university of illinois - UIHistories Project

1957] UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 383
uncoordinated offerings could have a harmful effect upon existing institutions and
lead to inefficient and unnecessarily expensive duplication.
The adoption of this amending bill would be contrary to the recommendations
of the Commission on Higher Education whose report is before the General Assembly
and out of keeping with the spirit of state-wide planning in higher education
underlying the proposal of the Governor for a permanent study commission.
The Trustees believe the original act of the General Assembly in 1951, to
which Senate Bill No. 175 is an amendment, is adequate for the Trustees to proceed
toward the general objectives of planning a full branch of the University
in the Chicago area. That measure directs the Trustees "to give consideration to
the question of the need of the constantly increasing population of the Chicago
metropolitan area for additional local facilities for full undergraduate education;
and, whenever in their judgment it is both desirable and feasible to do so, they
are authorized to establish and operate a branch of the University in the City of
Chicago, which shall provide for undergraduate curricula and award appropriate
degrees."
On motion of Mr. Bissell, this statement was unanimously adopted
as expressing the official position of the Board of Trustees, and the
Secretary was instructed to send it to the sponsors of Senate Bill 175.
At this point a delegation, representing the Parents' Association of
the Chicago Undergraduate Division, asked to be heard. Mr. William
Vihon, President of the Association, spoke for the delegation. He
stated the action just taken by the Board was deplorable and that the
Association has information there is no possibility that the University
can secure legislation or funds for a site acquisition unless it is restricted
to within the city limits of Chicago. He urged the Board of
Trustees to compromise with city officials of Chicago and the General
Assembly in the interests of an early decision on a permanent site
for the Chicago Undergraduate Division.
Mr. Bissell responded on behalf of the Board. He stated that the
Board has responsibility for long-range planning and that commitments
made now must be in the best interests of the future development of
the Chicago Undergraduate Division in the years to come. The Board
can not compromise in the interest of expediency on a site which fifty
years hence may prove to have been a poor choice. There are many
factors and considerations involved, among them cost and timing. No
available site within the city limits of Chicago will meet the criteria
which the Board considers are fundamental and which will meet long
range objectives. The Board has considered fifty-nine separate sites,
within and outside of the city. No other site meets the purpose as well
as would Miller Meadow. A skyscraper university would be tremendously
expensive to build and expensive to operate. It would take
many years to acquire a site through slum clearance because of the
legal problems involved in securing titles to the land, the relocation of
families, and finally land clearance. All of this would be very costly
and would take years to accomplish, whereas on an open area building
could be started as soon as the site and funds for construction are
available. He assured the Parents' Association that the Trustees are
just as anxious as anyone else to get started.
President Livingston stated that the Trustees would welcome hearings
on legislation so that they will have an opportunity to present the
University's case to the General Assembly of Illinois.