May 1-2, 1908
05-01-1908
Volume OD - Pages 41-47
Reno, Nevada
May 1, 1908
The Board of Regents met at 10 o'clock A.M., Friday, May 1, 1908,
at their office in Morrill Hall, all members of the Board and
the President of the University being present.
President Stubbs read his report, which was ordered recorded in
the Regents minutes as follows:
May 1, 1908
To the Members of the
Board of Regents,
University of Nevada,
Reno, Nevada
Gentlemen:
The Mackay Mining building and the quadrangle will be almost com-
pleted by the 15th of May. The equipment furnished by the Li-
brary Bureau will probably be here by the 20th to the 25th of
May. The statue was shipped from New York on the 23rd of April
and as soon as it comes it will be put in place just in time for
the unveiling on June 10th.
On Tuesday, April 28th, there was a strike of all the men on the
Mackay Mining building and the bricklayers upon the quadrangle.
It seems that the Union men agreed to work with the non-Union
plumbers who were putting in the pipes on the quadrangle four
days and no longer, this being considered ample time to put in
the pipes. These plumbers were not quite through on Tuesday
morning and went to work upon the quadrangle. The Union men,
thinking there was in this a movement to compel the Union and
the non-Union men to work together, struck. On Tuesday evening
I met the Executive Committee of the Building and Trades Section
of the Central Trades and Labor Council, and asked them to permit
their men to go to work and finish the Mackay building and the
work upon the quadrangle, stating my reasons therefor. I was
gratified on Wednesday morning to find that they had come back
to work, and they will finish the Mackay building and the quad-
rangle, provided we allow no non-Union men on the contract work
as long as the Union men are at work. This, of course, I agreed
to.
I beg leave to submit the following resolution and recommend its
adoption by the Board:
RESOLVED, that on and after the first of May each year, no
changes will be made in the faculty of this University ex-
cept by the concurrent consent of both parties, the Presi-
dent and Regents of the University, and the Instructor.
The object of his resolution is to prevent any resignation
of any member of the faculty of this University after May
first of each year, except by consent of both parties. The
President should not be subjected to the necessity of hunt-
ing for a Professor in the Department for the ensuing year
after the first of May, unless the President and the Profes-
sor are agreed about making the change.
In a letter from Mr. Mackay, under date of April 13th, he ex-
preses himself as follows:
I have your letter of the 6th, and I note that you state
that the total amount appropriated by the Legislature for
furnishing and equipping the Mackay building will not ex-
ceed the sum of $11,208. As you are aware, it has been my
mother's and my intention to build and equip the School of
Mines -- as well as laying out the grounds according to my
letter of March 16th -- and on completion to turn everything
over free of cost to the University. Over and above this I
have agreed, according to my letter of May 13th, 1907, to
donate the yearly sum of $6,000 for a period of five years,
on completion of the building, which sum you assured me
would be the means of establishing a thoroughly efficient
and competent staff.
In view of the wish that we have expressed, I am writing
to say that my mother and I will be willing to assume this
item of $11,208, which was to be applied for the furnishing
and equipping of the Mackay building, provided that it meets
with the approval of the University authorities and the mem-
bers of the Legislature. Will you please advise me of the
decision that has been reached regarding this matter?
This generous offer on the part of Mr. Mackay and his mother will
be appreciated and accepted, no doubt, by the Regents and the
Legislature. I think it will be well for the Regents to make
some acknowledgment in a letter to Mr. Mackay, or to make it when
Mr. Mackay comes to the University at Commencement time. I would
suggest that the Regents ask the Legislature at its session in
1909 to appropriate this sum of $11,208 for the continuance of
the improvements of the grounds, so that this additional gift of
Mr. Mackay and his mother is devoted to the same splendid pur-
pose.
I have thought it would be a good plan if the University could
obtain the use of a good tent that would seat at least two thou-
sand people for the Commencement Exercises; to place the tent
upon the Campus just north of the Chemistry building so that it
will face the Mackay Mining building and the Mackay statue. I
will know in the course of a week or two whether we can accom-
plish this.
The following program of addresses is suggested for Commencement
Exercises:
On Wednesday morning we will have the Commencement address
by Colonel George Harvey; following this we will have no
scholarship address, but simply the giving of the scholar-
ships by some member of the Board of Regents; then the
address by Mr. Mackay dedicating the Mackay Mining building
and unveiling the statue; have the statue accepted in a
brief speech by the Governor of the State, or his represent-
ative; and have it then accepted by the Chairman of the Board
of Regents for the University; have the Mackay Mining build-
ing accepted in a few words by each member of this Board,
followed by an address ten minutes in length by the Head of
the Mining School; this to be followed by a ten-minute ad-
dress by Judge Norcross for the Alumni. Perhaps we ought
to invite Mr. Sam Davis to say a few words, especially in
acceptance of the statue, for in the beginning he did a
great deal toward securing the statue for the State. I will
see what Mr. Mackay says in respect to this part of the pro-
gram. At the conclusion of these Exercises and after ad-
journment, the members of the faculty are talking about giv-
ing a banquet to Mr. Mackay and his party in the University
Dining Hall and to the Alumni, the Regents and the mining
men of the State. The only question will be to keep the
number within proper limits.
On April 11th, 1908, I received a confidential letter (in common
with the other Presidents of State Universities) from Charles R.
Van Heise, President of the National Association of State Univer-
sities. This letter called attention to the points brought out
at our meeting in Chicago on the 23rd of January. In this letter
President Van Heise said that after some correspondence between
President Prichett and himself they arranged a compromise plan by
which the State Universities would be recognized for a period of
ten years, it being the expectation that the States themselves
would provide funds after that time.
When the tentative plan was submitted to Mr. Carnegie, it was
not satisfactory; that is, he desired if the State Universities
were recognized by the Foundation that this be done permanently.
President Pritchett explained to Mr. Carnegie that the funds of
the Foundation were not adequate to do this. The result was
that Mr. Carnegie agreed to add sufficiently to the funds of the
Foundation to include the State Universities permanently.
Under date of April 16th, 1908, I have a letter from President
Van Heise signed by Henry S. Pritchett, which says:
Dear President Van Heise,
A meeting of the Trustees of the Carnegie Foundation for
the Advancement of Teaching has been called for the seventh
of May. At this meeting Mr. Carnegie's proposal will be
definitely accepted and immediately thereafter the conditions
upon which the State Universities may apply to the Carnegie
Foundation will be announced. These conditions will include
compliance with the same academic standards as in the case
of other Institutions. Further than this it will be neces-
sary simply for State Institutions to apply in accordance
with the terms of Mr. Carnegie's letter of gift through the
Governing Boards. They will be the Regents of this Univer-
sity. The application is to be approved by the Governor and
the Legislature. If the Legislature is not sitting, the
Executive Committee of the Carnegie Foundation will be auth-
orized to place on the retiring list such Professors as may
be recommended from Institutions which are otherwise eligible
and in which the application is approved by the Governor.
We have already learned from the public Press that Mr. Carnegie
has given five million dollars to the Carnegie Foundation for
the benefit of the State Universities. I have made acknowledg-
ment of Mr. Carnegie's wise, generous gift both to Mr. Carnegie
and to Mr. H. S. Pritchett.
Besides other benefits this Foundation provides retiring allow-
ances for Professors in State Universities who have reached the
age of sixty-five years. It also provides retiring allowances
for those who have served in a University capacity for a period
of twenty-five years. I will lay before the Board further com-
munication on this subject from time to time.
Respectfully submitted,
J. W. Stubbs
President
Upon motion of Regent Lewers, seconded by Regent Henderson, the
offer of Mr. Clarence H. Mackay in a letter to President Stubbs
to donate funds to furnish and equip the Mackay Mining building
be accepted, and the President of the University was requested,
on behalf of the Regents, to acknowledge in befitting terms, this
most munificent gift.
Minutes of meeting held April 3rd were read, and upon motion
approved.
Claims were allowed from the several funds as follows:
Contingent Fund and Interest Account
Reno Evening Gazette $ 17.00
Nevada Transfer Co. 44.88
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 3.65
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 2.62
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 52.57
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 225.00
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 2.60
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 32.00
The Baker & Taylor Co. 12.25
Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. 4.20
University of Chicago Press 5.00
H. S. Crocker Co. 6.00
J. E. Souchereau 6.45
C. B. Henderson 68.90
First National Bank, Elko 100.00
Bennett's Magazine Agency 11.95
Reno Power Light & Water Co. 75.00
Payroll for April 2383.36
Student Payroll for April 223.95
Total $3277.38
Cement Walks
W. H. Blalock $ 235.00
A & M College - Morrill Fund
Porteous Decorating Co. $ .85
Gray, Reid Wright Co. 5.25
California Electrical Works 12.78
C. W. Marwedel 2.56
The Frasso Co. 12.75
A. E. Hackett 3.25
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 20.73
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 3.30
Nevada Hardware & Supply Co. 1.56
Reno Mercantile Co. 4.70
Spencer Lens Co. 5.72
Boston Cooking School Magazine 1.00
Payroll for April 2479.51
Total $2553.96
No further business appearing, the Board adjourned, to meet
Tuesday, June 9th, 1908.
Oscar J. Smith
Chairman
Geo. H. Taylor
Secretary
05/01/1908
