Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1948 [PAGE 305]

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304

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[March 27

HONORARY DEGREES (4) T h e University Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees has nominated to the Board of Trustees candidates for honorary degrees to be conferred at the installation of the President of the University on May 16, 1047. It is not intended to confer these degrees unless the recipients are present at the installation, nor to announce the names in advance. T h e list is given to the Secretary of the Board for record. O n m o t i o n of M r . D a v i s , h o n o r a r y degrees w e r e a u t h o r i z e d a s recommended. RETIREMENT OF DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY PRESS (5) T h e Retirement Act provides that persons shall retire on September 1 following their 68th birthday unless they request continuation and that request is approved by the employing institution. Mr. H. E. Cunningham was continued for two successive years. He occupies a dual position: (1) Secretary of the Board, for which he is elected in March for a term of one year, and (2) Director of the University Press, to which he is appointed for one year as of September 1. Only in rare instances has the service of persons been continued past the legal retirement age and then only for short periods. Practically all such requests have been denied, since any other procedure would tend to break down the whole retirement plan. With respect to Mr. Cunningham, I am allowing his retirement as Director of the University Press to take effect as of September

1, 1947-

I know that Mr. Cunningham would be pleased to continue as Secretary of the Board on a part-time basis. H e would be entitled to receive any amount less than his retiring allowance without interfering with his pension. Such action is, of course, a matter for the Board of T r u s t e e s ; it would not in any way embarrass us as we proceed to find a successor in the University Press.

On motion of Mr. Nickell, this arrangement was approved and authorized. On motion of Mr. McLaughlin, the President of the Board and the President of the University were requested to prepare an expression of the Board's appreciation of the services of Mr. Cunningham as Director of the University Press during the past twenty-nine years, to be inserted in the minutes. President Stoddard, on April 9, 1947, instructed the Secretary to incorporate the following expression in the minutes:

In re-electing Harrison E. Cunningham as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for another year, the Board takes note of the fact that Mr. Cunningham has been serving as its Secretary continuously since 1914, and as Director of the University Press since 1918. In both of these positions he has rendered faithful and meritorious service. Members of the Board of Trustees desire to express and record their appreciation of Mr. Cunningham's services and of his personal courtesies to each member, and to wish for him and Mrs. Cunningham many years of happiness and good health. PRIORITY OF ADMISSIONS FOR 1 9 4 7 - 1 9 4 8 (6) The Committee to Study the Student Registration System submits herewith certain recommendations to govern the priority of admission of new students for the first semester of 1947-1948 at Urbana.

The Provost presented this matter. After discussion, action on these recommendations was deferred, pending the receipt of President Stoddard's report and recommendations on an educational system for the State of Illinois.