Up through the academic year 1945-46, Arthur F. Burns offered the first core economic theory course, Economic Analysis (Economics 153-154), in the Columbia graduate program. The following year, 1946-47, the course was taught by the visiting professor of economics (who would be offered and accepted a regular appointment that same year), Albert G. Hart.
Materials from Hart’s core economic courses in his first year at Columbia have been posted earlier.
This post provides a few brief items regarding Albert G. Hart’s initial Columbia appointment. What I was most struck with is the relative brevity of the documentation expected (demanded) by university administrators for a visiting professor appointment.
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From the budget proposals for 1946-47,
Columbia’s salary structure for economics professors
Actual professorial salary appropriations at Columbia for 1945-46
and proposed for 1946-47
Professors:
Robert M. Haig, Leo Wolman, John Maurice Clark, Harold Hotelling: $9,000
James Waterhouse Angell, Carter Goodrich, Horace Taylor, Arthur F. Burns, Abraham Wald: $7,500
Associate Professors ranged from $4,500 to $7,500.
Assistant Professors ranged from $3, 500 to $4,000
A vacant professorship: for Hart ($7,500) and a slot proposed for a visiting professor of international economics, also budgeted at $7,500.
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Columbia University
in the City of New York
[New York 27, N.Y.]
FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
March 25, 1946
Dr. Frank D. Fackenthal, Acting President,
Columbia University,
213 Low Memorial Library.
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to advise you that Dr. Albert Gailord Hart, formerly of Iowa State College, has accepted the invitation of the Department of Economics to serve as Visiting Professor of Economics during the academic year 1946-47. Dr. Hart’s salary for the period will be $7,500, chargeable to the vacant professorship in Economics carried in our budget for the year 1946-47.
I am requesting Professor Evans, chairman of the Committee on Instruction of the faculty of Political Science, to take what steps may be necessary in order that Dr. Hart may have a seat on the Faculty of Political Science during the period of his residence.
A brief statement on Dr. Hart’s education and scholarly background is enclosed.
Sincerely,
[signed] Frederick C. Mills
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ALBERT GAILORD HART
Born in 1909.
A.B., Harvard, 1930; Ph.D., Chicago, 1936.
Sheldon Traveling Fellow, 1930-31.
Spent 1934-35 in London.
Title of Doctoral dissertation: Anticipations, business planning, and the cycle.
Full professor, Iowa State College, Department of Economics, 1944-45.
At present on research staff, Committee on Economic Development.
Major interests: Economic theory, public finance, consumption, business fluctuations.
Publications:
Debts and recovery (Twentieth Century Fund, 1938)
Paying for defense (with E. D. Allen and others). 1941.
The social framework of the American economy. (with J. R. Hicks). 1945.
Lectured in California, 1936, and served at one time as Economic Analyst with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Source: Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Archives. Central Files 1890-. Box 396, Folder “Mills, Frederick Cecil”.
Image Source: Columbia University Record, vol. 23, no. 5 (Oct. 3, 1997).