W. Donald Bowles Papers

VOLUME: 7 boxes

ACCESS: This collection is open to the public upon request.

COPYRIGHT: Please consult the archivist for information about duplication or publishing of any materials from this collection.

Biographical Note

Walter Donald Bowles was born in Seattle on December 28, 1923. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington in 1949. Bowles went on to receive a Masters in Economics in 1952 and a PhD in Economics in 1958 from Columbia University. In 1952, Bowles studied at the Russian Institute and received a Certificate in Soviet Economy.

Bowles’ career as an economist began in 1953 with his appointment as editor of a Research Program on the USSR in New York City. After working for several years as an economist, Bowles became a professor of economics at American University in 1957. Bowles switched his focus to administration in 1965 when he became Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1969 he was promoted to the post of Vice President of Academic Affairs. Bowles returned to teaching economics in 1974. Bowles retired from teaching in 1994 to live in California with his family.

For additional biographical information, consult the Who’s Who Listing for Walter Donald Bowles.

Scope and Content Note

Bowles’ papers document his teaching and administrative work at American University and consist of budgets, correspondence (personal & professional), curriculum development materials, financial documents, newspaper clippings, publications, reports, research files, statistics, and teaching materials. The original chronological order was retained. The files have been divided into subject categories within each year.

Box & Folder Listing

Box 1

Education & Career of W. Donald Bowles
1949-1952
- Department of Economics – Reports
1955
- CAS Material
1957
- Department of Economics – Student Correspondence
- Faculty Meeting Minutes & AU Reports
1958
- Department of Economics – Student Correspondence
1958-1960
- AU Reports & Personal Correspondence
- Soviet Timber Industry Documents
1959
- Department of Economics – Student Correspondence
1960
- American Maritime Industry Report
- Department of Economics – Student Correspondence
- Newspaper Clippings
1961
- Department of Economics
  - Papers & Correspondence
  - Student Correspondence
1962
- Department of Economics
  - Papers & Correspondence
  - Student Correspondence
- Institutional Self-Study of the College of Arts & Sciences by the Middle States Association
1963
- Budget & Financial Files
- Department of Economics – Course & Curriculum Changes
  - Papers & Correspondence & Misc. Files
  - Student Correspondence
- Enrollment Summaries
- Faculty & Student Applicants
1964
- Budget & Financial Files
- Department of Economics
- Course & Curriculum Files
- Papers & Correspondence & Misc. Files
- Student Correspondence
- Enrollment Summaries
- Faculty Meeting Minutes
- Job Descriptions
- Report to the Faculty from President Hurst R. Anderson
- Survey of Departments of Economics in the United States
1965
- Appointment as Dean of College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Documents
- Budget & Financial Files
- Department of Economics
  - Course & Curriculum Files & Dept. Rules & Regulations
  - Faculty & Student Applicants
  - Student Correspondence
- Enrollment Summaries
- AU Papers, Correspondence, & Misc. Files (2 folders)
- Misc.
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
1966
- Budget & Financial Files
- Doctoral Dissertation Committee Files
- Enrollment Summaries
- Faculty Meeting Minutes
- AU Files & Correspondence
- Job Descriptions
- Memos & Department Reports
- Student Files & Correspondence
- Misc.
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Other University Files & Correspondence
- Personal Correspondence
- Requests for Copies of Lectures & Publications
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- “The Higher Learning in Washington: A 175-Year-Old Crisis” By Albert Biderman
1967
- Budget & Financial Files
- Calendars
- Enrollment Summaries
- Faculty & Student Applicants
- Faculty Meeting Minutes
- AU Files & Correspondence (2 folders)

Box 2

1967 (continued)
- Memos & Department Reports
- Student Files & Correspondence
- Undergraduate Requirement Questionnaires
- Committee on the B.A. Degree
- Misc.
- Morgan State College Case Study
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Personal Correspondence
- Requests for Copies of Lectures & Publications
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- “Student Participation in Faculty Governance” Documents
1968
- Budget & Financial Files
- Enrollment Statistics
- Faculty & Student Applicants
- Faculty Meeting Minutes
- General Files & Correspondence
- Memos & Department Reports
- Psychology Lab Docs
- Specific Course Documents
- Statistics
- Student Academic Council & Student Involvement Files
- Student Files & Correspondence
- Summer Programs
- Calendars
- CAS Curriculum Review Group
- Committee on the B.A. Degree
- Dean Scott (W.D. Bowles’ File)
- Misc.
- Mission Statements of CAS (3 folders)
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Personal Correspondence
- Personal Research
- Requests for Copies of Lectures & Publications
- Search for AU Graduate Dean
- Soviet Timber Industry Documents
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- Team Teaching Program
1968-1969
- Mission Statements & Docs for the SGPA & SIS
- Mission Statements for CCE, SON, & WCL
- Murray Feshbach
- Weekly Deans Meeting with Dean McFeeter & Dean Scott
- William J. Watson (W.D. Bowles’ File)

Box 3

1969
- Budget & Financial Files
- General Files & Correspondence
- Meeting Minutes
- Memos & Department Reports
- Race Issues
- Statistics
- Student Correspondence
- Congratulations Letters for VP of Academic Affairs Appointment
- Curriculum Reform, March-June
- Curriculum Reform, Sept-Dec
- Dissertation Proposal of Peter M. Becker
- Educational Policy Committee of CAS
- March on Washington Flier
- Mission Statements
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Orientation & Commencement Remarks
- Personal Files & Correspondence
- Personal Work & Research
- Project Real
- Reorganization of the University
- Requests for Material
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- “The Defenseless Institution” – A paper on Student Unrest by Kelby D. Fletcher
1970
- American Association of University Professors
- Budget Files
- Faculty Relations Committee
- General Files
- Meeting Minutes
- Memos
- Teaching & Faculty Administrative Revisions
- Undergraduate & Graduate Curriculum Revisions
- Capital Funds
- Missions & Mission Statements
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Organizational Chart for VP of Academic Affairs
- Personal Files & Correspondence
- Personal Work & Research
- Recommendations
- Report of the Task Forces Coordinating Committee on the University Mission: Oct. 14, 1970
- Requests for Materials
- “Some Perspectives on the Entering Freshmen at American University, 1966-1969” By Lois Torrence
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- Task Forces for Mission Implementations
- Transcripts of Speeches
1970-1971
- SGPA/SIS/SBA Change
1971
- Budget & Financial Files
- General Files
- Meeting Minutes
- Missions

Box 4

1971 (continued)
- Race & Gender Issues
- School of Business Administration
- Working Committees
- Consortium of Universities (2 folders)
- Improvement of Undergraduate Programs & Instruction
- Laura M. Rowe – Dissertation Proposal
- Middle States Association
- Murray Feshbach – Dissertation Proposal
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Personal Files & Correspondence
- Recommendations
- Restructuring of the University
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- The Committee of Nine
- Transcripts of Speeches
1972
- Budget Analysis, 9/29/72
- Budget Files (5 folders)
- Daily Correspondence (2 folders)
- General Files
- Meeting Minutes
- Memos
- Statistics
- College of Public Affairs (3 folders)
- Consortium of Universities
- Factors Relating to Recruiting and Admission at American University – Preliminary Report
- Improvement of Undergrad Programs and Instruction & Committee on Undergraduate Studies
- Job Description of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Middle States Association

Box 5

1972 (continued)
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Office of International Student and Faculty Exchange
- Office of the Chaplin
- Personal Correspondence
- Personal Work & Research
- Recommendations
- Special Events, Invitations, & Declined Offers
- Student Life Reorganization (2 folders)
- University Counseling Center – Annual Report
- University Senate
1973
- Advertisement
- Budget Files
- Daily Correspondence (3 folders)
- General Files
- Memos
- Mission Statements
- Board of Trustees
- Boynton (W.D. Bowles’ File)
- Curriculum Changes
- Evaluation Committee for the VP of Academic Affairs, Resignation of W.D. Bowles, & Appointment of Acting VP of Academic Affairs
- Invitations
- Middle States Association
- News Clippings, Publications & AU reports
- Personal Files & Correspondence
- Recommendations
- Tenure at AU
- Transcripts of Speeches
- University Senate
1976
- Economics Institute
1976-1979
- AU Documents

Box 6

1980
- Preparatory Program in Economics
  - Applications (2 folders)
  - Blank Completion Certificates
  - Book Orders
  - Budget
  - Correspondence (2 folders)
  - Curriculum
  - Econometrics (Broder)
  - Evaluations by Staff
  - Evaluations by Students
  - Example Evaluation Forms
  - Faculty
  - Final Program Evaluation
  - Flier
  - Grades
  - Institute for Applied Public Financial Management
  - Joint Degree Documents
  - Logistics
  - Macroeconomics (Dernburg)
  - Math. for Economists I & II (Jernigan)
  - Memoranda on Mexican Programs (Feb-June)
  - Mexico City Field Trip, Nov. 1980
  - Microeconomics (Hahnel)
  - Mid-Program Evaluations
  - Model Programs
  - Orientation
  - Planning Documents
  - Seminar in International Finance (Bruck)
1981
- Preparatory Program in Economics
  - Field Trip to Mexico City Report, March-May 1981
  - Follow-Up Questionnaire
- Proposed Preparatory Program in Economics, summer 1981
1981/1982
- Development Banking Program
1982
- NAFINSA Program: Request for Approval
1983
- AU General Files
1985
- Doctoral Study in Economics at American University: A Five-Year Plan
1986
- Department of Economics: Program Review Committee
1990-1993
- AU Files

Box 7

1994
- Applicants for University Counsel
1994-1995
- VP of Enrollment Services Search Committee
  - Documents
- Job Applicants (7 folders)
- Rejection Letters