Title: Department Chair's Administrative File, 1985-2005

Series Number: 8/5/2

Acquired: 01/01/2000.

Volume: 8.0 cubic feet

Predominant Dates: 1992-2005

The Department of Agricultural Engineering began as courses in Farm Mechanics.¹ In 1921, the courses were elevated to the status of the Department of Farm Mechanics, which offered instruction in the principles of engineering as applied to use in agriculture.² The departmental name was changed to Agricultural Engineering in 1932.³ It offered courses in farm mechanics, drainage, buildings, construction, machinery and farm home equipment.⁴ Later, courses in rural electrification and soil and water engineering were added.⁵ Although the Department of Agricultural Engineering is in the College of Agriculture and receives its appropriations from that College, since 1933 the Agricultural Engineering curricula has been administered by, or in cooperation with, the College of Engineering.⁶ Students are allowed to work for their degree from either college or opt for the five-year program and receive degrees from both colleges. The Department of Agricultural Engineering offers graduate work leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with a major in agricultural engineering. Candidates for the Master's degree must have the equivalent of the undergraduate curriculum at the University of Illinois. The doctoral program provides for a major in agricultural engineering with a minor in other graduate departments of engineering, or other disciplines in the physical sciences.⁷ In 2003, the name of the Department was changed to the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, to reflect its increased emphasis on research in biomaterials, biofeuls, biosensors, bioprocessing, and bioenvironmental engineering.⁸

1. Richard G. Moores, Fields of Rich Toil, (Urbana: 1970), p. 222.

2. Board of Trustees Transactions, 31st Report, July 6, 1921, p. 6.

3. Registers and Catalogs, 1932-1933, p. 216.

4. Ira O. Baker and Everett E. King, A History of the College of Engineering of the University of Illinois 1868-1945, Vol. II (Urbana), p. 688.

5. Catalogs and Registers, 1950-51, p. 98.

6. Catalogs and Registers, 1932-33, p. 135.

7. Graduate College Catalog, 1971-72, p. 68.

8. Board of Trustees Agenda Items, July 16-17, 2003

Subjects (links to similar materials)

Locations for this record series:

146 Library, 1408 W. Gregory Drive (Prior Request Preferred)

Service Location	Boxes
146 Library, 1408 W. Gregory Drive (Prior Request Preferred)	1-8

Description:

Administrative file, correspondence and reports concerning the Department of Agricultural Biological and Biological Engineering, its history, awards, committee minutes and reports, administrative reports and evaluations, department reviews, budgetary files, curricula advising, and miscellaneous multimedia and printed works.

These materials are from the tenure of Loren Bode as Head of the Department (1992-2005) but include some material from Roscoe Pershing's and Roger Yoerger's terms, covering 1985 to 2004. These are the files that were in the Department Head's office. The "official" files kept by the secretary are not a part of this material but are in record series 8/5/1.

Download Box / Folder List (pdf)