TABLE OF CONTENTS


Overview of the Collection

History

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information






University of Connecticut

Provost's Office Records



Finding aid prepared by Archives & Special Collections Staff






Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
405 Babbidge Road, Unit 1205
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1205



© 2005 University of Connecticut



Overview of the Collection

Repository: Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.
Creator: University of Connecticut. Provost's Office.
Title: University of Connecticut, Provost's Office Records.
Dates: 1931-1977.
Quantity: 69.5 linear feet.
Identification: MSS19890003
Language: English.
Abstract: The Provost's Office is responsible for University matters pertaining to academic activities and policy, including jurisdiction over the various schools, as well as faculty and student matters. In addition, the Office is responsible for the daily internal operations of the University Senate andat one point, the Board of Trustees. The Provost's Office was established in 1950 when the Provost assumed the functions of the Dean of the University. In 1975, the Office was abolished and its functions were assigned to the new Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Finance and Administration. These functions were merged under the administration of the Chancellor in 1991. The name of the office changed from Chancellor's Office back to Provost's Office in 2000.

History

The Office of the Provost was established in 1950 when the Provost assumed the functions of the Dean of the University. In 1975, the Office was abolished and its functions were assigned to the new Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Finance and Administration.

The Office of the Provost was responsible for University matters pertaining to academic activities and policy, including jurisdiction over the various schools, as well as faculty and student matters. In addition, the Office was responsible for the daily internal operations of the University Senate and the Board of Trustees. The responsibilities for the latter have since been relocated to the President's Office.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs, formerly the Provost, is the chief academic officer of the University and reports directly to the University President. The following University officers report to the Vice President for Academic Affairs: Assistant and Associate Provosts, Deans of Schools and Colleges, and the Directors of the Computer Center, Fiscal Services, Institutional Research, and the University Libraries.

In the 1990s, these responsibilities were reorganized and the office designated as the Chancellor and Provost for University Affairs. The Chancellor is the chief operating officer and in this capacity is responsible for managing the operation of the University except for those areas under the direct supervision of the President or the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. He or she is the coordinator and supervisor of all of the University's programs of instruction and research, except for those aspects assigned to the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. He or she also coordinates the formulation of policies and administration of all schools, colleges, divisions, institutes, and regional campuses of the University, except those specifically assigned to the President or the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. The Chancellor and Provost for University Affairs oversee policies and administration of the University of Connecticut Research Foundation. Additional information on the responsibilities of the Office is available at: http://www.provost.uconn.edu/.

The office has changed names multiple times since its creation, most recently in John Petersen's administration when it reverted back to "Provost", although its responsbility as the chief administrative office in charge of the academic operations of the University has not altered substantially.

Albert E. Waugh, Provost, 1950 - 1960.

Albert E. Waugh, Provost and Academic Vice President, 1960-1965.

Edward Gant, Provost and Academic Vice President, 1965-1974.

Kenneth G. Wilson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, 1974-1981.

Anthony T. DiBenedetto, Vice President for Academic Affairs, 1981-1986.

Julis A. Elias (Interim), Vice President for Academic Affairs, 1986-1988.

Peter McFadden (Interim), Provost and Academic Vice President, 1988 January - June.

Thomas J. Tighe, Provost and Academic Vice President, June 1988 - 1994.

Mark Emmert, Chancellor, 1995 - 1999 June.

Fred Maryanski (Interim), Chancellor, 1994 - 1995, July 1999 - June 2000, June 2004 - January 2005.

John D. Petersen, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, June 2000 - June 2004

Peter J. Nicholls, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, 2005 March 1 - .

Return to the Table of Contents


Scope and Content

The collection includes documentation regarding internal University activities and correspondence between various administrative offices, academic schools and departments. There is also information about outside agencies, institutions and individuals. Files hold material of a very routine nature as well as letters, reports, statistical data and materials pertaining to questions of University policy and planning.

Return to the Table of Contents


Arrangement

Series I-XII represent the initial transfer of records from this office and have been treated as an organic whole. Subsequently, records were transferred in administrative segments based on the tenure of the incumbent in this administrative position and are arranged accordingly beginning with series XIII.

Series I: C. B. Gentry Correspondence (1931-1948) contains early correspondence from the period during which Charles B. Gentry acted as Director of Resident Instruction beginning in 1931. In 1933, Connecticut Agricultural College became Connecticut State College, and in 1939, the University of Connecticut. In 1940, Gentry was appointed Dean of the University. He retired in 1950. Although these records pre-date the actual existence of the Provost Office, these earlier offices performed much the same duties and had similar responsibilities. The records in this series are arranged alphabetically, and the folders relate to individual staff members for the most part. Other folders do exist for subject such as grading system, enrollment, promotions and salary increases, war material and war records.

Series I: C. B. Gentry Correspondence

Series II: General Correspondence [Albert E. Waugh] (1950-1965) contains the records of the Provost's Office and covers the tenure of Albert E. Waugh. Contained within this series is an alphabetically arranged subject file, with a few folders for individuals such as President Jorgensen. Folders contain correspondence from various bureaus, centers and institutes (on and off-campus), departments and programs within the University, business firms and other organizations. More specific information will be found in the subjects covered by other series and researchers should check in both the general correspondence and the other series for related information.

Series II: General Correspondence [Albert E. Waugh]

Series III: General Correspondence [Edward V. Gant] (1965-1974) contains files of the University's second Provost, Edward V. Gant. Like Series II, it is an alphabetically ordered group of subject folders pertaining to the Provost's Office and the various University functions and programs over which it had jurisdiction. This series was originally broken down by academic year, but the distinctions within each folder were not always clear so it was reorganized into a single alphabetical sequence to facilitate access.

Series III: General Correspondence [Edward V. Gant]

Series IV: Schools and Colleges (1948-1971) contains correspondence, reports and other data exchanged between the Provost's Office and the schools, colleges and departments within the University. Department files letters from staff members. This series is organized into four distinct time periods: 1948-1965, 1966-1968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1971. Within each time sequence, the folders are arranged in alphabetical order according to school or college. Within these headings, departments are then listed alphabetically. For example, the records for academic year 1968-1969 begin with the College of Agriculture. Its carious departments, such as Plant Science, are arranged alphabetically. The School of Arts and Sciences follows, with its departments, History, etc. filed alphabetically following the main heading. Much of the correspondence refers to salary matters and creation of new positions within departments.

Series IV: Schools and Colleges

Series V: Committees (1968-1972) contains an alphabetically organized file of information from the various committees on campus. Committee folders from an earlier period may be found in the General Correspondence. Committee folders having a specific relationship to a particular series, such as the University Senate, will be found in that series. It is recommended that researchers check both series for committee information. Subjects in this series include the Athletic Planning Committee, Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee to the Handicapped, and the Executive Committee of Water Resources, as well as many others.

Series V: Committees

Series VI: Former Staff (1950-1970) ***RESTRICTED*** contains correspondence and personnel files relating to former staff members. This series is divided into two subseries (1950-1960, 1960-1970) both of which are arranged in alphabetical order by last name. Most of the staff included in these files were members of the teaching faculty rather than administrative, technical or clerical employees. Folders include information on reappointment, salary, assignments, resumes, records of professional activities, and similar information.

Series VII: Faculty (1942-1973) contains a variety of materials directly relating to the faculty of the University. Included are faculty minutes for the schools and colleges. The series is arranged alphabetically by school or college and then chronologically by academic year. The records of the Curricula and Courses Committee form a separate section and are also arranged alphabetically by school or college. This series also contains the Faculty Summer Fellowship applications from 1970-1973, Promotion and Tenure reports from the schools and colleges from 1969, salary materials from 1945-1973, and a file from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

Series VII: Faculty

Series VIII: Students and Student Organizations (1940-1971) contains an alphabetically arranged collection of files pertaining specifically to students and student activities on campus. The bulk of the materials fall within the years 1960-1971, with the early files primarily concerning the Honors Program. The series includes, in part, folders pertaining to financial aid, student personnel, campus disorders and the SDS, the Student Senate and University Scholars. ***Contains RESTRICTED student files***

Series VIII: Students and Student Organizations

Series IX: Board of Trustees (1939-1972) contains materials from the Board of Trustees, which were maintained by the Provost's Office. This series is primarily a set of Trustee minutes from 1939 through 1972. Agendas are included for the years 1968-1973, and general folders of Trustee material are also included for the years 1961 to 1971. The files are arranged chronologically.

Series IX: Board of Trustees

Series X: University Senate (1948-1974) consists of records from the University Senate, also maintained by the Provost's Office. The series is divided into three subseries: Senate Ballots includes the years 1962-1971. Curricula and Courses Committee Records date from 1955-1974. Committees are arranged alphabetically. This subseries contains Faculty Standards, Senate Salary and Inauguration (Babbidge) files, among others.

Series X: University Senate

Series XI: Assistant Provost [Galvin Gall] (1968-1973) is a special set of folders created by Galvin Gall who served as Assistant Provost from 1968-1973. The folders are arranged alphabetically and contain extensive information on the University braches. There is also information relating to councils, programs and institutes on campus.

Series XI: Assistant Provost [Galvin Gall]

Series XII: Associate Provost [William Orr] (1967-1977) contains files and booklets relating to the Commission on Higher Education and Affirmative Action. Orr served as Associate Provost from 1965 thorough 1974, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs from 1975 through 1977. The series contains materials relating to the Affirmative Action Plan of July 1974, including correspondence with the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), salary cases, affirmative action plans at other institutions and Title VI and IX information. There is also a great deal of information relating to the Commission for Higher Education Master Plan, C.H.E. minutes from 1967-1977, and folders from the C.H.E. Subcommittee on the Coordination of Planning pertaining to academic planning accreditation. Also included in the series are William Orr's files containing annual reports from University branches, programs and campus institutes for the year 1972.

Series XII: Associate Provost [William Orr]

Series XIII: Kenneth G. Wilson (undated, 1939-1984)

Series XIII: Kenneth G. Wilson

Series XIV: Kenneth G. Wilson and Anthony DiBenedetto (undated, 1974-1986)

Series XIV: Wilson and DiBenedetto

Series XV: Anthony DiBenedetto and Julius Elias (undated, 1960-1991)

Series XIV: DiBenedetto and Elias

Return to the Table of Contents


Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Series VI and VIII contain personal information and permission to access these series must be obtained from the University Archivist.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

Return to the Table of Contents


Related Material

Archives & Special Collections has a substantial collection of materials pertaining to the University, its history, administration, faculty, staff and students. See especially, the records of the Board of Trustees, President's Office, and University Senate. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the reference desk.

Return to the Table of Contents


Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Subjects:

Universities and colleges—Administration.
University of Connecticut. Office of the Provost.
University of Connecticut—Administration.

Document Types:

Administrative Records.
Correspondence.
Publications.

Occupations:

Universities.

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Custodial History

The records were stored in the basement of Gulley Hall for many years.

Preferred Citation

[Item description, #:#], University of Connecticut, Provost's Office Records. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.

Acquisition Information

The records were transferred to Archives & Special Collections in February 1980.

Return to the Table of Contents