Proceedings of the Board of Regents (1939-1942)

January Meeting, 1940

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN,
ANN ARBOR, JANUARY 26, 1940
The Board met at 3:40 P.M. in the Regents' Room.
Present, the President, Regent Crowley, Regent Shields, Regent
Lynch, Regent Kipke, Regent Herbert, Regent Hemans, Regent Cook,
and Regent Cram. Absent, the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
There were also in attendance Professor L. M. Gram, Vice-President
Bruce, Vice-President Yoakum, Provost Stason, Dr. F. E. Robbins,
Mr. H. G. Watkins, and the Secretary.
Professor Gram orally presented the status of the various items in
the PWA building program to date.
The following resolution was adopted:
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS
Resolved, That during the interim between January 31, 1940, and March 1,
1940, the Committee on Plant and Equipment of the Regents of the University
of Michigan, consisting of Regent Cook, Regent Crowley, and Regent Lynch, be,
and it is hereby authorized and empowered to act for, on behalf of, and in the
name of the Regents of the University of Michigan in making awards of contracts
in connection with the University building program now being carried on with
grants-in-aid from the Public Works Administration. All contracts so awarded
shall be deemed to have been let, and shall have the same effect in all respects
as though they had been let by the Regents themselves.
The Secretary filed the usual current financial reports.
The minutes of the meeting of December 15, 1939, were approved
as submitted to the members of the Board in press proof.
The following statements were adopted (p. 137):
With the close of the year 1939 there came to an end the sixteen-year term
of service of Regent Ralph Stone. Next to Regent Junius E. Beal, he had served
the University longer than any of his colleagues at the time of his retirement.
During this entire period he was Chairman of i the Finance Committee and during
a part of the time he was a member of the Executive and other standing committees as well as of numerous special committees. One of his first services on coming
upon the Board was the provision for an annual audit of the University's books
by public accountants of such standing and widespread reputation as to give
respect everywhere to their certificate. Regent Stone has been interested in every
phase of University activities; his concern with University athletics and journalism, when a student, has carried through into his official years. But his primary
interest and responsibility throughout his sixteen years as a Regent have lain
in the care of the University trust funds. These increased from the round sum
of $1,300,000 when he came on the Board to $16,000,000 when he left it. We,
his colleagues, shall miss his knowledge, his judgment, his fairness and consideration, and his cheerful, direct energy. At this, the first meeting following his
retirement, we desire to go on record in admiration for him as a man and as a
devoted official of the University, and we' therefore direct that this statement be
incorporated in the minutes of this meeting and that a copy hereof be sent to
Mr. Stone with our congratulations and our best wishes for his future.
Thirty-two years ago, on January 11, 1908, Junius Emery Beal became a
Regent of the University of Michigan. At the time of his retirement from office,
December 31, 1939, he had completed a term of service longer than that of any
predecessor in the entire history of the institution, and one which was characterized by a high measure of ability and trustworthiness. His special knowledge of
Ann Arbor and its people, among whom he had lived all his life, was constantly
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