Courses have been taught in Zoology since 1868 under the Department of General Science and Literature;1 Department of Natural History (1868-69);2 College of Natural History, Zoological Department (1870);3 College of Natural Science, School of Natural History (1871-90);4 College of Science, School of Natural Science (1891-93);5 College of Science, Natural Science Group (1893-1900 );6 College of Science, General Science Group (1900-01);7 College of Science, Department of Zoology (1901-13);8 and in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (1913-73).9 In 1884, the Department became a clearly defined course of study.10 The Department granted B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Zoology and offered courses in genetics, parasitology, ecology, and physiology.11 In 1973, the Department of Zoology was divided into two provisional departments: the Department of Ecology,Ethology, and Evolution and the Department of Genetics and Development within the of Life Sciences. In March 17, 1976 the Board of Trustees approved the reorganized department.12 Genetics and development was approved by the University Senate as one of the specializations within regulatory biology to convey an emphasis of the department.13 The Executive Committee of the School of Life Sciences in 1986 decided to dissolve the Department of Genetics and Development and in 1990 approved a Senate recommendation to terminate the department.14 According to Professor David Nanney the dissolution of thedepartment was a "turf war" concerning genetics and its proper location within the university.15 The Board of Trustees renamed the Department of Anatomical Sciences as the Department of Cell and Structural Biology.16
1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 1st Report, June 13, 1868, p. 50.
2. Ibid, 2nd Report, January 12-22, 1869, p. 5-6.
3. Fourth Annual Circular, Illinois Industrial University, 1870-71, p. 34.
4. Catalogs and Registers, 1878-79, p. 23; 1889-90, p. 35.
5. Catalogs and Register, 1891-92, p. 26.
6. Catalogs and Registers, 1893-94, p. 48.
7. Catalogs and Registers, 1900-01, p. 61.
8. Catalogs and Registers, 1901-02, p. 124.
9. Board of Trustees Transactions, 27th Report, July 5, 1912, p. 71.
10. Catalogs and Registers, 1884-85, p. 67.
11. Graduate Study Catalog, 1971-72, p. 288-293.
12. Board of TRustees Transactions, 58th Report, March 17, 1976, p. 576.
13. Board of TRustees Transactions, 62nd Report, July 21, 1983, p. 298-299.
14. Board of Trustees agenda, June 14, 1990, #17.
15. Daily Illini, Tuesday, June 19, 1990, p. 1, 4.
16. Board of Trustees Transactions, 64th Report, April 14, 1988, p. 514.
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