Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1976 [PAGE 152]

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1974]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

141

Funds for rental payments to the Foundation for this fiscal period are available in the budget of the Housing Division. O n m o t i o n of M r . S w a i n , t h e p u r c h a s e of this p r o p e r t y a t t h e p r i c e i n d i c a t e d w a s a u t h o r i z e d b y t h e following v o t e : Aye, M r . F o r s y t h , M r . H a h n , M r . H o w a r d , M r . Hughes, M r . Livingston, Mrs. R a d e r , M r . S w a i n ; n o , n o n e ; a b s e n t , D r . Bakalis, M r . N e a l , M r . S t e g e r , G o v e r n o r Walker.

Litigation Instituted by John Alber Ellis

(19) T h e University, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the elected and ex officio members of the Board of Trustees, President Corbally, Chancellor Peltason, Dean Jones, and Director Loeb have been named as defendants in a suit filed in the Circuit Court of Champaign County (Case No. 74 C 942) by John Alber Ellis, an unsuccessful applicant for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine for the academic years 1973-74 and 1974-75, on his own behalf and on behalf of all other persons similarly situated. T h e complaint alleges that Mr. Ellis and those he purports to represent were improperly denied admission to the College because they met the published admissions standards but were denied admission while others "of lesser qualifications" were admitted; because preference was "arbitrarily given to certain female students"; because the method of evaluation of applicants for admission was changed without publication or notification to the plaintiffs; because the new criteria enable the defendants to give preference to applicants from farm or rural communities; because (on plaintiffs' information and belief) the defendants have maintained a quota system for candidates from Cook County and Lake County, Illinois; because the University is stated not to have followed its announced policy of giving preference for admission to residents of Illinois; and because the changes in admission criteria were not submitted for approval of the Urbana-Champaign Senate. It is alleged that each of the plaintiffs has suffered damages by loss of time and income from their chosen profession, for which they are entitled to reimbursement under Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act (Title 42, U.S. Code). The complaint asks that the court declare null and void the admission of all students to the College of Veterinary Medicine for the year 1974-75; that all applicants for that year be re-evaluated and a proper class be "duly constituted" or, in the alternative, that the court appoint an impartial committee to select qualified students in accordance with the "published procedures"; and that the court assess damages for each plaintiff in the sum of $100,000, together with attorney's fees and costs. Some of the individual defendants have requested the University to provide representation for them in their defense of the suit, on the ground that all actions taken or alleged to have been taken by them in the matter were taken by them in their respective capacities as members of the Board of Trustees or as employees of the University. It is anticipated that similar requests will be received from other individual defendants. The University Counsel recommends that he be authorized to take such steps as are necessary or appropriate, including the employment of special counsel, to protect the interests of the University and to provide representation of the individual defendants who request him to do so. I concur. O n m o t i o n of M r . S w a i n , a u t h o r i t y w a s g i v e n as r e c o m m e n d e d by t h e following v o t e : Aye, M r . F o r s y t h , M r . H a h n , M r . H o w a r d , M r .