Contains memoranda, correspondence, budgets, reports, agreements, financial information, organizational records and other printed matter from the Office of the Vice President for Business and Finance. Records concern Duke University, its various academic departments, organizations, and benefactors, including the Medical Center. These records were created by Vice President for Business and Finance Gerhard Henricksen (1962-1966) and his successor Charles B. Huestis (1966-1985), and provide a detailed account of the university's financial status. Major topics include the university's relationship with the Duke Endowment and Local Unions 77 and 465, Medical Center construction;, university properties, physical plant, and facilities renovations, national professional organizations, several university committees, the Board of Trustees, the Duke University Athletic Association, WDBS campus radio station, the Duke Vigil, Duke University Marine Lab, Huestis' personal interests and affiliations, and the departments of the Business and Finance Division (including Housing, Data Processing and the Computation Center, Accounting, Dining Halls, Personnel, Materials Support, Safety and Traffic, TelCom, and Utilities), and the University Architect. Major correspondents include University Architect, University Council, Business Manager, Corporate and University Controllers, Terry Sanford, William G. Anlyan, A. Kenneth Pye, Richard L. Jackson, J. Peyton Fuller, John Adcock. English.
In the early years of Trinity College, the President handled most financial affairs with assistance and guidance from the Board of Trustees. When the College moved to Durham in 1892, one of the trustees, Durham businessman Virginius Ballard, filled the post of College Treasurer and served until 1898. President John C. Kilgo took over the task until 1907. At that point, it appears that an office of Treasurer was formally established, as Dallas W. Newsom is listed in the Catalog as Treasurer. The collection includes ledgers and ledger sheets, cash books, journals, insurance policies, bonds, titles, leases, building and service contracts, correspondence, reports and other records, with bulk dates of 1910-1924. Records from 1891 concerning the Durham campus and buildings are also included.
The Treasurer is an officer of the University whose duties have included supervision of contracts, relations with the Duke Endowment, and management of the Bursar's Office, student loans, and investments. The position of Treasurer is established by the By-laws of the University. In 1995, the Treasurer's post was taken up by the chief financial and administrative officer, the Executive Vice President. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence to and from individuals who served the University as Treasurer and the subject files they created while in office, including grants and contracts but also ledger and account books. The collection ranges in date from 1893-ongoing.