William J. McGill papers, 1929-1979
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#0822
- Bib ID:
- 4079709 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- McGill, William J. (William James), 1922-1997
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 23.35 linear feet (56 document boxes and 1 oversize folder)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Other Finding Aids
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
-
The following boxes are located offsite: 2-56. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room
This collection was restricted during the donor's lifetime.
Description
Summary
Correspondence, memoranda, notes, speeches, scientific data, photographs and printed material. Half of the collection relates to McGill's research and writing in the fields of experimental and mathematical psychology, particularly in the psychology of perception, and contains drafts of papers, notes, class materials and works by others. Also included are files relating to McGill's chairmanship of the Carnegie Commission on the Future of Public Broadcasting, files pertaining to his participation on the New York State Special Advisory Panel on Medical Malpractice, and some papers from his chairmanship of the psychology department, and later chancellorship, of the University of California, San Diego. Some personal correspondence and documents are also included. Among the cataloged correspondence are John W. Gardiner, Edward M. Kennedy, Margaret Mead, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Jonas Salk, and Beverly Sills
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four series: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Subject Files; Series III: Psychology; Series IV: University of California at San Diego.
- Series I: Correspondence, 1941-1977
- Series II: Subject Files
- Series III: Psychology
- Series IV: University of California at San Diego
Using the Collection
Other Finding Aids
Restrictions on Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
The following boxes are located offsite: 2-56. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room
This collection was restricted during the donor's lifetime.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); William J. McGill papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Related Materials
For additional materials related to McGill's tenure as University President, please consult Central Files (UA#0001). Additional speeches and remarks can be found in the William J. McGill speeches, 1971-1980 (UA#0309).
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Ownership and Custodial History
Gift of William J. McGill, 1980.
Transfer from the President's Office, 1984.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--McGill, William J. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1980. Accession number--M-1980.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Entered in AMC 10/08/90.
Revision Description
2020-06-29 PDF replaced with full finding aid (JR)
Biographical / Historical
William J. McGill received an AB and MA from Fordham and the Ph.D. from Harvard. After serving as an assistant professor at MIT, McGill joined Columbia's Department of Psychology in 1956, became associate professor in 1958 and full professor two years later, serving as chairman of the psychology department from 1961 to 1963. He left Columbia for five years to become a professor and chancellor at UC San Diego and returned to Columbia as president in 1970. His administration was marked by recovery from a state of fiscal instability, growth in fund raising, construction of several major facilities, curricular innovations and establishment of the Society of Fellows in the Humanities. In 1980, McGill retired to La Jolla, California following his tenure as president.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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