Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1950 [PAGE 244]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1949]

U N I V E R S I T Y OF

ILLINOIS

241

The State Fire Marshal's Office and the Illinois Firemen's Association agree to assume: 1. Salaries and equipment for their office personnel. 2. Salary and equipment for a Deputy Fire Marshal, if and when appointed. 3. Cost of exhibits and demonstration equipment for training and fire fighting demonstration work. 4. Expense of special arrangements for meetings sponsored by the State Fire Marshal's Office or the Illinois Firemen's Association. 5. Additions or alterations to the structure or equipment required by the State Fire Marshal's Office and/or the Illinois Firemen's Association. The University would provide additional funds of approximately $6,000 a year for operation and maintenance, but not before 1951. In return the University would have the use of an additional large lecture room when it is not required for the purposes specified. In recommending an appropriation for strictly University facilities, the Building P r o g r a m Committee agreed in principle with the plan of joint development. The Chairman of the Committee, the Director of the Physical Plant Department, and the Comptroller have reviewed the proposal submitted by the State Fire Marshal and recommend its approval. H e has requested that no publicity be given to the proposal until it is further developed with State authorities.

On motion of Mr. McLaughlin, this plan was approved.

GIFT OF MR. AND MRS. MERLE J . TREES (2) The Executive Committee of the Board on December 28, 1948 (Minutes, page 190), accepted an offer from Mr. and Mrs. Merle J. Trees of one-half interest in their Rembrandt "Portrait of Amsterdam Burgher" as their gift to the "Emily Nichols Trees (Class of 1905) and Merle Jay Trees (Class of 1907) Collection" for 1948. Mr. and Mrs. Trees have decided to offer the University the remaining onehalf interest in this painting as their 1949 contribution to the Trees Collection. As further evidence of this offer they have sent the Secretary of the Board a formal deed of gift in which each contributes the remaining undivided one-fourth interest in the painting. This painting is appraised at $65,000 by the Art Institute of Chicago. I recommend the acceptance of this offer and that the Secretary of the Board be requested to convey to Mr. and Mrs. Trees a formal expression of appreciation on behalf of the Board.

On motion of Mr. Davis, this gift was accepted with great appreciation of the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Trees.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LEGISLATION TO BE REQUESTED OF THE 6 6 T H GENERAL ASSEMBLY (3) I request that the President of the University be authorized to secure the introduction in the 66th General Assembly of the following University legislation. These measures have been discussed with the Senator and the three Representatives of the 24th Senatorial District who have agreed to sponsor or to secure sponsorship of the bills: 1. Biennial operating budget for 1949-1951. 2. Appropriations for buildings and other capital improvements. 3. Amendment of insurance code to make University of Illinois revenue bonds legal investments for insurance companies in Illinois. Obligations of the University of Illinois Foundation are legal investments for insurance companies but the direct obligations of the University are not. This amendment would improve the market for University revenue bonds. 4. Amendment of State Finance Act to permit the University to handle, through its own treasury, funds of all self-supporting activities, instead of requiring the deposit in and disbursement from the State Treasury. The present arrangement complicates budget operations and makes it difficult to handle business operations of such activities with dispatch, thus causing loss of discounts and creating dissatisfaction among employees in payment of wages. The change has been discussed with representatives of the Department of Finance and the State Auditor's Office and has their tentative approval.