Business Affairs Office

Collection — Volume: 1

Identifier: RHC-UA-47-##7bj

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The earliest records in this series are two ledger books dated 1899-1917, the first of which contains costs for erecting Altgeld Hall, as well as payroll and other expenses. However, the majority of the records document the activities of the Business Affairs Office from the mid-1950's through the mid-1980's. University Financial Reports make up a major portion of this series. Campus Parking Committee records from the 1950's through the 1980's are also found here. The University’s financial report and the Department of Public Safety’s annual report were added regularly to the series. For more information concerning the Business Affairs Office, Auxiliary Services, and the Physical Plant researchers should consult the Presidents’ Papers (UA 4), as well as other University Archives holdings. Information relating to the Physical Plant can also be found in Campus Development records (UA 48), and information on the Parking Committee can be found in Boards, Councils and Committees (UA 17). For information relating to University Business matters since 1996 consult the Vice President for Finance and Facilities Office Records (UA 5).

Dates

created: 1896-1996
Other: Majority of material found in 1950s-1985
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1970

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to these records.

Biographical or Historical Information

University business matters were first handled by the president and his staff. In 1917, one of the president’s clerks was designated Bookkeeper. Later, in 1927, business matters were handled by a Business Agent and Student Records Keeper. A year later his title was changed to that of Business Manager, but it wasn’t until 1950 that a separate Business Office was created. In 1953 the office was reorganized as the Office of Business Services. Two years later the Business Manager was made the Director of Business Services. In 1967 the office was elevated to Vice-President of Business Affairs, in charge of a wide variety of University business matters. In the 1980's the Business Affairs Office included the Physical Plant Department, the Auxiliary Services Department and the Department of Public Safety. The Physical Plant Department is in charge of maintaining the University’s buildings and grounds. This includes planting trees and flowers for landscaping purposes. Auxiliary Services includes Central Stores, Food Services and the business operations of the residence halls. In addition to these departments, the Insurance Office and the Campus Parking Committee report to the Business Affairs Office. The Campus Parking Committee was originally called the Health, Traffic and Safety Committee. In 1963 its name was changed to the Campus Internal Affairs Committee, and in 1971 to the Campus Parking Committee. As of 1988 the Vice-President for Business and Operations directed the Department of Public Safety, Controller’s Office, Physical Plant, Materials Management, Computing and Telecommunication Systems, and Revenue Bond Facilities which included Auxiliary Services, the Holmes Student Center, Recreational Facilities and the Residence Halls. In March 1996 President LaTourette announced that the Division of Business and Operations would be merged with the division of Finance and Planning to form the Division of Finance and Facilities to be headed by the Senior Vice President of Finance and Facilities. This placed all units responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the university’s physical plant in one administrative line.

Note written by

Extent

5.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Method of Acquisition

Material from the Business Affairs Office came to the University Archives in several installments beginning in the 1970's and continuing through 1996.