Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1978 [PAGE 340]

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1977]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

329

Litigation Initiated by Leonard Gordon (43) A complaint against the University has been filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Illinois by Leonard Gordon, an employee in the University Office of Personnel Services, charging violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The complaint alleges that the University has committed certain employment practices against the plaintiff which violate Title VII. It is alleged that the plaintiff during 1968 and 1969 complained that the University was violating Title VII by engaging in acts which had the effect of depriving numerous individuals of University employment opportunities because of their race. It is further alleged that thereafter the University committed certain unlawful acts of retaliation against the plaintiff because of his previous complaints, thereby violating the rights accorded the plaintiff by Title VII. The complaint seeks $156,600 in actual damages and $100,000 in punitive damages, plus reasonable attorneys' fees, interest, and costs. The university counsel has recommended 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 in this matter and to defend the suit. I concur. T h e student advisory vote was: Aye, M r . Matthews, Mr. Volgman; no, none; absent, Mr. Cordon. O n motion of Mr. Livingston, authority was given as recommended by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Forsyth, M r . H a h n , Mr. Howard, Mr. Lenz, Mr. Livingston, Mrs. Rader, Mrs. Shepherd, Mr. Velasquez; no, none; absent, Mr. Neal, Governor Thompson. REPORT ON PRESIDENT'S SALARY Mr. Howard asked that staff and others be excused, with the exception of the secretary and the comptroller and vice president for administration. H e then asked Mr. Brady to review comparative data on presidential salaries. Mr. Brady presented information obtained on a confidential basis from Big T e n institutions as well as information concerning fringe benefits and other aspects of presidential compensation at other institutions. H e noted that the president of the University of Illinois ranks somewhat above the median (fourth place) in cash salary among the Big T e n institutions and noted that in recent years the board has approved a recommendation to increase the president's salary at somewhat less than the overall percentage approved for faculty and staff. T h e present salary of the president is $61,083, and Mr. Brady indicated that, in the budget to be submitted to the Board of Trustees, it would be his intention to recommend an increase of 4.8 percent, thus raising the salary to a total of $64,000. T h e same percentage increase would be applied to the salaries of the chancellors. There being no further business, the board adjourned.

EARL W. PORTER

GEORGE W. HOWARD

III

Secretary

President