SC.04.15

September 27, 2004

Report on the Board of Trustees Meeting, June 17, 2004, ChicagoThe first issue treated by the board was the agenda item concerning Chief Illiniwek. Trustees Carroll and Sodemann presented this item and explained their intent to work to bring about a consensus position, after many years of listening to debate from both the anti-Chief and pro-Chief advocates. The six speakers in the public comment session all addressed the Chief Illiniwek controversy.

Four spoke in favor of retention of the Chief, two spoke in favor of retiring the Chief. At the beginning of the meeting the audience was filled with proponents of both sides of the issue.Student trustee Allen made two motions to amend the item recommended by Trustees Carroll and Sodemann; both were defeated. The first called for presentation of a means for resolving the controversy by June 30, 2005, and the second was a motion to replace the item with the item presented by Trustee Carroll in November 2003. After dealing with this matter, the board met in executive session then returned for a meeting of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Chancellor Manning presented an overview of plans for further development of the south campus including a new residence hall for 750 and a convocation center. She explained that an auditorium had been planned for the campus in the original design, and was much needed.There was also a presentation on the planned student recreation center at the Springfield campus. Vice President Rugg reported on plans for a new parking garage for the Urbana campus to be built on land currently partially occupied by a facility owned by the Newman Center. He explained that the Newman Center had agreed to sell this property.In the afternoon the board met as a Committee of the Whole. Dean Avijit Ghosh presented the White Paper, developed by the Consultative Committee to Advise on the Selection of a President for the purpose of guiding the committee in its search process and informing the potential candidates of highlights of the University.

The Technology and Economic Development Committee also met, and Vice President Chicoine presented a quarterly report on new business ventures from faculty research and activities of the University's research parks in Chicago and Urbana.Also, the Athletics Committee met, and each chancellor reported on both athletic and academic achievements of student-athletes at all the campuses over the past year.The agenda contained 30 items, all of which were approved. Among these were the White Paper mentioned earlier, several honorific resolutions for memorials, and a farewell to Chancellor Cantor.

Administrative appointments included that of Richard Herman as Interim Chancellor and Ron Yates as Dean of the College of Communications. There was an item for sabbatical leaves for next year, and several changes to academic programs for the campuses. The two at Urbana were a redesignation of the degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering to Aerospace Engineering, and the transfer of the Department of Economics from the College of College of Business to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Also, an interim operating budget for fiscal year 2005 was approved.

This was to enable the University to continue operations until a new appropriation from the state is made available. This is a regular item presented to the board annually just before the end of the fiscal year.The board will meet next on July 14 and 15, the first day to be in executive session. The meeting on the 15th will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Chicago Illini Union, Chicago Rooms B&C.Respectfully submitted,

Vernon Burton

UIUC Senate Observer