ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

DR. W. E. KOENKER PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL #366

DATES: 1951-1976

SIZE: 2.5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Dr. W. E. Koenker Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by William E. Koenker. The acquisition record is unavailable.

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

William Ernest Koenker was born on January 6, 1911, on a farm near Regent, North Dakota. He graduated from the North Dakota State Teachers College in Dickinson in 1934. He was a social studies teacher and principal at Dodge High School, in Dodge, North Dakota, from 1934-1937. He next attended the University of North Dakota, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1938. His thesis was entitled "The Rural Land Tax Problem in North Dakota with an Appraisal of the Income Value of Land as a Measure of Taxation." Following graduation, he acted as principal of the Walsh County Agricultural High School from 1938-1942.

Koenker entered the United States Army on July 16, 1942. He acted as an infantry instructor in Texas for over three years, before separating on January 14, 1946. Koenker became an instructor in Economics at UND in 1946. He soon began taking summer courses in economics at Ohio State University in Columbus. He took leave during the 1948-49 school year to complete his dissertation, entitled "Banking Trends in North Dakota, 1922-1947." In 1949, upon completion of his Ph.D., he was promoted to Assistant Professor.

In 1952, he was appointed chair of the Economics Department and promoted to Associate Professor. As department head, he was instrumental in the founding of Bureau of Business and Economic Research. He was further promoted to the rank of Professor in 1954. He received an Outstanding Teacher Award from the UND Alumni Association in 1958.

In 1962, Dr. Koenker was appointed to the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs. He served the University in this position until his retirement in June 1976. New programs in aviation administration, computer science, and Indian Studies were established during these years. The Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as the Institutional Research Program were created during his tenure. He also took an active role in the hiring of several college Deans, and steered the University through accreditation. Following his retirement, he worked part-time for several years in Washington, D.C. soliciting research funds for UND.

William E. Koenker died on November 16, 1992, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The W. E. Koenker Papers date from 1951-1967, and have been arranged into two series as follows:

SERIES I: Correspondence
This series consists of personal and University related correspondence, dated 1951-1976. The series is arranged alphabetically. Box 1, Folder 1 - Box 1, Folder 27

SERIES II: Research
This series consists of studies, correspondence, and reports resulting from Dr. Koekner's research at UND. The majority of this material deals with studies in the areas of taxation, power generation, and manpower utilization that Dr. Koenker conducted for the North Dakota Legislative Research Committee. Also included are minutes and reports of Subcommittees of the Legislative Research Committee, and newspaper clippings dealing with Dr. Koenker's work and research. This series dates from 1952-1975 and is arranged alphabetically by subject. Box 2, Folder 1 - Box 2, Folder 22

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
SERIES I: Personal and University Correspondence

  1. A 1963-1976
  2. Ba-Bl1963-1976
  3. Bo-By1963-1976
  4. C 1963-1976
  5. D 1963-1975
  6. E 1964-1973
  7. F 1963-1975
  8. Ga-Ge1963-1974
  9. Gi-Gu1963-1976
  10. H 1962-1975
  11. I 1963-1974
  12. J 1964-1976
  13. K 1962-1975
  14. La-Le1963-1973
  15. Li-Ly1962-1976
  16. N-Murray 1963-1976
  17. Murry, C. Emerson1951-1962
  18. N 1963-1976
  19. O 1963-1973
  20. P 1963-1976
  21. R 1962-1974
  22. Sa-Sp1963-1972
  23. St-Sz1964-1973
  24. T 1963-1976
  25. U-V 1963-1976
  26. V 1963-1975
  27. Y-z 1963-1969

Box 2
Folder
SERIES II: Research

  1. Faculty Advisory Committee to select UND President, 1953-1954
  2. High Voltage Line Taxation-Correspondence, 1963
  3. High Voltage Line Taxation-Reports, Studies, and Recommendations, 1963
  4. Koenker, Dr. W. E. -Personal, 1962-1975
  5. Legislative Research Committee-Correspondence
  6. Legislative Research Committee-Miscellaneous 1959-1968
  7. Legislative Research Committee-Spoils Bank, Strip Mining Study 1968
  8. Legislative Research Committee-Budget and Education Subcommittee, 1967- 1963
  9. Legislative Research Committee-Education and Taxation, Finance, and Secondary Education Subcommittees, 1959-1968
  10. Legislative Research Committee-Subcommittee on Taxation, 1959-1964
  11. Legislative Research Committee-Subcommittee on Taxation, 1959-1964
  12. Manpower Advisory Committee-Correspondence, 1963-1968
  13. Manpower Advisory Committee-Minutes and Reports, 1963-1968
  14. Newspaper Clippings, 1960-1967
  15. North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools-Correspondence, 1965-1974
  16. North Central Association, of Colleges and Secondary Schools-- Reports, 1967- 1970
  17. REA Tax Comparison Study-Correspondence, 1963-1964
  18. REA Tax Comparison Study-Correspondence, 1963-1964
  19. REA Tax Comparison Study--Notes
  20. REA Tax Comparison Study-Reports, 1963-1965
  21. REA Tax Comparison Study-Reports, 1963-1965
  22. Wage Stabilization Board, 1952-1953
 Original Donation  First Addition: 1946-1976

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