Office of the Secretary records, 1866-2004

Summary Information

Description

Summary

This collection consists of the records of the Office of the Secretary: Trustee materials and minutes, agreements, trustee biographical files, honor and prizes files, by-laws and statutes, reports, publications, and correspondence.

• Series I: Agreements, 1868-1997

  This collection contains copies of correspondence and official documents maintained by the Office of the Secretary pertaining to various agreements between Columbia University and other institutions and organizations between the years 1868 and 1997. These materials were transferred from Office of the Secretary under the auspices of DiAnn Pierce in the early 1990s. Related materials can be found in the Wills and Agreements from the Office of the President.

• Series II: Alphabetical Files, 1895-1998

  These files were received by the University Archives in July 1998. The files are alphabetically arranged office files from the Office of the Secretary with bulk dates ranging from 1967-1995; earlier dates usually refer to photocopies of earlier resolutions and correspondence collected by the office to answer a question posed in more recent years. Three files of "historical" materials were added to this collection in 2001 by staff members as they appear to date from the same time period as the other files and are of a similar nature. The files "Columbia Symbols," "Columbia's Name, Use of" and "Office of the Secretary - History" are listed alphabetically within this finding aid but can physically be found at the back of Box 15. With the exception of these three files just mentioned, none of the files have been refoldered, and none of the files have been weeded or have had metal fasteners removed as of June 2004.

• Series III. Binders of Information, 1928-1988

  The Office of the Secretary maintained binders of information containing indices to Trustee minutes and committee minutes, information regarding by-laws and statutes for both the Board of Trustees and Faculties and Departments as well as historical information on named professorships. These were removed from the binders and placed in folders by Raju Mann, a student worker, in the summer of 1999. Set numbers from the original binders were maintained. Each file has a code which is composed of a two-letter designation for the set, along with a sequential number of the file within the entire set. These appear in parentheses after the folder title in this list. Some additional by-law materials, charter and statute materials, and affirmative action procedures were added to the end of box 9 from files and a binder found in a box of publications obtained from the Office of the Secretary in March 2000.

• Series IV: Honors and Prizes, 1910-1999

  These boxes, part of accession 2001-048 (originally received in March 2000), contain files from the Office of the Secretary regarding various prizes, honors, special convocations and lectures administered by that office and/or the Board of Trustees. The records have been arranged alphabetically and chronologically and are housed in three record cartons. Photographs have been removed to the Historical Photograph Collection (UA#0003).

• Series V: Office Files, 1946-1997

  This series contains correspondence, office files and information binders.

• Series VI: Presidential Search Committees, 1993-1994

  This small collection contains materials used by the presidential search committees formed to find and appoint new presidents for both Barnard College and Teachers College in 1993-1994. Corinne Reider, Secretary of the University, was chosen by Columbia University President George Rupp as Columbia's representative on the Barnard Presidential Search Committee and as the Columbia representative on the Teachers College Presidential Selection Committee. These are, presumably, her files. The files contain CVs, memos, notes, references and other supporting materials relating to the candidates for the two presidencies. Also included are published materials relating to the searches as well as the announcement of Judith Shapiro's appointment as president of Barnard College and the appointment of Arthur Levine as president of Teachers College.

• Series VII: Publications, Video Tapes and Audio Cassettes, 1866-1995

  These boxes contain duplicate university publications, university-related videos and audio cassettes transferred from the Office of the Secretary in March 2000. The publications consist primarily of old editions of charters and statutes, by-laws of the Trustees, rules of order for the Trustees, and faculty handbooks. The audio cassettes are of university events and/or speeches and meetings; the videos are a mix of university and non-university productions and clips.

• Series VIII: Reports and By-Laws, 1923-1992

  This box contains copies of various reports and by-laws once maintained by the Office of the Secretary. These materials were transferred from that office to the University Archives in 1997.

• Series IX: School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)'s Regional Institutes, 1944-2004

  In February 2004, The Office of the Secretary (with assistance from the University Archives and School of International and Public Affairs [SIPA]), compiled various documents regarding SIPA's Regional Institutes. Relevant materials from Trustee Minutes, Trustee Committee Minutes and Central Files were photocopied and arranged into indexed file folders for easy reference by that office. The original copy was kept by the Secretary's Office and a second copy was given to the University Archives. This box contains the Archives' copy of these subject specific documents as well as some relevant notes kept the University Archives as the research was conducted.

• Series X: Trustee Biographical Files, 1880-2001

  This series of alphabetically arranged biographical files for former trustees of the University was received by the University Archives-Columbiana Library in the mid 1990s from the Office of the Secretary where they had been maintained over the years. Although these "biographical files" often do contain biographical information, the materials also reflect the duties and responsibilities given to various trustees over the years through routine correspondence about appointments to committees and similar matters. The files in this collection may contain press releases, biographical sketches, correspondence regarding appointments, resignations and meeting attendance, memoranda, meeting minutes, copies of resolutions, reports, alumni association voting records, newspaper clippings, drafts, memorial service materials (including speeches and obituaries), information regarding spouses, and CVs. For very early trustees (18th and early 19th c.) there is usually only an undated biographical sketch in their file. Some of the files contain particularly interesting or notable materials. The Dwight D. Eisenhower file is particularly rich with much correspondence (much original) between the Board of Trustees and Eisenhower concerning his election as president of the university, his concerns upon accepting that position, his leave of absence to help establish NATO in Europe, and his resignation in 1952 to become president of the U.S. There is also material dating from the 1980s and 1990s regarding the use of Eisenhower era materials by researchers and for a centennial exhibition at Columbia in 1990. In the Thomas A. Parkinson file there is correspondence and drafts of the letter to Nicholas Murray Butler urging his retirement as President of the University and outlining the benefits he would continue to receive. The John Pine file contains a list of materials (publications and other paper matter) sent to the University upon his death. The Thomas J. Watson file contains a transcript of his statement regarding Nicholas Murray Butler upon Butler's retirement in 1945. Robert Watt's file contains two reports of the Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Government Aided Research Program of the University (1956, 1959).

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in ten series.

• Series I: Agreements, 1868-1997
• Series II: Alphabetical Files, 1895-1998
• Series III. Binders of Information, 1928-1988
• Series IV: Honors and Prizes, 1910-1999
• Series V: Office Files, 1946-1997
• Subseries V.1: Office Files and Binders, 1962-1997
• Subseries V.2: Correspondence, 1967-1995
• Subseries V.3: Procedures Binder, 1946-1977
• Series VI: Presidential Search Committees, 1993-1994
• Series VII: Publications, Video Tapes and Audio Cassettes, 1866-1995
• Series VIII: Reports and By-Laws, 1923-1992
• Series IX: School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)'s Regional Institutes, 1944-2004
• Series X: Trustee Biographical Files, 1880-2001

Using the Collection

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.

All administrative records of the University are restricted for 25 years from the date of creation. Trustee materials are closed for 50 years after their creation.

The RBML cannot provide access to original time-based media material which has not been first been reformatted for preservation. Researchers are welcome to examine archival time-based media items and decide whether they wish to place an order for Audio/Video reformatting. If copyright and/or condition restrictions apply, it may not be possible to digitize a requested item. Please note that A/V reformatting is handled by an outside vendor and typically takes 6-8 weeks.

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); Office of the Secretary records; Box and Folder; University Archives, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Accruals

Additions are expected.

Materials have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact uarchives@columbia.edu for more information.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Jocelyn Wilk in 2004, including some updating of previously processed materials: Series I by Claudia Howell, 2001; Series III by Raju Mann, 1999; and Sub-series V.3 by Marilyn Petit, 2002. Series IX was processed by Jocelyn Wilk in 2006. Series X was processed by Jennifer Ulrich in 2005.

Collection-level record describing unprocessed material made public in summer 2018 as part of the Hidden Collections initiative.

Revision Description

2021-02-09 Published container list (Series I-X). (JR)

2022-01-07 Removed expired restrictions. (JR)

Historical Note

The title of University Secretary was created by President Seth Low to more accurately describe the work of his personal secretary, William H.H. Beebe, in 1895. As part of the Low's reorganization of Columbia College into Columbia University, the University Secretary managed the business of the new university, communicating with the new University Council, the faculties, the administrative boards, and the Board of Trustees. Over the years, the role of the Secretary evolved to serve as custodians of the University documents and records and keepers of the charters and statutes. The Office has also coordinated public ceremonies (awards, graduations, etc.) and overseen honorary degrees and other university awards. They serve as the main liaison with the Board of Trustees.

William H.H. Beebe (1895-1902), Frederick P. Keppel (1902-1910), Frank D. Fackenthal (1910-1937), Philip M. Hayden (1937-1949), Richard Herpers (1949-1961), Edward McMenamin (1961-1971), Marion E. Jemmott (Acting 1972-1978, Secretary 1978-1988), Corinne Reider (1988-1996), DiAnn K. Pierce (Acting 1996), R. Keith Walton (1996-2007) and Jerome Davis (2007 to present (2021)).

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.

All links open new windows.

Name
Columbia University -- : Administration	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID
Columbia University. Trustees	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID
Subject
College administrators	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID