The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-08
STATE UNIVERSITY.
President Swain Writes of Itemized
Reports and Per Capita Expense.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
In recent issues of the Journal several
statements have been made which are at
least misleading. l wish not to enter into a
controversy, but merely to make some cor
rections. tv
First-In the Journal Of last Monday
Timothy Nicholson, of Richmond, says:
In the late discussion before the Senate
committee on education a nonstate man
asked why the Indiana University, if a pub
lie state institution, does not make an item
lied, properly certified accounting to the
State Of all its receipts and expenditures.
The reply OF the president and the dean
of the Law School was, in substance, that
the Indiana University is a public state in
stftution, but as a private corporation 1t
was not compelled by law to make an item
lied accounting of its receipts and expendi-
tureS.'
To the query Of the nonstate man the
answer was made that as a matter of fact
the Indiana University does make an item
lied, properly certified accounting to the
State of all its receipts and expenditures
The report is made biennially to the Gov
ernor' and a copy is sent each session of the
Legislature to all the members Neither the
President nor the dean of Indiana University
said that ''as a private corporation it was
not compelled by law to make an itemized
accounting of receipts and expenditures" 1
VIM ASoNO " h1i0 loW CAo ~ NNC 20
act legal status of Indiana University, but
I am sure that in my knowledge no officer
of the university has refused to the Legisla-
ture, any Of it's committees or any other
body in authority the most full and complete
information concerning the affairs of the in
stitution. Two years ago a subcommittee
on ways and means asked for a fuller item
lied statement than the one in the biennial
report of the trustees to the Governor. 1t
was gladly given. 1t was shown that the
salary roll was much smaller in individual
items and in total amount than the salary
roll of similar institutions in other States.
The committee of the present Legislature
on visitation of state institutions have had
for several weeks a full itemized statement
of all receipts and expenditures for the past
two years. l am sure this committee will
bear me out in the statement that the uni
VerSity courted the fullest Investigation. The
officers and friends of Indiana University
do not now and never have opposed the
fullest investigation of all its affairs by any
authoritative body. If the Legislature wishes
fuller reports of the State University it only
has to say so and they win be given.
Second-In the edition of Feb. 3 the Jour
nal says:
"A Comparison of the. nonstate schools
with the state schools is decidedly favor
able to the former in respect of admins
tration and. operative expenses"
What follows indicates that the Journal
had in mind only certain schools in Indiana,
but if comparisons are made at all a wider
scope should be taken. DIR. John NJ. Coulter
some time since made a study OF per capita
expense in various schools. The question of
properly at all into such Investigation. DR..
Coulter found at that time that the per
capita cost in several institutions was as
follows: