Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1954 [PAGE 670]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1953]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

667

REQUEST FROM THE TWIN CITY FEDERATION OF LABOR OF CHAMPAIGN AND URBANA, ILLINOIS

At this point President Livingston brought up for discussion a letter written on J u n e 17, 1953, to all members of the Board of Trustees by Senator Everett R. Peters, Chairman of the Illinois Budgetary Commission, requesting the Board to give consideration to the layoff of a number of employees by the Physical Plant Department. In order to operate within its budget allotment for 1953-1954, the Physical Plant Department has been obliged to reduce its operating personnel and notices of layoffs to be become effective on or about June 30, 1953, have been sent to approximately one hundred employees. Messrs. Clifford H . James and Sherdie C. Jones, President and Vice-President respectively of the Twin City Federation of Labor of Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, appeared before the Board to protest these layoffs of employees. Each made a statement in support of a request that the Board and other appropriate University officers reconsider the layoff policy with respect to employees already affected and those who might be affected in the future. In the discussion of the matter with these gentlemen it was brought out that all departments of the University are obliged to reduce their budgets by at least five per cent in addition to further specific reductions to be made in certain areas. These reductions are necessary to offset loss of fee income not replaced by appropriations from tax revenues and to provide funds for crucial needs as shown in the interim report on the internal budget for 1953-1954 presented by the President of the University. At the conclusion of this hearing, on motion of M r . Herrick, the request of Senator Peters and of the Twin City Federation of Labor of Champaign and Urbana, Illinois, was referred to the Committee on Nonacademic Personnel for consideration and advice to the Board.

REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHICAGO UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION

Mr. Johnston, Chairman of the Special Committee appointed by the Board of Trustees on M a y 23, 1953, to consider the petition and proposal from the faculty of the Chicago U n d e r g r a d u a t e Division for a four-year university in Chicago, stated that the Committee has held three meetings, is still working on its report, and that as soon as its report is finished and approved by the Committee it will be submitted to the President of the Board. A delegation from the Council of the Faculty of the Chicago U n dergraduate Division, headed by Professor John D. McNee, Jr., was present at the meeting and at its conclusion had an informal discussion with Mr. Johnston and other members of the Board.

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

The Board took up consideration of the following reports and recommendations from the President of the University.

AWARD OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT CERTIFICATES (1) The Committee on Accountancy recommends that the certificate of Certified Public Accountant be awarded, under Section 5 of the Accountancy Act of 1943,