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The chairman stated the subject of the present special meeting to be the consideration of matters relating to the Agricultural Experiment Station and presented the report of the executive committee of the station which was read by the Secretary and referred to the finance c ommit tee(sic) of the Board.
The Secretary also read communications and recommendations,presented(sic) by president Gere in relation to Dr.F.S.Billings(sic) and the experiment station.
Professor Bessey read his report as Director of the experiment station,which(sic) was received and referred to the committee on course of study.
Mr.J.S.Dales(sic) treasurer of the experiment station presented and read a communication which was received and referred to the finance committee of the Board.
The special committee consisting of Professors Bessey and Wing upon the matter of platting building sites &c. at the experimental farm,submitted(sic) a report which was read by the secretary and referred to the University and Library committee.
On motion the Board then took a recess until 7.3o(sic) o'clock p.m.
After recess.
Lincoln,Nebraska March 21st.1888.
The Board of Regents met at 7.3o(sic) p.m. pursuant to adjournment.
Present Regents Burnham,Davis,Gere,Hull,Roberts(sic) and Mallalieu,a (sic) full Board.
The minutes of the last preceeding meeting were read and approved.
First report of finance committee on report of the Ex.Com. of Exp. Station.(sic)
Withdrawn,see(sic) [paro]
The finance committee submitted a majority report as follows:
Your committee to whom was referred the communication of the executive committee,consisting(sic) of Messrs.Gere,Bessey(sic) and Dales,appointed(sic) in connection with the proposed establishment of an agricultural experiment station,which(sic) communication contains certain recommendations as to work to be done and expenditures to be made,have(sic) had said communication under consideration and beg leave to report concerning the same as follows:
1. The scope,intent(sic) and purpose of the same appears to your committee to be chiefly devoted to the one and sole idea of experimentation with and upon animal diseases, to the almost total exclusion of and ignoring of the numerous and equally important topocs(sic) indicated in Sec.2. of the Hatch bill so called. In substantiation,reference(sic) is had to the proposed appropriation of nearly $10.000. out of
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1st,. report of finance com't. on exp.station(sic)
Withdrawn,see(sic) page
$15,000. for this work for the year ending July 1st. 1888. Your committee are(sic) of opinion that such appropriations and adjustment ought not to be made or contemplated under existing circumstances,except (sic) as hereinafter indicated.
2. Your committee regret to be compelled to report that in their opinion the retention of Dr.F.S.Billings(sic) with the compensat ion(sic) indicated and somewhat sweeping powers and authority implied, rather than directly stated,is(sic) not justified by the fact s,as(sic) made available or appearing of record.
The records of the University show that on June 17.1886, the Chancellor was authorized and directed to enter into an arrangement with Dr.Billings, in conjunction with the president of the Board and professor Bessey, for the conduct of experimental and similar service , looking(sic) toward the establishment of a Veterinary department,which(sic) direction took form in a contract dated July 1. 1886 and extending to March 31st.1887,when(sic) it was renewed for one year. From the records of the University or its files, it does not appear that any reports or specific statements of facts have either directly or indirectly been made,back(sic) to the Board of Regents or the Chancellor, from which the value of such work as may have been done by Dr. Billings can be estimated and determined. As, in connection with the whole project of organizing said veterinary department and conduct of experiments, the State Board of Agriculture and practical stock interests of the State,were(sic) invited to advise and cooperate,and(sic) the inauguration of experimentation was had only after
Same.
approval from said sources, it is the opinion of your committee that before any considerable further appropriation or experimentation should be encouraged some conclusive evidences of the results claimed to have been arrived at should be submitted to and passed upon by some or all of the interests herein above indicated.
3. Your committee generally concur(sic) in the recommendations sections number 5 and 6 of the said executive committees report.
4. While not perhaps directly demanded by the written report referred to them for consideration, there are,in(sic) the opinion of your committee certain unavoidable facts and conditions regarding the fitness and adaptability of Dr,F.S.Billings(sic) for the position and service contemplated, justifying and demanding careful consideration by the Board before a new engagement is entered into with him. Your committee refer(sic) to what in their opinion may be termed a spirit of usurpation and insubordination which,however(sic) valuable his scientific efforts might be,are(sic) in the opinion of your committee so prejudicial to good government and discipline of the University as an institution,as(sic) not to be further countenanced and permitted.
5. Your committee on finance having daily considered the report of the executive committee of the
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experiment station regarding appropriations do hereby recommend the following for the maintenance of the experiment station for the year ending June 3o.(sic) 1888:
For buildings $3.ooo. sic Printing,bulletins stationary &c, 2.ooo. For experimental farm 1.5oo. For Director of Ex.Stat. (ex. serv.) 25o. For salary of Billings(cond. on retain) 5oo. To recoup University: Cost of apparatus 2.225. Current expenses 1.2oo. ------------- $10,675.00
1st. report of finance committee on station, Withdrawn,see page(sic)
6. Your committee would further recommend the appropriation of the sum of forty dollars to defray the expenses of Professor Hicks in attending the convention in the interests of irrigation in the west,held(sic) in Denver Col.March 1888.(sic)
Your committee defer(sic) making further recommendations of appropriations until the question of the retention of Dr.Billings(sic) in the service of the University shall have been determined by the Board. M.J.Hull,Leavitt(sic) Burnham Com't.
Proceedings.
Regent Burnham moved the adoption of the majority report,seconded(sic) by Regent Hull.
Regent Roberts submitted orally the opinion of the minority of the finance committee,favoring(sic) and recommending the adoption of the report of the executive committee of the station as made to the Board and moved to adopt the same.
Regent Mallalieu moved that the further consideration of the pending questions be laid over until tomorrow morning,which(sic) motion prevailed.
On motion the Board then took a recess until 9 o'clock a.m.tomorrow.
MAR 22 1888
Lincoln,Nebraska(sic) March 22. 1888.
The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska met at 9 o'clock a.m. pursuant to its adjournment on yesterday.
Present Regents Burnham,Davis,Gere,Hull,Roberts(sic) and Mallalieu.
The minutes of the last preceeding meeting were read and approved.
The committee on course of study reported as follows:
Work of the Exp. station.
1. Your committee to whom was referred report of Director of experiment station recommend, that the lines of investigation and experimentation now being followed in the Industrial College and experiment station departments be continued as outlined in the report.
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Leave of absence to Bessey.
MAR 2(sic) 1888
2nd. That a leave of absence be granted to Prof . Bessey from June 1st .(sic) until the middle of September 1888.
J. T.Mallalieu.B.B.Davis,Geo.Roberts Com't.(sic) On motion the report of the committee was received and adopted.
2d. report of finance com't.on report of Ex.Com. of station. Substituted, See page
The finance committee submitted the following substituted report in place of the report submitted on yesterday.and(sic) Regent Burnham moved the adoption of the same, viz.
Your committee to whom was referred the report of the executive committee appointed in connection with the agricultural experiment station,beleiving(sic) from the discussion engendered by their previous and first report that the recommendations contained in the same are not acceptable to a majority of the Board of Regents,and(sic) desiring so far as possible to harmonize differences,and(sic) further what they beleive(sic) to be the best interests of the University, while acting consistently and conscienciously, ask leave to withdraw said former and original report and submit the following:
1. Your commttee recommend(sic) the modification of said executive committee of said agricultural experiment station,by(sic) the addition thereto of the Chancellor of the University and Professor Hicks.
2. They recommend the reengagement of Dr.F.S.(sic) Billings as investigator of animal diseases until July 1st.1888,and(sic) that said executive committee be instructed to consider the selection and recommendation of some [other-handwritten] suitable person to continue the conduct of experimentation and investigation in the line of animal diseases and otherwise,as(sic) required, from that date.
Same
3. They concur generally in the recommendations of sections nos.5.and 6.(sic) of said executive committees report.
4. That appropriat ions(sic) be made as follows for the year ending July 1st. 1888,from(sic) the Government appropriation.
Building &c $3.ooo.(sic) Salary Dr.Billings(sic) Apr.1. to July 1. 88 75o. Salary Director 87-8. 25o. Printing,bulletins(sic) &c., 2.ooo. Experimental or Ag'l. farm 1.5oo. General expenses not specified 1.ooo. Expenses Hicks,Colo.convention(sic) 4o. Repayment of University, Apparatus purchased 2.225. Current expenses animal diseases heretofore advanced by University 1.2oo. ------------- 11,965.
Same.
5. That expenditures should not be made by said
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Same. Adopted,see(sic) below.
executive committee unless duly appropriated by the Board of Regents except as follows: - upon occasion, making the same necessary, a majority of said executive committee shall submit by mail or otherwise in writing to the members of the Board,a(sic) brief statement and recommendation of the desired and proposed expenditures, stating purpose and amount, and upon written approval of and from a majority of said members,as(sic) to any sum,said(sic) expenditure may be made.
M.J. Hull,Leavitt Burnham,Geo.Roberts Com't.(sic)
Proceedings
Under the motion of Regent Burnham to adopt the substituted report of the finance committee,the(sic) same was by consent taken up and considered section by section.
Pending discussion upon the first section of the substituted report of the finance committee,Chancellor(sic) Manatt urged objection to the present constitution of the executive committee of the station,stat ing(sic) that he thought the Steward and Secretary of t he University ought not to be a member of said committee,and(sic) that while he himself did not wish to be a member of the same,he(sic) thought it one of his prerogatives to nominate a member.
Resignation of Dales from Ex. com't of station accepted
Mr. J.S.Dales tendered his resignation as a member of the executive committee of the agricultural experiment station,to(sic) take effect immediately,which(sic) was accepted.
Reorganization of the Ex.Com't(sic) of station, Gere,Burnham(sic) & Bessey.
Regent Mallalieu then offered the following as an amendment to the report of the finance committee,and(sic) moved its adoption seconded by Regent Davis, (to section one of report)
That the executive committee of the experimental station be reorganized by the appointment of Regents Gore ,Burnham(sic) and Professor Bessey as such committee: the motion to adopt prevailed.
Amendment of section 2,"other"(sic) stricken out.
The second section of the substituted report of the finance committee now coming on for consideration,Regent(sic) Mallalieu moved to amend the same by striking out the word "other" (in connection with Dr.Billings).(sic) The mot ion(sic) was agreed to by the committee submitting report,and(sic) the word "other" was ruled to be striken from said proposed section two.
Amendment by Roberts,relating(sic) to Billings.
Regent Roberts now offered the following substitute for section two of the substituted report of the finance committee,as(sic) amended,and(sic) moved to adopt the same seconded by Regent Davis,viz:
Whereas the contract for service as Director of the experiment station for the investigation of animal diseases,made(sic) with Dr .F.S. Billings,will(sic) soon expire, it is recommended that the said Dr. Billings be engaged to continue in the same work from the 1st.day(sic) of April next for an indefinite term,subject(sic) to termination upon three months notice by the Board of Regents or by Dr. Billings,at(sic) a salary of $3500. per year,to(sic) be paid out of such funds as the Board may determine.
Lost, (see over)
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