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A Guide to his Papers at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Janna Carney and Ryan Lee

Summary Information

Repository:
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Willbern, York Y.

Collection No.
C334

Extent
9.4 cubic feet (10 boxes)

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
York Willbern began his career at Indiana University in 1957 when he was named Professor of Government and director of the Bureau of Government Research. He was one of the founders of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University, and was an accomplished scholar and author of many books and articles on the subjects of cities, public policy-making, urban planning and education for governmental administrative careers. This collection includes correspondence, writings, teaching files, project files, and records on a variety of subjects related to York Willbern's career and interests, including papers related to his book The Withering Away of the City, files on the American Political Science Association, and university committees such as the Urban Studies Committee.

Access Restrictions

Select files are closed to researchers. These are noted in the container list.

Advance notice required for access.

Biographical Note

York Young Willbern was born in Runge, Texas, on December 29, 1915. He received his BA from Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1934; and received his MA (1938) and PhD (1943) from the University of Texas. In 1937 he married Johnne Bryant and they had two children, Cynthia and Ann Bryant. After he finished at UT, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

Prior to joining the faculty of Indiana University, Professor York Willbern was heavily involved in teaching, having taught in high schools in Texas (1934-1939), and at North Texas State Teachers College (1942-1943), University of Texas (1943), University of Alabama (1946-1957), Duke University (1956), Columbia University (1957), and the University of New Zealand (1954), where he was a Fulbright lecturer in public administration. While at Alabama, Willbern was chairman of the Department of Political Science, chairman of the University Study and Planning Program, and director of the Alabama State Bureau of Public Administration.

York Willbern began his career at Indiana University in 1957 when he was named Professor of Government and director of the Bureau of Government Research. From 1964-1971 he was director of the university's Institute of Public Administration. In 1964, President Herman B Wells bestowed on Willbern the highest academic rank of University Professor of Political Science (now known as Distinguished Professor). In 1967 Professor Willbern was a Fulbright lecturer at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. That same year he received the distinguished honor of being named University Professor of Government, and chairman of the University’s Committee on Urban Studies. Willbern chaired the Bloomington Faculty Council Committee in the mid-1960’s that first recommended IU should establish a school of public affairs, which evolved into an all-university committee that recommended establishing the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). Willbern was active in SPEA since its inception in 1972, and was named acting dean of the school for the 1977 spring semester, during the sabbatical leave of Dean Charles F. Bonser.

While at IU Willbern was heavily involved in several organizations aimed at improving state government in Indiana. In 1963 he was named secretary of the Commission to Study Organizational Structure, Personnel, Auditing and Budgeting Policies of the State. In 1968 he was named staff director of the Commission on Executive Reorganization, which planned a study aimed at more efficient state government. Willbern was appointed to the Indiana State Housing Board in 1979.

Prof. Willbern was an accomplished scholar and author of many books and articles on the subjects of cities, public policy-making, planning and education for governmental administrative careers. Prominent among his published books are: Cities and Riverfront Lands; The Withering Away of the City; Governing Metropolitan Indianapolis: the Politics of Unigov , co-authored with C. James Owen; and, Public Administration and Policy Formation , with Emmette Redford, Guy Fox, Ralph Huitt, Comer Clay, and Hugh Hall.

York Willbern was active in several professional organizations related to political science and public administration. He was editor-in-chief of Public Administration Review, president of the American Society for Public Administration, and member of the executive councils of the National Academy of Public Administration, the American Political Science Association, the American Society of Planning Officials, the National Institute of Public Affairs, and the American Association of University Professors, where he was also Alabama State President. Willbern was also a member of the council of Southern Political Science Association, and a member of the International Institute of Administrative Science, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha, Pi Kappa Delta, and Alpha Chi.

Although he officially retired from the IU faculty in 1981, York Willbern remained active in teaching on campus for many years, and continued to publish many great works related to government and public administration, such as Governing Metropolitan Indianapolis: the Politics of Unigov , which was published in 1986. He died in Seattle, Washington, in April 2007.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into six series: Subject files; Correspondence; Course materials; Projects; Writings; and Organizations.

Scope and Content Note

The York Y. Willbern papers consist of 9.4 cubic feet of records that span the period from 1939-1994. These records are arranged into six series: Subject files, Correspondence, Course materials, Projects, Writings, and Organizations.

Subject files, the first series, spans the period from 1956-1994 and includes records on a variety of topics related to Willbern’s career before and at Indiana University, and in Indiana in general. The series is divided into three sub-series: General, Indiana and Indiana University. The General sub-series spans the period from 1956-1989 and includes folders on miscellaneous topics not related to Indiana or Indiana University specifically, such as racial integration, planning, and public morality. The folder on integration is a series of clippings and responses to the integration issues that were prevalent in the state of Alabama, particularly at the University of Alabama where Willbern was teaching, during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950's. The Indiana sub-series spans 1957-1990 and includes records on topics such as Bloomington, Housing Board, and Uni-gov. A copy of a chapter of a book dealing with Uni-gov is included in these records. The second sub-series, Indiana University, spans 1956-1994 and includes records on topics such as policy, SPEA, different departments of the school in which he taught, the Reorganization Group, and the Urban Studies Committee. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.

Correspondence is the second series, and it spans the period from 1941-1994. The series is further divided into two sub-series: General correspondence and Recommendations. The General correspondence sub-series spans the period from 1941-1993 and consists or correspondence to and from Willbern to students, colleagues, and other associates. Some of the correspondence with students includes drafts or copies of papers, theses and other student work, which are noted in the folder list. The correspondence with Norman Kittle is restricted because it includes information relating to tenure. Notable correspondents include Richard Lugar, former mayor of Indianapolis (1968-1975) and current U.S. Senator (1977- ); well-known journalist and TV anchorwoman Jane Pauley; semiologist and IU Professor Thomas Sebeok; and former IU President Herman B Wells. This sub-series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent. The second sub-series, Recommendations, consists of seven folders of letters of recommendation Willbern wrote for students and colleagues, and is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the person being recommended. This sub-series is restricted due to personal information, and the folders are stored at the end of the collection. Please ask staff for more information.

Course materials, the third series, spans the period from 1939-1992 and consists of Willbern's teaching files from before and during his tenure at Indiana University. These records were kept in the original order they were received, with the files being arranged alphabetically by subject rather than by specific course. This has resulted in some duplication of materials throughout the series. Several folders include exam keys and student work. Prominent subjects present include American government, constitutional law, ethics, public administration, and urban government and administration. This series is arranged alphabetically.

The fourth series, Projects, spans the period from 1940-1993 and consists mostly of correspondence, notes, and other records related to various projects and events with which York Willbern was involved. Prominent projects include the Commission on Executive Reorganization; a two-tier project for the National Academy of Public Administration to reconstruct the governmental structure of two major metropolitan areas (labeled "Academy 2-tier project"); and a major study of social indicators. Also prominent in the collection are several folders labeled by cities or countries in which Willbern was involved in projects, including Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and Malaysia. This series is arranged alphabetically.

Writings, the fifth and largest series, spans the period from 1939-1994 and consists of notes, manuscript drafts, and published copies of many of Willbern's writings spanning his career before, during and after Indiana University. This series is further arranged into six sub-series: Publications, Papers and presentations, Speeches and addresses, Manuscripts, Book reviews, and Other writings. The majority of these writings are on topics for which Willbern was an expert, such as public administration, city government and politics, urban management, and the concept of Unigov. The Publications sub-series spans the period from 1944-1986 and includes published books, articles and book chapters written by York Willbern. Prominent publications include Cities and Riverfront Lands; The Withering Away of the City; and, Governing Metropolitan Indianapolis: the Politics of Unigov , co-authored with C. James Owen. For most of the book chapters, the entire book in which it was published is present. For some publications, reviews and correspondence related to publishing are included. The Papers and presentations sub-series spans the period from 1955-1988 and includes manuscript and published copies of various papers or presentations Willbern was asked to give at professional conferences, such as the American Political Science Association, many of which were published in the proceedings of the conference. The Speeches and addresses sub-series spans the period from 1950-1994 and includes copies of addresses Willbern gave at various functions and events, including professional conferences, or for organizations with which Willbern was affiliated, such as Phi Beta Kappa. The last four folders of this sub-series are speech files arranged alphabetically by speech title and topic, and which consist of notes, drafts, and copies of many of Willbern's speeches. The materials in these speech files were kept in the original order they were received. The Manuscripts sub-series spans the period from 1963-1979 and includes several dated and undated manuscript copies of Willbern's writings, most of them drafts of papers or articles. In the last folder of this sub-series, there are several undated and untitled manuscripts on the topic of Unigov. The Book review sub-series spans the period from 1948-1980 and includes both manuscript and published copies of reviews Willbern was asked to write of books related to politics, government, urban planning, and other areas for which Willbern was well-versed. The final sub-series, Other writings, spans the period from 1939-1984 and consists of a variety of other writings by or about York Willbern that did not fall into the previous categories. Types of writings include oral history transcripts of an interview with Willbern, reports, grant assessments, notes and outlines on various topics, and papers Willbern wrote as a graduate student at the University of Texas. This series is arranged alphabetically.

The sixth and final series, Organizations, spans the period from 1946-1992 and consists of correspondence, meeting programs and notes, and membership information on several professional organizations with which York Willbern was a member or otherwise affiliated. Prominent organizations represented include: American Political Science Association, American Society of Public Administration, Public Administration Review, where Willbern was editor-in-chief, and Phi Beta Kappa. This series is arranged alphabetically.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University, Bloomington --Faculty --Archives.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington --Faculty --Archives.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington --Faculty --Correspondence.
  • Willbern, York Y. --Archives.
  • Willbern, York Y. --Correspondence.
• • Topics
  • Political science teachers --Indiana --Bloomington --Archives.
  • Cities and towns --United States --History --Sources.
  • City planning --United States --History --Sources.

Separated Material

One color photo of Theodore R. Johnson was pulled from Correspondence file "Johnson, Theodore R., 1973-1992;" one black and white portrait of Glen Taylor was pulled from Course Materials file "Politics;" and, two small boxes of Kodak slide projector transparencies were pulled from Course Materials. All these were interfiled with the Archives' photograph collection. Please ask Archives staff for more details.

Administrative Information

Container List

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Series: Subject files, 1956-1994 

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Subseries: General, 1956-1989 

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Box 1 Integration, 1956  View item(s)

---

Planning, circa 1962 

---

Public Morality, 1962-1989 

---

San Marcos, 1989 

---

Subseries: Indiana, 1957-1990 

---

Bloomington,

---

Box 1 Community Development Committee, 1961-1985 

---

Leadership, 1973-1990 

---

Commission on Executive Reorganization, 1965-1968 

---

Democratic Platform Committee, 1981-1984 

---

Gary, 1959-1985 

---

Government, 1957-1979 

---

Governors – Panel for IUPUI SPEA Housewarming, 1981 

---

Housing Board, 1974-1980 

---

Indiana Academy, circa 1970 

---

Legislative/Centennial History Project, 1976-1984 

---

Mini-Gov, 1969-1980 

---

Unigov,

---

Correspondence, 1969-1989 

---

"Local Government Reorganization in Indianapolis," copy of chapter, undated 

---

Maps and clippings, 1969-1989 

---

Indianapolis Notes, 1959-1978 

---

Subseries: Indiana University, 1956-1994 

---

Annuitants Insurance,

---

Box 1 1988-1991 

---

1992-1993 

---

Bentley Chair Committee, 1963-1990 

---

Departments: Government, Political Science, Public Administration,

---

1959-1979 

---

Distinguished Ranks Committee, 1981-1985 

---

External Relations Committee, 1990 

---

Faculty Discussion Club, 1972-1973 

---

Forum on Higher Education Training Session, undated 

Note: One VHS Cassette

---

Fringe Benefits, 1989-1994 

---

Box 2 General,

---

1957-1970 

---

1971-1987 

---

Government Research Bureau, 1956-1960 

---

Grievance Committee, 1989 

---

Law School – Dean Search Committee, 1976 

---

Medical School, 1991 

---

Personnel Committee, 1991-1994 

---

Policy,

---

1960-1979 

---

1980-1992 

---

Political Science, 1972-1990 

---

Poynter Center, 1980-1993 

---

Presidency, 1968-1994 

---

Read Mentors Program, 1989-1990 

---

Regional Economic Development Workshop, 1983-1984 

---

Reorganization Group,

---

1985-1986 

---

1987-1988 

---

ROTC Committee, 1986-1988 

---

School of Public and Environmental Affairs, 1970-1992 

---

Lectures, 1974-1977 

---

Titled Professional Ranks, 1991-1992 

---

University Study Committee, Faculty Information, 1965 

---

Urban Studies Committee,

---

1957-1961 

---

1962-1967 

---

1967-1971 

---

Series: Correspondence, 1941-1994 

---

Subseries: General correspondence, 1941-1993 

---

Box 2 A-B, 1946-1993 

---

Abdulla, Saif A., 1971-1990 

---

Adkins, Roscoe C., 1947 

---

Albright, Doris, 1954-1963 

---

Al-Ibram, Hassan, 1977 

---

Altman, David, 1975-1976 

---

Arefi Family, 1975-1985 

---

Bailey, Stephen K., 1968 

---

Baker, Randall, 1988-1992 

---

Bartlett, Robert, 1983-1990 

---

Barton, Sam B., 1946 

---

Blagg, Mary Evelyn, 1947-1948 

---

Bock, Edwin A., 1958 

---

Brower, David J., 1967-1970 

---

Bunke, Harvey C., 1978 

---

C-E, 1947-1993 

---

Carino, Benjamin V., 1968-1971 

---

Carroll, Michael A., 1980-1992 

---

Carter, Dean Byrum, 1968 

---

Cassella, William N., Jr., 1965-1981 

---

Chase, John L., 1968-1969 

---

Clayton, James, R., 1970 

---

Cole, Fred, 1958-1960 

---

Cox, David N., 1974-1978 

---

Dahl, Robert A., 1957-1959 

---

Daland, Robert T., 1954-1958 

---

Diamont, Alfred, 1968-1979 

---

Doherty, William, 1975-1976 

---

Doig, Jameson W., 1983 

---

Dunham, Walter, Jr., 1949 

---

Earle, Valerie A., 1954 

---

Esser, George H., 1981 

---

F, 1949-1991 

---

Floyd, Thomas H., Jr., 1954-1991 

---

Fortenberry, C.N., 1946-1947 

---

Fowler, Earle B., 1969-1970 

---

Fox, Guy, 1945-1988 

---

Frederickson, H. George, 1970-1992 

---

Box 3 Friesma, H. Paul, 1965-1970 

---

G, 1950-1993 

---

Georgiev, Ludmil Lubomirov, 1992-1993 

---

Gilbert, Charles, 1965-1985 

---

Goodall, Merrill, 1968 

---

Gonso, Harry, 1986-1993 

---

Gopoian, David, 1979-1981 

---

Graham, George A., 1981-1992 

---

Grodzins, Morton, 1958-1959 

---

Gulick, Luther, 1970-1982 

---

H, 1948-1993 

---

Hahn, Alan J., 1967-1990 

---

Hallman, Howard W., 1974-1980 

---

Hansell, Bill, 1989 

---

Healy, Patrick, 1965 

---

Heard, Alexander, 1947-1992 

---

Hofferbert, Richard I., 1973-1974 

---

Hoffman, Philip G., 1950-1958 

---

Huefner, Robert P., 1975-1983 

---

Huey, Mary Evelyn, 1968 

---

Hunger, John M., 1967-1988 

---

Huntington, Samuel T., 1968 

---

Hyneman, Charles S., 1959-1982 

---

I-K, 1950-1990 

---

Iskandar, Adnan G., 1967-1972 

---

Johnson, Joseph E., 1968-1969 

---

Johnson, Theodore R., 1973-1992 

---

Jones, Garth N., 1980 

---

Jumper, Roy, 1969-1986 

---

Kessler, James B., 1967-1969 

---

Key, V.O., Jr., 1948-1958 

---

Kimball, Solon T., 1954-1966  View item(s)

---

Kisrwani Family, 1969-1985 

---

Box 10 Kittel, Norman, 1980 

(RESTRICTED)

---

Box 3 Kordesh, Rich, 1984-1986 

---

Kronenberg, Philip S., 1968 

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L, 1947-1991 

---

La, Jea Min, 1973-1976 

---

Landau, Sherman, 1977-1978 

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Larsen, Christian L., 1948-1963 

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Levine, Charles H., 1969-1981 

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Lewis, Eugene, 1981 

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Lewis, Laura J., 1979 

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Lugar, Richard G., 1970-1993 

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M, 1947-1992 

---

Martin, James W., 1948-1950 

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Martin, Roscoe C., 1948-1969 

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Mathewson, Kent, 1976-1989 

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McAlister, Sam B., 1946-1948 

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McDonald, Donnelly P., Jr., 1968-1969 

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McNeil, Robert J., 1964-1966 

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Michigan State, 1957-1958 

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Middleton, Edward E., 1983-1984 

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Miles, Simon, 1968 

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Milliman, J.W., 1966-1970 

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Mize, Henry, 1947-1950 

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Montjoy, Robert S., 1974-1990 

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Mowitz, Robert J., 1958-1960 

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N-O, 1948-1991 

---

National Endowment for the Humanities, 1976-1977 

---

Newland, Chester, 1989 

---

North Texas Sate University, 1946-1968 

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Norton, James A. (Dolph), 1986-1987 

---

Nunn, Grady H., 1957-1968 

---

Obolonsky, Alexander V., 1991 

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Ohio State University Press, 1981-1982 

---

Owen, C. James, 1975-1980 

---

P-R, 1948-1992 

---

Patterson, James M., 1980-1994 

---

Pauley, Jane, 1990 

---

Pendleton, William C., 1974 

---

Price, Don K., 1977 

---

Prothro, James W., 1947 

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Ransome, Coleman B., Jr., 1954-1986 

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Ray, Joseph M., 1946-1963 

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Redford, Emmette S., 1946-1992 

Note: Includes transcription of oral history interview

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Reid, Phyllis (Haggland), 1970 

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Riggs, Fred W., 1992-1993 

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Robertson, Joseph M., 1965-1983 

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S, 1948-1991 

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Salem, Elie A., 1967-1981 

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Scott, Kenneth J., 1955-1957 

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Scott, Stanley, 1983-1984 

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Sebeok, Thomas A., 1993 

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Sharpe, L.J., 1971-1977 

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Shipman, George A., 1959 

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Siffin, William J., 1979-1993 

Note: Includes CV, memorial resolution, funeral liturgy

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Sim'an, Emile S., 1967-1970 

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Southern Regional Conference – Alabama Division, 1949-1950  View item(s)

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Southwest Texas State University, 1988 

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Stempel, John D., 1968 

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Strong, Donald S., 1945-1954 

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Strumpf, George B., 1969 

Note: Includes drafts of student work

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Stryker, John H., 1973-1975 

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Sundquist, James L., 1980-1988 

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Swarthout, John M., 1958 

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Szreniawski, Jan, 1968 

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T-V, 1948-1990 

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Taylor, Joseph T., 1963 

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Terry, Charles W., 1949-1950 

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Texas, University of, 1941-1949 

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Thomas, Krista, 1975 

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Turner, E. Robert, 1959 

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Universities – Job correspondence,

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1941-1949 

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1950-1981 

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Vatikiotis, P.J., 1976-1986 

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Vaughan, Donald, S., 1986-1989 

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Vlaisavljevich, Michael, 1961-1972 

Note: Includes working paper for PhD thesis

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W, 1945-1990 

---

Warren, Charles R., 1968-1984 

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Waldo, Dwight, 1973-1978 

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Weber, Ronald E., 1980-1982 

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Welborn, David, 1962-1992 

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Wells, Herman B, 1958-1988 

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Welsh, Matthew E., 1977-1992 

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Wheaton, William L.C., 1957-1958 

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Wilcox, Robert F., 1980-1984 

---

Wilbern, Roy, 1987-1989 

---

Williams, Frederick J., 1978-1987 

Note: Includes student work

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Wise, Lois Recascino, 1980-1983 

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X-Z, 1948-1985 

---

Ylvisaker, Paul, 1958-1959 

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Zauderer, Donald G., 1969-1990 

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Subseries: Recommendations, 1947-1994  

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Box 3 A-Z, 1947-1994 

(7 folders)

(RESTRICTED)

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Series: Projects, 1940-1993 

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Box 5 Academic 2-Tier Project, 1971-1977 

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Bulgaria, circa 1992 

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Commission on Executive Reorganization,

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Minutes – Papers; RE: Meetings, 1968 

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State of Indiana, 1968 

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Constitutional Bicentennial Project, 1982-1987 

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Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia – American Studies, 1991 

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Ford Foundation,

---

1964-1974 

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Cairo, Egypt, 1969-1970 

---

Lewis and Clark College, 1978 

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Little Rock, 1962 

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Malaysia, 1983-1986  View item(s)

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Minamiguchi – Rotary Club Host, 1991 

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Municipal Debt Project, circa 1958 

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New Zealand Cases, 1953-1955 

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Nova University D.P.A. Program, 1974-1983 

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Box 6 Parking and Transportation Ad Hoc Committee (Indiana University), 1982-1993 

(2 Folders)

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Puerto Rico,

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1968-1970 

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Study, Final Report, 1971 

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Redford, Emmette (Celebration Event), 1985-1986 

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Research Topics, 1947-1955 

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Rockefeller Public Service Awards, 1976-1981 

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Sabbaticals, 1966-1979 

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Social Indicators, 1970-1972 

(3 Folders)

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Texas College and University System, Coordinating Board, 1977-1979 

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Texas Legislative Council, 1950-1953 

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Thailand, 1960 

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University of Alabama Bureau of Public Administration, 1946-1949  View item(s)

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Urban Area Problems, Governor's Conference, 1958 

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Urban Conference, 1965 

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Urban Government, Foreign, 1961-1976 

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Urban Growth, 1940-1976 

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Urban Observatory, 1965-1972 

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Urban Research – Evanston, 1959-1960  

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Utah, University of, Evaluation of undergraduate and graduate programs, 1972-1974 

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Venezuela, 1971-1978 

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Virginia, University of, 1977 

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Warsaw, Poland, 1978-1991 

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Wells Program, 1985 

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Yugoslav – Bloomington Seminar, 1964