Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1956 [PAGE 356]

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1955]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

353

its findings and publications have received wide attention and commendation. The Council is under the administration of a Director who has been reporting to the President of the University, because the Council has represented the coordination of services of several University departments in more than one college. There is an Executive Committee of representatives of the departments concerned, with the Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts serving as Chairman. T h e status of the Council was recently reviewed and the Executive Committee, with the concurrence of the Director, has unanimously recommended that the Council be placed under the administration of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. The Executive Committee of the University Council also concurs. This will not hinder the operations of the Council, since the President has relied upon the Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, to exercise general administrative supervision. I recommend approval of this change, effective at once. O n m o t i o n of M r . W i l l i a m s o n , t h i s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n w a s a p p r o v e d . STAFF HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE (4) Since October 1, 1949, the University has contracted with insurance companies for a group hospital and medical insurance program available to members of the staff at Urbana-Champaign and at the Chicago Undergraduate Division on a voluntary basis. The schedule of benefits to be provided by this insurance program has been recommended by a representative staff committee in each instance and the insurance obtained on the basis of competitive bids. The present contract is with the Continental Casualty Company and expires October 1, 1955. I appointed an all-University committee this year to review the schedule of benefits and to recommend desirable changes. Representatives of the Chicago Undergraduate Division reported that surveys there indicate a decided preference for the Blue Cross-Blue Shield plan which meets their needs better than the University program although the latter is adequate for the staff at UrbanaChampaign. The University Committee has reviewed this matter and has interviewed representatives of Blue Cross and Continental Casualty Insurance Company. T h e Committee recommends that the Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurance program be adopted for the staff at the Chicago Undergraduate Division effective October 1, 1955. Since it is desirable that this be authorized in time to permit the insurance company to canvass the staff before the end of the academic year, this recommendation is submitted in advance of the recommendation as to the program for Urbana-Champaign which is still under study by the Committee. I concur in this recommendation. O n m o t i o n of M r . L i v i n g s t o n , t h i s m a t t e r w a s r e f e r r e d t o t h e F i nance C o m m i t t e e , w i t h M r . W i l l i a m s o n a d d e d t o t h e C o m m i t t e e f o r this p u r p o s e , a n d t o t h e E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e w i t h p o w e r t o a c t .

RENTAL OF SPACE TO THE WESLEY FOUNDATION

(5) The Board of Trinity Church in Urbana-Champaign has requested the use of some University rooms for classes of the Church School on Sunday mornings between 9:30 and 11:00 as a temporary arrangement pending the erection of a new building. The rooms will be needed beginning in September, 1955, for a period of twenty to twenty-four months. Approval of this request involves a departure from the established policy governing use of University premises by outside organizations. The Board has previously authorized exceptions in similar cases. In 1932, the University Place Church of Christ was permitted the use of a University building following the destruction of its Church by fire. In 1950, the McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church was permitted to use the Auditorium on Sundays while its Church building was being remodeled. In both cases the University was reimbursed for direct costs. The request has been reviewed by the Director of the Physical Pjant and Professor Norman Parker, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Ihey are willing to permit use of certain areas on the first floor of the Mechanical Engineering Building. T h e costs resulting from such use, assuming jour classrooms for fifty-two Sundays each year, have been estimated at approximately $465 a year.