Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1952 [PAGE 5]

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BOARD OF T R U S T E E S

[July 25

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MINUTES APPROVED

The Secretary presented the minutes of the meetings of May 19-20 and June 22, 1950. On motion of Mr. Herrick, the minutes of May 19-20 were approved as printed on pages 1121 through 1174 above. On motion of Mr. Fornof, the minutes of June 22, 1950, were approved as printed on pages 1175 through 1283, subject to amendments offered by members of the Board within thirty days, since these minutes were not available for examination until today's meeting.

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY T H E PRESIDENT O F T H E UNIVERSITY

The Board considered the following recommendations and reports' presented by President Stoddard.

LEAVE O F ABSENCE FOR DEAN LOUIS N. RIDENOUR

(1) At its meeting on May 19-20, 1950 (Minutes, page 1122), the Board granted leave of absence without pay to Dean Louis N. Ridenour for the period July 1, 1950, to September I, 1951, for services as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, for Development. I have authorized a minor change to leave of absence without pay from September I, 1950, to September I, 1951. and request confirmation of this action. O n motion of M r . Herrick, t h e President's action was confirmed.

PATENT APPLICATION FOR BACON C U R I N G PROCESS

(2) The Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station reports that Mr. Verlin K. Johnson, Assistant in Animal Science, has developed a process for the curing of bacon which appears to be superior to the process now used by the meat packing industry. The new process appears to have commercial promise. There is, however, some question regarding the novelty and patentability. The University Research Board recommends that a patent search be authorized, that a patent application be filed if there is definite possibility that the process is patentable, and that the Board of Trustees obtain right to any patent which may be granted. Ultimately the Board may wish to put the management of any such patent in the hands of the University of Illinois Foundation. I concur in these recommendations. In the meantime, the Foundation's patent attorneys have begun investigating the patentability of the process. O n motion of M r . Hickman, these recommendations were a p proved.

PATENT O F MAGNETIC CORE DEVICE IN ELECTRONIC DIGITAL COMPUTER DESIGN

(3) The Dean of the Graduate College and Chairman of the University Research Board reports a development in the design of the electronic digital computer which involves the use of magnetic core elements to replace vacuum tubes in computer designs. Their advantages over vacuum tubes are in their greater ruggedness, considerably longer life, and lower power consumption. It is likely that small computers can be built with such elements which would have many advantages over present designs which require vacuum tubes or crystal diodes. It is desirable to protect this development for the public, and this can best be done if the University is able to obtain a patent on this new use of the magnetic core device. He recommends that the Board authorize a patent search to determine if there are prior claims in this field, and that application for a patent be authorized if it appears that the device is patentable. I concur.