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Robert T. Wagner Papers

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Collection Summary

Identifier

UA 53.31

Title

Robert T. Wagner Papers

Creator

Robert T. Wagner

Dates

1971-1998

Extent

3.0 linear feet (3 records center boxes) photographs

Language

English

Repository

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Access note

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Preferred Citation

Name of item . Robert T. Wagner Papers. UA 53.31. South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M .Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Abstract

Robert T. Wagner, president of South Dakota State University, 1985-1997. Papers related to his career at SDSU as a teacher and administrator.

Biographical Note

Robert Todd Wagner was born October 30, 1932. He earned a degree in philosophy from Augustana College in 1954. He and Mary Mumford, a native of Howard, married that same year before moving to Evanston, Ill., where he was a student at the Seabury Western Theological Seminary. The couple eventually moved back to South Dakota, where Robert earned his Ph.D. at South Dakota State University, and Mary a master’s degree in social sciences in 1974 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 1978.

Wagner first joined the university in 1971 as an assistant professor of rural sociology, and he earned “legendary” status through his Marriage 250 class. The class enrolled almost 1,200 students a year in three sections, filling every seat in Rotunda D, the largest classroom on campus.

Wagner served two years as an assistant to the vice president for academic affairs and spent a year as vice president and chief administrator at Dakota State University in Madison before he was called back to SDSU to assume the university presidency. A position he held from 1985-1997.

Wagner led SDSU from a controversial era into a decidedly more tranquil time. His quiet attention to the internal workings of the college, rather than external politics, worked well and resulted in a great deal of growth. Despite constant budget problems under his administration, the campus expanded by more than 380,000 square feet. Twenty-two faculty were added, and technology became a major factor in the university. The College of Education and Counseling was formed, and many buildings were built, including Berg and Bailey Apartments, the Animal Disease Research, and the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory.

His wife, Mary, was also an SDSU staffer as well as a member of the Brookings school board and a Republican legislator for 12 years. She died in 2004.

In 2010, SDSU renamed its Nursing, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Arts and Sciences building in honor of the Wagner’s. The South Dakota Board of Regents approved the name change.

A scholar as well as a popular teacher, Wagner was the author of 64 publications and chaired numerous academic committees.

Contents Note

The Robert T. Wagner papers span his career from 1971 until his retirement in 1997. The records are composed of materials related to all aspects of his career at South Dakota State University. Also included is a small amount of material related to his service as Vice President at Dakota State College.

Files related to his academic teaching as a professor of Rural Sociology at SDSU are composed of correspondence, calendars, programs related to speaking engagements, and greeting cards of thanks and birthday wishes. A minimal amount of material is related to the courses he taught.

The Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs at SDSU records are composed of calendars, correspondence, clippings, newsletters, greeting cards, photographs, and certificates awarded to Wagner. A small amount of materials related to teaching can be found in these files as he still taught some classes during this time.

Records related to his presidency at SDSU make up the largest portion of this collection. These files are composed of correspondence, clippings, calendars, certificates, reports, newsletters, evaluations, and greeting cards. At the end of this material researchers will find material related to his retirement.

Related Resources

Papers of university presidents. UA 1.1. South Dakota State University Archives and Hilton M. Briggs Library Special Collections.

For more information on Robert T. Wagner visit the Digital Library of South Dakota:

View Collection

Bibliography

Goreham, Gary and Robert T. Wagner, South Dakotans on the move : characteristics of people leaving and entering the state, 1970 to 1980, Brookings, S.D., Dept. of Rural Sociology, Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, South Dakota State University, 1974. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.17 no. 229/up. 14]

Goss, Sidney G., Robert T. Wagner and Robert M. Dimit, Population change in South Dakota small towns, 1960-1970, Brookings, Rural Sociology Dept., Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1975. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 636]

Riley, Marvin P. and Robert T. Wagner, Reference tables: population change of counties and incorporated placed, Brookings, Rural Sociology Dept., Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1971. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no 586]

Riley, Marvin P. and Robert T. Wagner, South Dakota population and net migration, 1960-1970, Brookings, Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1971. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 580]

Riley, Marvin P., Robert T. Wagner, and Fred G. Bender, Population update, Brookings, S.D., Dept. of Rural Sociology, Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1978. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.17 no. 229, up. 1] South Dakota Board of Regents, An Appreciation of the services of Dr. Charles W. Pugsley as president of South Dakota State College, South Dakota, Board of Regents?, 1940. [Archives: S537.S6 P77 1940]

Wagner, Robert T. and Eugene T. Butler, 1980 population projections for South Dakota, Brookings, Rural Sociology, Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1974. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 619]

Wagner, Robert T. and Robert M. Dimit, South Dakota water plan: attitudes of South Dakotans toward water resources development, Brookings, Rural Sociology Dept., Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1975. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 632]

Wagner, Robert T., A study of selected demographic factors associated with changed in age structure in the population of South Dakota from 1960-1970, Thesis (Ph. D.)—Rural Sociology Dept., South Dakota State University, 1972. [Archives: LB2386.W125]

Wagner, Robert T., Attitudes of South Dakotans toward water resource [i.e. resources] development, Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, Dept. of Rural Sociology, 1975-1976. [SD Collection: TC424.S8 W341]

Wagner, Robert T., Characteristics and needs of the aged in South Dakota, 1980-1990, Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University, Dept. of Rural Sociology, 1978. [SD Collection: HQ1064.U6 S7]

Wagner, Robert T., Eugene T. Butler, and Karen A. McComish, Population projection models for South Dakota, 1980, 1985, and 1990, Brookings, Rural Sociology Dept., Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, 1975. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 631]

Wagner, Robert T., Marvin P. Riley, and Howard M Sauer, Changed in age structure: South Dakota population, 1960-1970, Brookings, S.D., Rural Sociology Dept., Agricultural Experiment Station, 1973. [Periodicals/lower level: 630.7 So87.12 no. 615

Key Words

College presidents

South Dakota State University – Presidents

Wagner, Robert T. (Todd), 1932-2011

Container List

View container list on Open Prairie

Robert T. Wagner Papers Container List. UA 53.31

SeriesBoxFolderDescriptionDate(s)
General11Biographical information1985-1997
General12Black Hills State College : candidate for presidency1985
General13Dakota State College : Vice president1984-1985
General14Dakota State College : Vice president - appreciation for service1985
1971-1981112South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1978
1971-1981113South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1979
1971-198115South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1971-1972
1971-198116South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1972-1973
1971-198117South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1973-1974
1971-198118South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1974-1975
1971-198119South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1975-1976
1971-1981110South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1976-1977
1971-1981111South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1977-1978
1971-1981114South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1979-1980
1971-1981115South Dakota State University : Rural Sociology professor1980-1981
1981-1984116South Dakota State University : Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs1981
1981-1984117South Dakota State University : Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs1982
1981-1984118South Dakota State University : Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs1983
1981-1984119South Dakota State University : Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs1984
1985120South Dakota State University : Presidency - Calendar and activities1985
1985121South Dakota State University : Presidency - Congratulations1985
1985122South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1985
198521South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1985
198522South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1985
198523South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1985
198624South Dakota State University : Presidency - Calendar and activities1986
198625South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1986
198626South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1986
198627South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1986
198628South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1986
198729South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1987
1987210South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1987
1987211South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1987
1987212South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1987
1987213South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1987
1988214South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1988
1988215South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1988
1988216South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1988
1988217South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1988
1989218South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1989
1989219South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1989
1989220South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1989
1989221South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1989
1989222South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1989
1990223South Dakota State University : Presidency - Calendar and activities1990
1990224South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1990
1990225South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1990
1990226South Dakota State University : Presidency - Russia Trip1990
1990227South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1990
1991228South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1991
1991229South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1991
1991230South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1991
1991231South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1991
1992232South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1992
1992233South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1992
1992234South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1992
1992235South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1992
1993236South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1993
1993237South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1993
199431South Dakota State University : Presidency - Calendar and activities1994
199432South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1994
199433South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1994
199434South Dakota State University : Presidency - Oxford Round Table, Cambridge, England1994
199435South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1994
199436South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1994
199537South Dakota State University : Presidency - Calendar and activities1995
199538South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1995
199639South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1996
1996310South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1996
1996311South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1996
1996312South Dakota State University : Presidency - Photographs1996
1996313South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1996
1997314South Dakota State University : Presidency - Activities1997
1997315South Dakota State University : Presidency - Correspondence1997
1997316South Dakota State University : Presidency - Newspaper clippings1997
1997317South Dakota State University : Presidency - Retirement guest book1997
1997318South Dakota State University : Presidency - Retirement guest books1997
1997319South Dakota State University : Presidency - Retirement letters1997
1997320South Dakota State University : Presidency - Speeches1997
1998332South Dakota State University : President Emeritus1998

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.

South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.

Copyright note

Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archives are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. There are other materials in the Archive carrying a copyright interest and must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted material.

Arranged and Described by

Crystal J. Gamradt, Archivist, 2016 March 23.