Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1950 [PAGE 173]

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170

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[November

19

CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF MR. D. W . SMYTHE

T h e Provost reported for the President on the appointment of P r o fessor Dallas W . Smythe, on which the Board, at the meeting of July 22, 1948 (Minutes, page 3 3 ) , asked for further information. T h e President had previously sent, under date of September 9, a formal, written report to all members of the Board of Trustees, a copy of which is in the files of the Secretary of the Board as a matter of record. After discussion, and on motion of Mr. Livingston, the Board voted that this appointment be confirmed, in the light of information available today.

REVISION OF STATUTES

In view of the fact that a question was raised with respect to the appointment of Professor Smythe, and in view also of the confusion that arose three years ago in connection with the appointment of a Director of the Division of Special Services for W a r Veterans, General Davis moved that the provisions of the University Statutes relating to interim appointments by the President of the University be referred to the Committee on General Policy, in conference with the President, for revision and report to the Board for adoption. T h e motion was passed. It is the sense of the Board that all appointments should be made in conformity with the University Statutes, and that the Board should be informed at each meeting of all interim appointments involving tenure of more than one year.

MATTERS PRESENTED BY THE PROVOST

T h e Board considered the following matters presented by the Provost acting for the President of the University.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

(1) The Board of Trustees on October 21, 1948 (Minutes, page 137), authorized the University's Legal Counsel to employ special counsel in litigation cases, subject to Board approval in each case. The Executive Committee on November 3, 1948, authorized the employment of Mr. John T. Chadwell of the firm of Snyder, Chadwell, and Fagerburg, Chicago, in the case of Blackburn, et al. vs. Fornof, et al., in the Circuit Court of Cook County. This is a mandamus action under the Civil Service Act challenging the right of the University to discontinue the function of providing instruction for crippled children in the Research and Educational Hospitals. Three teachers were given "lay-off" notices on July 1, 1948. The case may go to the State Supreme Court. This report was received for record.

SPECIAL C O U N S E L , KENNEY VS. BOARD

(2) The Legal Counsel requests authority to engage Mr. John T. Chadwell, of Chicago, as special counsel in the case of Kenney vs. Board of Trustees, a civil service case that should be reached for trial early in January. O n motion of Mr. Livingston, this authority was granted, the fees to be determined by the Board.

ILLINl SCHOLARSHIPS, I N C .

(3) On February 21, 1948 (Minutes, page 974), the Board of Trustees approved a plan for the award of undergraduate scholarships for which funds would be supplied by "Illini Scholarships, Inc." of Chicago, and accepted $1,750 to cover the first two scholarships established under this plan.