Beginning as the University Senate in September 1917, selected faculty members met to discuss student petitions and applications, course descriptions and catalog changes, and to assign committee memberships and hear committee reports. In addition, the university president would attend and outline the semester programs and introduce new faculty members. In December 1913, President Walter E. Clark suggested a committee to study the reorganization of the Senate, with a view to enlarging it to include at least one member from every department. In January 1919, it was reorganized to include all persons who gave instruction in any of the regular college departments of the university, and was amended in March 1919, to include the president and the registrar as faculty members. Though the name changed from University Senate to University Faculty, then General Faculty, the faculty continued to meet until September 1952, when Minard Stout was appointed president. After a hiatus, meetings resumed in September 1955, as Faculty Forum (though draft minutes refer to it as Faculty Convocation), and continued with this title through December 19, 1958. The Faculty Forum served as an opportunity for exchanging ideas concerning professional matters, and was valuable in planning with the entire staff together once each month, but it was recognized that organizational change was needed and a committee was appointed to study faculty reorganization. In September 23, 1958, the question was raised concerning the concept of the University Faculty Forum and after a brief discussion, it was suggested that the meetings be considered professional staff meetings, and that the name Forum be continued until after the final report of the Committee on Faculty Organization. In December 1958, the Faculty Forum was disbanded, and in October 1959, regular meetings of the General Faculty were again held. These continued until May 1963, after which special meetings of the faculty were called in 1964, 1967-1969.

The collection contains meeting minutes, resolutions, student petitions, reports and correspondence, and are arranged in chronological order.

1 ? cu. ft.

AC 101

Box 1

1. Index and General Faculty Minutes, 1918-1925 (reports and requests separated from Minutes)
2. September 1917-March 1919
3. January 1920-December 1923
4. January 1924-December 1925
5. January 1926-December 1930
6. January 1931-December 1932
   

Box 2

7. January 1934-December 1938
8. January 1939-December 1941
9. January 1942-December 1943
10. January 1944-September 1945
11. January 1946-September 1946
12. January 1948-December 1949
13. February 1950-September 1950
    

Box 3

14. November 1950- October 1951
15. January 1952-September 1952
16. September 1955-December 1956
17. January 1957-December 1958
18. October 1959-May 1963

Special Meetings: 1964, 1967-1969.

University Archives

Please direct questions to James Bantin
Updated August 13, 2008