Comptroller records
Scope and Content
The collection consists of materials regarding the construction of University buildings and financial operations of University departments. The records include correspondence, general reports, salary comparisons, financial reports, building and electrical contracts, construction contracts, and enrollment statistics. Also included in the collection are proposed budgets and records regarding the removal of the Northern Pacific Railway Tracks from the center of campus.
Reflected clearly in the records are the details of the University's problem of operation under the State Board of Control, and later its problems connected with the construction of buildings with federal funds during the 1930s. Numerous blueprints showing architectural detail occur throughout the records.
Dates
- 1877-1970
Creator
- University of Minnesota. Comptroller (Organization)
Language of Materials
Collection materials in English
Use of Materials
Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Copyright
Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). Requests to publish should be arranged with the University of Minnesota Archives.
Historical Note
The Board of Regents appointed Dean William M. Liggett purchasing agent for the department of agriculture and Judge Stephen Mahoney, then secretary of the Board of Regents, as purchasing agent for the rest of the University in 1903. These two positions were responsible for directing the finances of the University. In 1905, Judge Mahoney resigned and Calvin D. Decker was appointed as purchasing agent and secretary of the Board of Regents. He served until 1911, when all administrative financial decisions were consolidated with the establishment of the Office of the Comptroller by the State Legislature.
The position of comptroller and secretary to the Board of Regents was first held by George H. Hayes (1911-1921). He was followed by Albert J. Lobb (1921-1925), William T. Middlebrook (1925-1943, who was promoted to Vice President of Business Administration in 1943) and Laurence R. Lunden (1943-1951). In 1951, the position title was changed to Comptroller and Treasurer, with Laurence R. Lunden continuing his appointment until 1959, when he was promoted to Vice President of Business Administration after the retirement of William Middlebrook. He was briefly replaced by Edwin C. Jackson and then by Clinton T. Johnson. In 1960, the title was again changed to Assistant Vice President of Business Administration, while the title of the assistant comptroller was changed to comptroller.
The comptroller was responsible for delivering the appropriation request of the University to the State Legislature, distributing grant money awarded to the University, setting tuition rates for students and handling the overall finances of the University.
Extent
19 boxes + one map case drawer (19.3 cubic feet
Abstract
Collection contains the records of the Comptroller at the University of Minnesota.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into the following series:
- Buildings
- Financial Documents/Correspondence (FDC)
- Miscellaneous
The numbering scheme developed by the Comptroller has been preserved; thus the files on buildings are all labeled "21," while the financial documents/correspondence is "99." Some miscellaneous folders are labeled with various number schemes, while other files were never assigned a number by the Comptroller's Office.
Source of acquisition
The collection was transferred to University Archives between 1948-1973.
- Architecture -- Minnesota -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bell Museum of Natural History
- Boynton Health Service
- Campus planning. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Chase, Ray P. (Ray Park), 1880-1948
- Cloquet Forest Experiment Station
- Coffman Memorial Union.
- College buildings -- Designs and plans. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- College facilities -- Planning. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- College sports -- Minnesota Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dormitories. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Football -- Minnesota. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Gleason, John L.
- Grant, Richard.
- Memorial Stadium (Minneapolis, Minn.).
- Middlebrook, William T.
- Military education -- Minnesota Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Minnesota Alumni Association
- Minnesota Geological Survey
- Minnesota Hospital and Home for Crippled Children.
- Northrop Memorial Auditorium (Minneapolis, Minn.)
- Schaper, William A., 1869-1955
- St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory
- United States. National Recovery Administration.
- Universities and colleges -- Employees. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Universities and colleges -- Religion Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- University of Minnesota, Duluth
- University of Minnesota. Agricultural Experiment Station. St. Anthony Park.
- University of Minnesota. Armory.
- University of Minnesota. Astronomical Observatory.
- University of Minnesota. Buildings.
- University of Minnesota. Bureau of Employment.
- University of Minnesota. Center for Continuation Study.
- University of Minnesota. College of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics
- University of Minnesota. College of Education
- University of Minnesota. Cooperative Cottages for Women Students.
- University of Minnesota. Dentistry Building.
- University of Minnesota. Department of Agriculture
- University of Minnesota. Department of Botany
- University of Minnesota. Department of History
- University of Minnesota. Department of Military Science and Tactics.
- University of Minnesota. Department of Physical Education for Women.
- University of Minnesota. Division of Dairy Husbandry.
- University of Minnesota. Division of Entomology and Economic Zoology
- University of Minnesota. Division of Horticulture.
- University of Minnesota. Division of Library Instruction.
- University of Minnesota. Division of Soils
- University of Minnesota. Excelsior Fruit Breeding Farm.
- University of Minnesota. General Extension Division
- University of Minnesota. Graduate School
- University of Minnesota. Health Services.
- University of Minnesota. Hospitals
- University of Minnesota. Lake Itasca Forestry and Biological Station
- University of Minnesota. Libraries
- University of Minnesota. Mines Experiment Station
- University of Minnesota. Minnesota Union.
- University of Minnesota. News Service
- University of Minnesota. North Central Experiment Station (Grand Rapids, Minn.).
- University of Minnesota. Northeast Experiment Station (Duluth, Minn.)
- University of Minnesota. Northwest Experiment Station (Crookston, Minn.)
- University of Minnesota. Oak Street Laboratories.
- University of Minnesota. Office of the Registrar
- University of Minnesota. Office of the Vice President.
- University of Minnesota. Owatonna Experiment Station.
- University of Minnesota. Physical Plant Department.
- University of Minnesota. Pillsbury Statue.
- University of Minnesota. President's Residence.
- University of Minnesota. Printing Department.
- University of Minnesota. Rosemount Research Center
- University of Minnesota. School of Agriculture
- University of Minnesota. School of Business.
- University of Minnesota. School of Chemistry
- University of Minnesota. School of Dentistry
- University of Minnesota. School of Forestry
- University of Minnesota. School of Mines
- University of Minnesota. Southern Experiment Station (Waseca, Minn.)
- University of Minnesota. Tunnels.
- University of Minnesota. University High School
- University of Minnesota. West Central School of Agriculture (Morris, Minn.)
- University of Minnesota. Women's Self-Government Association.
- Title
- Comptroller Records, 1877-1970
- Author
- Marian H. Christensen; revised by Karen Spilman
- Date
- August 2005
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Collecting Area Details
Contact The University Archives Collecting Area
