Records of the Vice President & Business Manager, William Kerr
-
No requestable containers
Scope and Contents
This series, comprising sixteen boxes, is the administrative files of the Vice President and Business Manager, William Kerr. Kerr became the business manager on February 1, 1954, succeeding Harry L. Wells, who later retired from his vice presidency on September 1, 1954. Kerr became the vice president and business manager on October 11, 1954. He remained in the position until his retirement, August, 1980.
Because of the close working relationship between the business manager and the controller, records for both vice presidents during Kerr's tenure (1954-1980) are present in the series.
Included are folders pertaining to the operations of the University's various departments. The bulk of the material documents construction and maintenance of the university's buildings on both the Evanston and Chicago campuses. Correspondence, grant materials for construction projects, and financial records provide most of the documentation. A small amount of material concerning budgetary decisions by the controller regarding some univesity programs are included.
Two additions contain biographical material (including appointment calendars), together with additional information similar to the materials in the original donation.
Dates
- 1944-1980
Creator
- Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Office of the Vice President and Business Manager (Organization)
- Kerr, William S. (William Sleigh), 1911-1998 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection may contain sensitive materials; consultation with University Archivist required prior to use.
Extent
19.00 Boxes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
William Kerr became Northwestern University's business manager on February 1, 1954. He became the vice president and business manager on October 11, 1954, remaining in this position until his retirement, August, 1980. His role was oversight of the operations of the university's physical facilities, business transactions, and the budget. Among the departments reporting to Kerr were: Buildings and Grounds, Construction, Housing, Food Service, Bursar's Office, Personnel, Purchasing, Public Safety, Investment, Budget, Auditing, Controller, and Data Processing Services. This series, comprising sixteen boxes, constitutes Kerr's administrative files. Many of the departments are documented in the series by correspondence and financial records.
Arrangement
Files are sorted into broad categories, arranged alphabetically by keyword: communicative disorders; correspondence; data processing services; city of Evanston, housing; Northwestern University Department of Investment; McGaw Medical Center; parking; Northwestern University Department of Personnel; Northwestern University Department of Public Safety; Technological Institute; Women's Hospital. Most categories are subarranged alphabetically by keyword in the folder captions; some categories begin with a group of chronologically-arranged general folders. These categories are preceded by a small group of separate folders, part of the same alphabetical sequence.
Method of Acquisition
The records of the Vice President and Business Manager, William Kerr, were transferred to the University Archives in three accessions: #83-128, one-half box of records on September 15, 1983; #83-177, fifteen boxes of records on August 30, 1983 (both of these accessions were transferred by Lee Ellis, Senior Vice President for Business and Finance); and #87-42, one folder of records transferred by Jan Boden, Secretary to Lee Ellis, on March 9, 1987.
Addition: Transferred to the University Archives from the University's Human Resource Administration on June 28, 1990 (Accession #90-75).
Addition: These records were transferred to the University Archives by Jeremy Wilson, Associate Provost, in two accessions: Accession #98-64 on April 21, 1998 and Accession #98-92 on May 20, 1998.
Separated Materials
One folder of the Vice President and Business Manager, Harry L. Wells, dating 1944-1954, was transferred to the University Archives general files.
Addition: None.
Processing Information
Jason Slimon and Tyler O. Walters, March 31, 1989.
Addition: Kevin B. Leonard; July 9, 1990.
Addition: Alex L. Strauss, June 1998.
- Title
- Guide to the Records of the Vice President & Business Manager, William Kerr
- Author
- Jason Slimon and Tyler O. Walters
- Date
- 07/03/1991
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- eng
Library Details
Part of the Northwestern University Archives Repository
Deering Library, Level 3
1970 Campus Dr.
Evanston IL 60208-2300 US
847-491-3635
specialcollections@northwestern.edu