university of illinois - UIHistories Project

1957] UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 429
contractors arising out of work done by them in the construction of an
addition to the Research and Educational Hospitals in Chicago.
Mr. Park Livingston, as Chairman of a Special Committee of the
Board appointed to consider claims of contractors arising out of work
done by them in the construction of an addition to the Research and
Educational Hospitals in Chicago, reported that the Committee met in
the Ulini Center of the LaSalle Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday,
May 25, 1957, to hear representatives of the Crouch-Walker Company,
Chicago, Illinois, a subcontractor of the Patrick Warren Construction
Company, the general contractor for this building. A court reporter's
record of the proceedings of this hearing will be filed with the Secretary
for record.
At Mr. Livingston's request, Mr. Ralph F. Lesemann, Legal Counsel,
presented a review of the proceedings, during which it developed
that a representative of the Crouch-Walker Company had made certain
charges and accusations against University officials, including a member
of the Board of Trustees.
Messrs. Livingston, Farber, Havens, and Rice also reported on
conversations they had at various times with this representative.
At the conclusion of this presentation, Mr. Johnston stated that it is
the obligation of the Board of Trustees to investigate these charges and
accusations thoroughly, and to request the appearance of parties who
have made these accusations, as well as others who can testify concerning
them, for the purpose of interrogation. It was the consensus of the
Board that the Special Committee of which Mr. Livingston has been
serving as Chairman since its original appointment on October 24,
1952, be given the assignment of investigating the charges. The members
of the original committee, appointed October 24, 1952, were:
Messrs. Park Livingston, Chairman, Wirt Herrick, Robert Z. Hickman,
Wayne A. Johnston, H. B. Megran. On October 22, 1956, Mr.
Megran, then President of the Board, reconstituted the Committee and
appointed the following: Messrs. Park Livingston, Chairman, Cushman
B. Bissell, Wirt Herrick, Wayne A. Johnston, and Kenney E.
Williamson.
Mr. Livingston requested that he be relieved of service on this
Committee, since he will wish to appear before it to give testimony, and
this request was granted. Mr. Swain was appointed to replace Mr.
Livingston as a member of the Committee, and Mr. Johnston was designated
as Chairman. He stated that he would call a meeting of the
Committee at an early date to begin the investigation.
Mr. Lesemann was designated as Counsel for the Committee, and on
his request he was authorized to employ Mr. Albert E. Jenner, Jr. of
the firm of Thompson, Raymond, Mayer, Jenner, and Bloomstein,
Chicago, as Special Counsel in this matter.
On motion of Mrs. Watkins, the Board adjourned.
A. J. JANATA
Secretary
PARK LIVINGSTON
President