for this land acquisition program. This action was taken by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Bissell, Mrs. Holt, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Megran, Mr. Swain, Mrs. Watkins' no, none; Absent, Mr. Herrick, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Nickell, Mr. Stratton, Mr. Williamson.

FINAL DESIGN OF RESIDENCE HALLS

The Director of the Physical Plant and the Building Program Committee submit for approval of the Board the final design of the residence halls units for unmarried undergraduate men to be constructed on the former Parade Ground immediately west of the original Men's Residence Halls. These are projects scheduled for 1957-58 in the University's program for housing students as approved by the Board of Trustees on January 28, 1956. The design studies were by Professor Ambrose M. Richardson of the Department of Architecture and will be used by Berger-Kelley and Associates, Champaign, in developing the complete plans for this construction. The Board has already awarded this firm a contract for these architectural services. Professor Ambrose M. Richardson of the Department of Architecture explained the general planning and design of these units and exhibited models of them. On motion of Mrs. Watkins, this design was approved.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH CASES OF STAFF MEMBERS CLAIMING CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVILEGES IN DECLINING TO TESTIFY BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

Mr. Bissell presented the following report.

At the meeting of the Board of Trustees on April 27, 1955, the President of the University, Dr. Lloyd Morey, presented a procedure adopted by the University Senate on April 4, 1955, to be followed in the case of staff members claiming constitutional privileges in declining to testify before legislative committees concerning alleged communist affiliation or activity. This procedure is printed on pages 330 and 331 of the Minutes of April 27 and includes the following provision: "If the individual refuses to appear and cooperate in Hearings before the Committee or Board of Trustees, his service to the University may be discontinued." Although the entire statement of general principles and procedure relating to such matters was adopted by the University Senate as an internal administrative policy, and was submitted to the Board for information and record, the President was asked to request the University Senate to change the word "may" in the above quoted provision to "shall." At the meeting of the Board on June !6, 1955 (Minutes, page 376), the President reported that the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom, which had previously recommended the procedure to the Senate, advised against this change and the Senate took no steps to concur in any change in this provision. T h e matter was then referred to a Special Committee of the Board appointed by the President thereof. As Chairman of this Special Committee, I call attention to a recent decision of the United States Supreme Court in a New York case overruling state courts and holding that a college teacher who declined to say whether or not he had once been a Communist and who therefore was dismissed under local law was