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URBANA After a year of study, a proposal for a new engineering-focused medical school in Urbana could get a green light from top university administrators today.

UI President Bob Easter, who is scheduled to give his recommendation to UI trustees this afternoon, has held his conclusions close to the vest, with numerous administrators and faculty saying this week they didn't know what the president will say.

But there's an "expectant buzz" on campus, as one professor put it, and one trustee said Tuesday he expected the decision to be favorable to Urbana.

"My understanding is that it will be a recommendation to go forward," said Board of Trustees' Chairman Edward McMillan.

Easter will present a resolution on the proposal at a videoconferenced meeting of the Board of Trustees' Academic and Student Affairs Committee this afternoon in Urbana. Trustees are scheduled to vote on the resolution Thursday morning when they meet at the Illini Union.

Last spring, at the direction of Chancellor Phyllis Wise, consultants proposed a small medical school fusing medicine, bioengineering and "big data," developed in partnership with Carle Health System. As designed, it would use no state funding; Carle has pledged more than $100 million over the first 10 years.

It would be independent of the existing College of Medicine headquartered in Chicago, which operates regional campuses in Peoria, Rockford and Urbana.

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Med school proposal to be revealed