Title: Electrical Engineering Subject File, 1899-1994

Series Number: 11/6/1

Acquired: 3/22/1985, 1/10/2002

Volume: 77.6 cubic feet

Arrangement

Creator(s)

Administrative History of Creating Unit

Electrical Engineering courses started as a division of the Physics Department in 1891. The Trustees approved a course in Electrical Engineering in 1891.¹The University of Illinois was comparatively late in offering a course in Electrical Engineering, but by 1894 the Department compared favorably with other Engineering Departments in equipment and facilities.²The work of administration and instruction in Physics and Electrical Engineering separated temporarily into two departments in 1895, but were joined thereafter until 1898 when the department of Electrical Engineering was established as a separate unit.³In 1919 the objectives were: to prepare men to engage in design, care and maintenance of electrical apparatus of all kinds.⁴ In 1972 the department's aims were to prepare men for responsible engineering positions in research, development, design, operation, sales, and administration in the fields of communication, computers, electronics and electrical power.⁵ In 1940, the Department absorbed the Department of Railway Engineering and its laboratory when that department was dissolved.⁶Interdisciplinary courses are offered in conjunction with the departments of Astronomy, Biophysics, Computer Science, Mathematics, and the Coordinated Science Laboratory.⁷From 1968 onward, computer science starts making an appearance in the electrical engineering curriculum. A specified sequence of electrical engineering courses enables specialization in the area of computer science.⁸

On February 16, 1984, the Board of Trustees received for record the president's report of Senate approval of a name change to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to reflect "the breadth of emphasis" in the department.⁹

ECE includes the following departments:

--Analog Computer Laboratory

--Biophysical Research Laboratory

--Vermilion River Observatory:

Completed in 1962, the Vermilion River Observatory was the site of the University's radio telescope, which was used in the study of signals from radio sources in space. The project was financed by the Office of Naval Research and the

Astronomy and Electrical Engineering Departments:

--Radio Research Laboratory (1974)

1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 16th Report, March 11, 1891, p. 75.

2. Board of Trustees Transactions, 17th Report, 1894, p. 332.

3. Baker and King, History, 1:443.

4. University of Illinois Bulletin, Vol 16, no. 19, Jan. 6, 1919, p. 10.

5. Undergraduate Study Catalog, 1971-72, p. 285.

6. Baker and King, History, 1:504.

7. Research in Electrical Engineering, 1966, p. 88, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois.

8. University of Illinois Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 109, May 1, 1968.

9. Board of Trustees Transactions, 62nd Report, Feb. 16, 1984, p. 485.

Subjects (links to similar materials)

Locations for this record series:

Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	1-79

Description: Subject file of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department including letters, memoranda, minutes sent to and received from university administration, department faculty, students, AAAS, Accreditation Board for Engineering Education and Technology Engineering Accreditation Committee, AIEE, ASEE, the BUILD program, IEC, IEEE, IEEE Educational Activities Board, IRE, NAE, NEC, NSF, SCOPE, URSI, and the U.S. Army Signal Corps; proposed courses; grant applications; departmental magazines and newsletters, including North of Green, Technograph, Power Lines, and What-Meter; reports and minutes from departmental committees; teacher evaluations; teaching assignments; letters of recommendation; Tykociner lectures; seminar topics, course schedules and descriptions; proposals for academic programs in bioengineering, computer science, and computer engineering; accreditation reports; computer research time allotments; newspaper clipping on computer memory (1949); Brush Development Co. computer printout (circa 1950s); student projects; prospective students; students; academic work; employment and recruitment; Extension Division; student organizations and honoraries; research sites, including the Midwest Electronics Research Lab, Interstate Research Park, Undergraduate Laboratory for Solid State Electronics, Monticello Road Field Station, Upper Atmosphere Observatory, Submicron Structure Facility, Biophysical Research Laboratory, Bioacoustics Lab, Antenna Lab, Aeronomy Field Station, Chanute Radio Range Annex, and Chanute Radio Beacon Annex; retirement; and faculty senate. Also included is departmental correspondence by William L. Everitt (1940-1950), J. D. Ryder (1951-1954), E.C. Jordan (1954-1978), and G.W. Swenson (1978-1981). The majority of the files are from 1940-1983.

Download Box / Folder List (pdf)