▁a ▁resolution ▁calling ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁an ▁under grad uate ▁Chicago ▁campus ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois . ▁ ▁Navy ▁Pier ▁campus ▁As ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁was ▁drawing ▁to ▁a ▁close , ▁Congress ▁passed ▁the ▁G . I . ▁Bill ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁which ▁sought ▁to ▁reward ▁veter ans ▁for ▁their ▁military ▁service . ▁Among ▁other ▁benefits , ▁it ▁provided ▁educational ▁fund ing , ▁making ▁college ▁degrees ▁far ▁more ▁att ain able ▁to ▁a ▁much - w ider ▁selection ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁public . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁D ale y , ▁who ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁state ▁sen ator , ▁introduced ▁four ▁b ills ▁calling ▁for ▁a ▁university ▁in ▁Chicago . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁real izing ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁be ▁" bes ie ged ▁with ▁applications ", ▁University ▁of ▁Illinois ▁officials ▁opened ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁temporary ▁branch ▁campus ▁called ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Under grad uate ▁Division ▁( C UD ) ▁on ▁Navy ▁Pier . ▁The ▁campus ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁junior ▁college , ▁but ▁rather ▁had ▁a ▁curr icul um ▁based ▁on ▁U rb ana ' s ▁courses , ▁and ▁students ▁who ▁successfully ▁completed ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁years ' ▁requirements ▁could ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁U rb ana ▁and ▁finish ▁their ▁degree . ▁ ▁Class es ▁at ▁the ▁C UD ▁campus ▁began ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁students ▁en rolled ▁each ▁sem ester . ▁Nick named ▁" Har vard ▁on ▁the