Records of the Business Manager

Wellesley College’s first Business Manager assumed the role on April 1, 1923 April 1. His name was Wendell Howard Kayser, B.S. The 1921-1924 Report of the President describes why the position was created, and Kayser’s role at the college: “At the request of the President the Trustees have repeatedly discussed the advisability of strengthening the business organization of the College. As the College has grown, various additions have been made to the staff but there has been no thorough-going consideration of the problem… The terms of [Kayser’s] appointment make him responsible to the President for the business side of the College in the same fashion that the Dean of the College is charged with the supervision of the academic work… already the good results of the centralization are apparent.”(Page 10) Kayser resigned as Business Manager effective July 1, 1928. The 1928-1929 Report of the President outlines his achievements while in office: "...the service building was erected and important renovations were made in the central heating plant. He [supervised] construction in the case of Alumnae Hall, Severance Hall, and Stone-Davis Halls. A plan for the group insurance of the employees of the college was also established during his term of service." (Page 11)

The following Business Manager was Charles Bowen Hodges, M.E., who assumed the role circa July 1928 until circa 1938 September, when he was replaced by Donald Watson Height. Height also took on the role of Assistant Treasurer the following spring of 1939. The 1938-1939 Report of the President explains: “…The business offices are undergoing a gradual reorganization in the direction of simplification and coordination.” (Page 7)

A survey of the College's business operations was done in 1951 by the firm of Cresap, McCormick, and Paget; the following year Height left the role of Business Manager but stayed on at the College as Assistant Treasurer and Controller, “so centering fiscal controls.” (1954 Report of the President, page 25.) The role of Business Manager was filled by Irwin Kenneth French from 1952 to 1956. The 1954 Report of the President describes his role: “Responsibility was centered in his office for care of buildings and grounds, food service, budget, fiscal, and purchasing controls, and non-faculty personnel policies…” (Page 26)

From 1956 to 1969, the Business Manager was Robert J. Schneider, MBA. His position title changed to Vice President and Business Manager from 1969-1970. As of 1970, the ‘Office of Vice President for Business Affairs’ (then held by Joseph Klebala, Jr.) replaced the ‘Business Manager’ position (although an Assistant Business Manager, Robert Todd Pratt, remained).