Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1978 [PAGE 96]

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1976]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

85

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD President Neal called attention to the schedule of regular meetings for the remainder of the year: October 20, Chicago Circle; November 19, U r b a n a - C h a m p a i g n ; December 15, Medical Center. H e also announced that an executive session had been requested and would be convened to consider reports concerning acquisition of property and pending litigation. RECESS AND EXECUTIVE SESSION Following a short recess, the Board reconvened in executive session and considered the following items of business. ROLL CALL ITEMS Mr. H a h n moved that a roll call vote be taken, said roll call to be considered the roll call vote on each of the next three items and that the Assistant Secretary be instructed to record such vote as the separate vote of each Trustee on each item. T h e student advisory vote was: Aye, M r . Conlon, M r . Matthews, M r . Volgman; no, none. This motion was adopted by the following vote: Aye, M r . Forsyth, M r . H a h n , M r . Howard, M r . Lenz, M r . Livingston, M r . Neal, Mrs. Rader, Mrs. Shepherd, M r . Velasquez; no, n o n e ; absent, Governor Walker. Litigation Initiated by Elinor Bowen (36) A complaint has been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (Civil Action No. 76C3204), by Elinor Bowen, a former Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Chicago Circle campus. T h e defendants include the University, certain present and former members of the Board of Trustees (Mr. Hughes, M r . Forsyth, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Howard, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Neal, Mrs. Rader, Mr. Steger, and Mr. Swain) in their individual and official capacities. President Corbally, Chancellor Riddle, former Chancellor Cheston, Acting Vice Chancellor Magner, Associate Vice Chancellor Hess, Dean Rocek, and Department Head Gardiner. The complaint is in two counts and alleges that the actions of the University — its Trustees and employees — have violated Title V I I of the Federal Civil Rights Act by discriminating against the plaintiff in her employment by reason of her sex. It is alleged that the plaintiff (who was on terminal contract for academic year 1975-76) was improperly denied promotion and tenure because of her sex. Injunctive and other relief is sought in both counts to restore the plaintiff to her employment status, for back pay, for compensatory damages in the amount of $100,000 (together with interest and costs), for exemplary damages in the amount of $100,000, and for reasonable attorney's fees. It is anticipated that the University Trustees and employees who are named as defendants will request the University to provide representation for them in the defense of the suit, on the ground that all actions alleged to have been taken by them in the matter were taken in their respective capacities as University Trustees or employees. Pursuant to previous delegations by the Board of Trustees, the University Counsel has been given interim authorization to take such steps as are necessary or