Barbara Schmitter correspondence, 1975-1993

Scope and content:

Subseries 1.1 comprises memorandums, correspondence, meeting minutes, surveys, and reports created by Barbara Schmitter during her tenure as Dean of Studies from 1966-82 and as Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs from 1982-93. Schmitter frequently corresponded with students and students' family members who expressed concern about the student's enrollment, coursework, grades, study abroad, financial aid, and residential housing. Schmitter often wrote letters of support and recommendation for Barnard employees and students; however, formal letters of recommendation written on behalf of students applying to graduate programs or employment are restricted for 75 years from the date of writing, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Schmitter also frequently corresponded with faculty members, faculty committees, and administrators about changes in curriculum, enrollment requirements and logistics, academic awards and scholarship prizes, grading policies, and the academic advising structure. In addition to memorandums and correspondence regarding these topics, Schmitter also produced surveys of students, such as surveys of course enrollment, major/minor declarations, institutional financial assistance, and other aspects of student life.

Schmitter was closely involved with campus-wide issues that were not necessarily related to academics, particularly student grievances regarding residential housing, as well as matters related to the academic and emotional wellbeing of students of color and administrative responses to student protests. Aside from these major features of the Schmitter correspondence, this subseries also contains correspondence related to alum relations, hiring, inter-institutional collaborations, and other topics.

Arrangement:

Folders in this subseries are organized chronologically. Items with each folder are arranged either chronologically or alphabetically. Most folders include an index of correspondence contained within the folder that will indicate whether they are organized alphabetically or chronologically. These indices and arrangement schemes were imposed prior to the collection's transfer to the archives.

Contents

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