Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1952 [PAGE 623]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

720

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[May 18

6. Revision of Statutes. I recommend that there be brought before the Senate the following proposal for revision in the Statutes as they affect the status of a school within a college: "In colleges organized through schools and other similar units headed by a director, the executive committee shall consist of the directors of such administrative units, together with an equal number of members elected annually by the faculty from among the professors and associate professors in the College, with the Dean of the College as Chairman, ex officio." There may be other points in my recommendations that will call for Senate approval although I do not believe they are basic. 7. Advisory Committee for the College of Commerce and Business Administration. In a collateral letter, signed by all members of the Cleary Committee, attention is given to a further matter, as follows: "For some years the College had a group of area advisory committees. These committees were probably designed primarily to maintain liaison between staff members and men actively engaged in the particular field in business. This arrangement has prevailed in Agriculture for some time with considerable success. In Commerce, however, the area committees became largely inactive. "Under Dean Bowen, the decision was made to reconstitute the area committees into a single advisory committee for the entire College. In our opinion this was a mistake. Removal of the small, specialized areas of contact eliminated as a committee function the link between theory and practice, and placed the new committee in a position where it touched the College only on the level of administrative and policy matters. The situation thus produced is anomalous. "In the Board of Trustees and the administrative officers designated by them, the University has a complete and integrated organization for the formulation and execution of policies. The Trustees are elected by and responsible to the public. The inclusion of other policy-making bodies in this arrangement must inevitably result in confusion and in embarrassment to all concerned." The action creating the over-all Advisory Committee for the College of Commerce and Business Administration was taken on July 25, 1950, on the recommendation of Dean Bowen and the President of the University. Fully cognizant of the distinguished personnel of this Committee and of its spirit of helpfulness on all occasions, I concur, nevertheless, in the statement of the Cleary Committee that its formation was a mistake. I recommend, therefore, that on the expiration of the term of the present members, June 30, 1951, the Advisory Committee be dissolved and that the schools indicated above, and departments as they may be formed, consider the desirability of advisory committees within their respective areas. I request that the Board authorize the President of the University to carry out the recommendations as indicated above, as of September 1, 1951, with the understanding that such matters as fall within the jurisdiction of the University Senate will be referred to it for action. REPORT ON THE ORGANIZATION OF T H E COLLEGE OF COMMERCE AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION On December 29, 1950, President Stoddard asked the undersigned members of the Senate to serve as a special committee to advise him concerning the College of Commerce and Business Administration. His charge to the committee was as follows: "1. To submit to me nominations for the deanship of the College. I shall have also the advice of the Executive Committee of the College. "2. To assist in planning the reorganization of the College, including a possible transfer of the Department of Economics to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and to prepare a report for the consideration of the Senate."