Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1976 [PAGE 218]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1975]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

207

had missed only two meetings and who had served for ten years as President of the Board.1 The Question of Tenure Procedures at the University (and Their Relation to the Nonreappointment Contract-Tendered Assistant Professor Robert Byars)

M r . L e n z s p o k e briefly, n o t i n g t h a t t h e g e n e r a l s u b j e c t of t e n u r e p r o c e d u r e s a n d policies w a s a p p a r e n t l y r e c e i v i n g n a t i o n a l discussion. H e also r e p o r t e d o n specific discussions h e l d w i t h a s m a l l g r o u p of s t u d e n t s t h e d a y b e f o r e . I n t h e light of this b a c k g r o u n d , h e m o v e d t h e following resolution: Resolved, T h a t the Board of Trustees desires to determine the nature and extent of concern among faculty, staff, and students about promotion and tenure policies, and related issues; T h a t the purpose of this effort shall be to reaffirm the promotion and tenure policies which contribute to the academic distinction of the University of Illinois, and to consider such changes as may be needed to more effectively build and maintain a great university; T h a t the Board of Trustees is cognizant of the special role of the Senates on these issues and states that particular care shall be employed to obtain the consultation of the faculty throughout this study; T h a t the University President is hereby requested to consult with appropriate parties at the campuses of the University to determine whether and to what extent changes should be considered in the policies, practices, procedures, guidelines, and University Statutes pertaining to promotion and tenure; That, following a presentation by students and others at an informal conversation yesterday with some members of the Board of Trustees and an analysis of an administrator's report on the so-called "Byars case," the Board of Trustees resolves further that it will not intervene in this case. Intervention by the Board in a case of nonreappointment of a nontenured faculty member would only be done upon compelling reasons which are absent in this case. I n p r e s e n t i n g t h e r e s o l u t i o n , M r . L e n z s t a t e d t h a t t h e i n t e n t w a s in n o w a y t o b e r e g a r d e d as a n a t t a c k u p o n t h e t e n u r e s y s t e m ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e system h a d c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e g r e a t n e s s of t h e U n i v e r s i t y . R a t h e r , t h e i n t e n t w a s t o t a k e n o t e of r e c e n t c h a l l e n g e s a n d c o m m e n t s u p o n t h e w o r k i n g s of t h e t e n u r e system g e n e r a l l y a n d t o p r o v i d e a n o p p o r t u n i t y for analysis a n d e v a l u a t i o n of it. M r . C o s g r o v e offered a s u b s t i t u t e m o t i o n t o strike t h e last p a r a g r a p h of t h e r e s o l u t i o n a n d s u b s t i t u t e t h e f o l l o w i n g : Moved: that the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, in consideration of the extenuating circumstances surrounding the issuance of a terminal contract to Professor Robert Byars, advance an extended contract to Professor Byars for the period of one year, beginning August 15. During this period of time, the Board of Trustees shall conduct an extensive investigation of the considerations of Byars' case, their fairness, their appropriateness, and their correspondence to present University standards and criteria for tenure decisions. This action carries a single application and should not be interpreted as a precedent for subsequent matters.

1 Mr. Livingston served on the Board of Trustees from 1941-1959 and from 1973-present. He was President of the Board for the periods 1943-1948, 1951-1954, and 1957-1959.