Interview with Norbert Elbert, Januray 23, 1976

Partial Transcript: Would you state your name and the length of the term at the University of Louisville with all of the titles that you've held during that term?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert reviews the roles he has had at UofL, including that he has been Vice President of Financial Affairs since 1967. He first came to UofL in 1945 as Chief Accountant until 1952, when he became Bursar. In 1964 he was Controller.

Partial Transcript: I'm trying to get an idea of what the funding, traditional funding patterns and methods of income at the university were prior to 1960.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert has documents from 1949-1950, 1956-1957, and 1959-1960. He talks about the income in these periods, including tuition fees, city appropriation, county income, and state appropriation.

Partial Transcript: Outside of tuition monies, state funding, and city and county funding, what where the other major types of income sources?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert states that funding sources outside of tuition, state, county, and city were small. He lists a few sources of income, such as gifts, grants, and contracts that the university received.

Partial Transcript: I'm trying to, by this next question, get an idea of, you know, what the basic changes were in the financial situation at the university in the mid-sixties.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert discusses the income shift in the 1960s, including the tuition, city appropriation, and county revenue.

Partial Transcript: As far as construction funds, buildings, things like this, before state funding came along...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert opinions that the referendum method was not very effective, and he explains why. He also talks about the benefits of state funding and some of the changes over the last few years with how funding is dispensed federally.

Partial Transcript: In the early sixties, when the city support was tremendously disproportionate to the amount of county support...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert states why he believes the increased county support was necessary to continue on a sound financial footing and why he thinks county revenue went up during that period.

Partial Transcript: As the tuition increased in- early in the mid-sixties, did you ever talk about a figure...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert says that they were always concerned with raising tuition to a point that it would diminish returns, but explains why it was necessary to increase tuition.

Partial Transcript: This next question contradicts a little bit of what you have already said...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert addresses articles that stated the university had financial problems during the 1960s. He says the university was technically not insolvent and their real problem was not knowing the money they would be able to get, especially from outside sources. He also discusses an article in which former UofL President Davidson requested local businesses to donate a total of $125,000.

Partial Transcript: I've read a lot about the Urban Renewal Projects that allowed the university to expand the campus in a physical nature.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert explains why he does not think the Urban Renewal Project negatively impacted the university's relationship with the city and the residents. They also talk about some of the stipulations and benefits of the Urban Renewal Project to the university.

Partial Transcript: Where do you feel the big push came from to be, to move to state affiliation?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert says the push for the university to become part of the state started in the mid-sixties and came from internally and the wider community as well. He also talks about the ways the university was a public institution and the ways it was a private institution.

Partial Transcript: Could you trace your personal involvement in the entrance of the university...

Segment Synopsis: This section is really faint. Mr. Elbert says there were two things he did to help the university become affiliated with the state. One thing he did was work with Mr. Strickler. He also says the two biggest obstacles to getting the affiliation was winning the agreement internally and then getting it passed by legislature.

Partial Transcript: What were the major objections presented to you...by the board?

Segment Synopsis: This section is faint. Some of the objections to becoming state affiliated were that it cost too much, fear that the university would become subservient, and the competition it would face with other state universities. He also talks about his role in persuading the board and why the board finally recommended state affiliation.

Partial Transcript: Was the university finally put into a position where...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert talks about the poor financial standing of the university immediately after becoming affiliated with the state, especially as the city and county funding decreased. He also talks about the necessity of the university using some of its endowment fund.

Partial Transcript: Do you think with what has happened since...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert believes the university will ultimately succeed. He talks about what the budgeting format has been like the last several years since affiliation and he describes how it has impacted different aspects of the university. He also discusses his personal feelings on the success of state affiliation.

Partial Transcript: This is a point I'm leading up to towards the end of my research...

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Elbert states that he does not believe there were any practical alternatives to becoming state affiliated. His reasons why are nearly inaudible.

Partial Transcript: To go back just a little bit to...

Segment Synopsis: The section is very faint. He discusses the major factors that causes the changes in finances during this period and decides it was a combination of the educational issues and the financial situation in the country.

Partial Transcript: We've talked about a number of different individuals over the last hour or so...

Segment Synopsis: This section is very faint and most of the response is inaudible.

Partial Transcript: In the relationship of the state universities, with regards to funding and...

Segment Synopsis: This section is very faint. Mr. Elbert states that other state universities did not necessarily have any objections, but they did not necessarily push for UofL to also become state affiliated.