Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1958 [PAGE 386]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1957]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

383

uncoordinated offerings could have a harmful effect upon existing institutions and lead to inefficient and unnecessarily expensive duplication. The adoption of this amending bill would be contrary to the recommendations of the Commission on Higher Education whose report is before the General Assembly and out of keeping with the spirit of state-wide planning in higher education underlying the proposal of the Governor for a permanent study commission. The Trustees believe the original act of the General Assembly in 1951, to which Senate Bill No. 175 is an amendment, is adequate for the Trustees to proceed toward the general objectives of planning a full branch of the University in the Chicago area. That measure directs the Trustees "to give consideration to the question of the need of the constantly increasing population of the Chicago metropolitan area for additional local facilities for full undergraduate education; and, whenever in their judgment it is both desirable and feasible to do so, they are authorized to establish and operate a branch of the University in the City of Chicago, which shall provide for undergraduate curricula and award appropriate degrees."

On motion of Mr. Bissell, this statement was unanimously adopted as expressing the official position of the Board of Trustees, and the Secretary was instructed to send it to the sponsors of Senate Bill 175. At this point a delegation, representing the Parents' Association of the Chicago Undergraduate Division, asked to be heard. Mr. William Vihon, President of the Association, spoke for the delegation. He stated the action just taken by the Board was deplorable and that the Association has information there is no possibility that the University can secure legislation or funds for a site acquisition unless it is restricted to within the city limits of Chicago. He urged the Board of Trustees to compromise with city officials of Chicago and the General Assembly in the interests of an early decision on a permanent site for the Chicago Undergraduate Division. Mr. Bissell responded on behalf of the Board. He stated that the Board has responsibility for long-range planning and that commitments made now must be in the best interests of the future development of the Chicago Undergraduate Division in the years to come. The Board can not compromise in the interest of expediency on a site which fifty years hence may prove to have been a poor choice. There are many factors and considerations involved, among them cost and timing. No available site within the city limits of Chicago will meet the criteria which the Board considers are fundamental and which will meet long range objectives. The Board has considered fifty-nine separate sites, within and outside of the city. No other site meets the purpose as well as would Miller Meadow. A skyscraper university would be tremendously expensive to build and expensive to operate. It would take many years to acquire a site through slum clearance because of the legal problems involved in securing titles to the land, the relocation of families, and finally land clearance. All of this would be very costly and would take years to accomplish, whereas on an open area building could be started as soon as the site and funds for construction are available. He assured the Parents' Association that the Trustees are just as anxious as anyone else to get started. President Livingston stated that the Trustees would welcome hearings on legislation so that they will have an opportunity to present the University's case to the General Assembly of Illinois.