Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1971-1998 (Creation)
Extent
3.0 linear feet (3 records boxes)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Robert Todd Wagner was born on October 30, 1932, and died on January 17, 2011. He earned a degree in philosophy from Augustana College in 1954. That same year, he married Mary Mumford, a native of Howard, South Dakota, before the couple moved to Evanston, Illinois, where Wagner attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. They later returned to South Dakota, where Wagner earned his Ph.D. from South Dakota State University. Mary Wagner earned a master’s degree in social sciences in 1974 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 1978.
Wagner joined South Dakota State University in 1971 as an assistant professor of rural sociology and gained wide recognition through his Marriage 250 course. The class enrolled nearly 1,200 students annually across three sections and filled every seat in Rotunda D, the largest classroom on campus.
Wagner served two years as assistant to the vice president for academic affairs and later spent one year as vice president and chief administrator at Dakota State University in Madison. He was subsequently called back to SDSU to assume the university presidency, a position he held from 1985 to 1997.
During his presidency, Wagner guided SDSU from a period of controversy into a more stable era. His emphasis on internal academic and administrative operations, rather than external politics, contributed to significant institutional growth. Despite persistent budget constraints, the campus expanded by more than 380,000 square feet, twenty-two faculty positions were added, and technology became an increasingly central component of university operations. The College of Education and Counseling was established, and major facilities were constructed, including Berg and Bailey Apartments, the Animal Disease Research facility, and the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory.
Mary Wagner also served as an SDSU staff member, was a member of the Brookings School Board, and represented her district as a Republican legislator for twelve years. She died in 2004.
In 2010, South Dakota State University renamed the Nursing, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Arts and Sciences building in honor of Robert and Mary Wagner, following approval by the South Dakota Board of Regents. A scholar as well as a popular teacher, Wagner authored sixty-four publications and chaired numerous academic committees.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The Robert T. Wagner Papers span the years 1971 to 1998 and document Wagner’s academic and administrative career in South Dakota higher education. The collection includes biographical information, professional correspondence, calendars, speeches, photographs, newspaper clippings, reports, certificates, newsletters, evaluations, and materials related to public events and institutional activities.
Early materials document Wagner’s service as a professor of rural sociology at South Dakota State University and include correspondence, calendars, programs related to speaking engagements, and greeting cards. A small amount of instructional material related to courses he taught is also present. Records from his service as Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs include correspondence, calendars, clippings, photographs, certificates, and related administrative materials.
The largest portion of the collection documents Wagner’s presidency at South Dakota State University from 1985 to 1997. These records include extensive correspondence, calendars and activity files, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, reports, and materials related to campus events, travel, and public appearances. Notable files document international travel, including a trip to Russia in 1990 and participation in the Oxford Round Table at Cambridge University in 1994. The collection concludes with materials related to Wagner’s retirement, including guest books, letters, and records from his designation as President Emeritus.
The Robert T. Wagner Papaers document the administration of South Dakota State University during a period of institutional transition and growth from the mid 1980s through the late 1990s. The records provide insight into university governance, presidential leadership, campus development, and public representation of the institution. The collection also contributes to the documentation of higher education administration in South Dakota and preserves evidence of Wagner’s earlier academic career in rural sociology.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
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In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use. .sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-and-special-collections/researcher-registration-form)
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If you would like to know more about the contents of the collection, please contact the SDSU Archives at: Telephone: 605-688-5094 Email: arcrefs@sdstate.edu
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of materials from the collection is subject to the following conditions:
- Permission: Written permission must be obtained from the SDSU Archives for any reproduction, publication, or quotation of materials.
- Copyright: Users are responsible for complying with copyright laws and securing any necessary permissions from copyright holders.
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Acknowledgment: Any reproduced material must include proper acknowledgment of the South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections as the source.
For more information or to request permission, please contact the SDSU Archives.
Languages of the material
English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Wagner, Robert T. (Subject)