Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1954 [PAGE 788]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1953]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

785

"A B I L L "For an Act creating a commission in relation to the establishment of a branch of the University of Illinois in the Chicago area, defining its powers and duties, and making an appropriation therefor. "Whereas, There is a compelling need in the Chicago area for a State-supported institution of higher learning offering a full four-year academic course leading to a baccalaureate degree; and "Whereas, The University of Illinois has, for a number of years, maintained a two-year undergraduate division at Navy Pier in Chicago, but the facilities there available are not of such a character as to render feasible the expansion of this branch into a full four-year undergraduate institution; therefore "Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: "Section 1. There is created a commission to act for liaison purposes between the General Assembly and the University of Illinois in dealing with problems relative to the establishment of a four-year undergraduate college of the University of Illinois in the Chicago area. The Commission shall consist of three members of the Senate appointed by the President pro tempore and three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker. The Commission shall select from its membership a chairman and such other officers as it deems necessary. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. "Sec. 2. The Commission shall consult with appropriate officers of the University of Illinois and act as a liaison between the University and the General Assembly in all matters pertaining to the establishment of a four-year undergraduate college of the University in the Chicago area, including the problems of locating a site, the acquisition of land, and other matters relating to the establishment of a campus. "Sec. 3. The Commission may, without regard to any law relating to civil service, employ and fix the compensation of necessary assistants. "Sec. 4. The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the Sixty-ninth General Assembly not later than March 1, 1955. "Sec. 5. The sum of $5,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated to the Commission for carrying out its duties under this Act." (House Bill 1, Sixty-eighth General Assembly of Illinois) Under this law the Board of Trustees has a responsibility to work with the Commission in studying the establishment of a four-year undergraduate program of the University of Illinois in Chicago. Obviously, the Board should not make long-range decisions and commitments hastily and in advance of the planning contemplated. T o do so might be regarded as unwarranted anticipation by the University of the Commission's ultimate recommendations to the General Assembly. The future development of the University of Illinois on all three campuses depends upon the expressed intention of the people of the state to expand public higher education and to provide the necessary funds. It would serve no useful educational purpose and would be contrary to public interest if new programs at Navy Pier were developed at the expense of long-established, on-going programs at Urbana-Champaign and at the Chicago Professional Colleges. Your Committee makes this observation with specific reference to the suggestion by the Council of the Faculty that the funds be obtained somewhere within the University budget. Apparently there are no such funds available. At the same time, your Committee would not recommend any downward adjustments in the budget of the Chicago Undergraduate Division, other than the standard adjustments to live within the budget. Recommendations In view of the foregoing considerations of public and University policies, your Committee makes these specific recommendations: 1. That the officers of the University study methods of cooperating with the State Commission created by the General Assembly of Illinois in dealing with the establishment of a four-year undergraduate program of the University of Illinois in the Chicago area. This cooperation would call for an early organization by the