US-RUn-rcg14 Guide to the Records of the Bureau of Government Research 1959-1983 Finding aid prepared by David Sherman. University of Rhode Island Library, Special Collections and Archives 2007
15 Lippitt RoadKingston, RI 02881-2011Tel: 401-874-4632email: archives@etal.uri.eduWebsite: http://www.uri.edu/library/special_collections/
 Finding aid encoded by David Sherman 2007 July 25, updated by Erin C. Mullen on 2011 December 13 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) English Special Collections and University Archives
15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu
 University of Rhode Island. Bureau of Government Research Records of the Bureau of Government Research 1959-1983 1 box(es), (0.5 linear feet) Contains the records of the University of Rhode Island Bureau of Government Research, including materials on the establishment, operation, and history of the Bureau from 1959-1983. Rec. Gr. 14 Historical note

On February 19, 1959, the Rhode Island Public Finance Officers Association passed a resolution requesting that the Board of Trustees of State Colleges establish a bureau within the University of Rhode Island to provide fact finding, analysis, and research services to municipal governments in the State of Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Public Finance Officers Association had long worked to establish criteria for municipal annual reports to State government, and wanted an organization to assist municipal officials in this task.

The Board of Trustees voted on July 20, 1959 to establish the Bureau of Government Research, assigning to the Bureau the ability to provide research services when requested by municipal officials, as well as providing training and teaching services to assessors, clerks, treasurers, and other state and municipal officals and employees. The Board of Trustees placed the Bureau under the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and intended for the Bureau to work in conjunction with the History and Political Science Departments.

President Francis H. Horn appointed John O. Stitely, Associate Professor of history and political science, as the Director of the Bureau on November 6, 1959. Horn also appointed an Advisory Council consisting of both faculty and non-faculty members to assist in the formulation of Bureau policies and to aid in the guidance of its activities. The Bureau began operating on February 1, 1960 with offices in Bliss Hall. The following year the offices relocated to Washburn Hall, and finally, in March 1962, relocated once again to their final location in Taft Hall. Stitely remained Director until his retirement in 1973. Robert J. Hoffman was named as Stitely's replacement in November 1973, and served in the position of Director until the Bureau lost its funding from the University in 1982.

During the time the Bureau was active, it was responsible for the administrative control of the Masters of Public Administration graduate program, including helping students in the program obtain internships with local governments. In addition to its research role, the Bureau also hosted and sponsored conferences, provided teaching services to state and municipal employees (including an annual school for Rhode Island assessors and Boards of Review), and established three series of publications: the Research Service, Information Service, and Metropolitan Studies series.

Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.

Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.

 Preferred Citation

Records of the Bureau of Government Research, Rec. Gr. 14, University of Rhode Island.

 Scope and Content Note

The Records of the Bureau of Government Research consist of correspondence, memoranda, annual reports, meeting minutes, and resumes documenting the establishment, history, and activities of the Bureau from 1959-1983.

 Arrangement

The records are arranged in one series as follows: 1. Subject Files

Acquisitions Information

It is not known when the University Archives acquired the records.

 Names Humphrey, Hubert H. (Hubert Horatio), 1911-1978 Stitely, John O. Subjects University of Rhode Island. Bureau of Government Research RIAMCO Browsing Terms Education Government, Politics and Law Inventory Series 1 Subject Files1959-1983

The series consists of meeting minutes, annual reports, and correspondence relating to the establishment, history, and activities of the Bureau of Government Research. Also included in the series are a history of the Bureau written by Anna Haggerty, Staff Assistant at the Bureau, and a folder of letters from Hubert H. Humphrey, during his time as both U.S. Senator and Vice-President of the United States, to John O. Stitely, Director of the Bureau.

 1 1 1960-1962, 1964 Advisory Council: Minutes of Meetings 1 2 1960-1968 Annual Reports 1 3 1969-1975, 1979-1980, 1982 Annual Reports 1 4 1983 Bureau of Government Research, A History Highlight: Anna Haggerty, BGR Staff Assistant 1 5 1959-1983 Bureau of Government Research, Establishment of 1 6 1959-1961, 1963-1964, 1966-1967 Horn, Francis H. 1 7 1960, 1967 Humphrey, Hubert H. 1 8 1961, 1969, 1977, 1980 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1 9 n.d. Resumes: Bureau Directors