Academic eminence records, 1952-1956

Summary Information

Description

Summary

This collection consists of the materials used to compile the report, Columbia's Academic Eminence: A Report by the University Development Plan Committee's Subcommittee on Academic Eminence, 1954-1955. There are surveys for each academic department (Philosophy) and "field of learning" (Ethics, Logic, Metaphysics). There are also some subcommitee records: minutes, correspondence, outlines, and drafts of the final report.

• Series I: Academic eminence records, 1952-1956

  The records of the Academic Eminence Study contain the data used to identify eminent faculty members and the records of the Subcommittee which compiled the data used in the final report. The October 1954 version, Columbia's Academic Eminence: A Report by the University Development Plan Committee's Subcommittee on Academic Eminence, is available online.

Arrangement

• Series I: Academic eminence records, 1952-1956

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.

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); Academic eminence records; Box and Folder numbers; University Archives, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Related Materials

Please consult the online version of the report, Columbia's Academic Eminence: A Report by the University Development Plan Committee's Subcommittee on Academic Eminence, October 1954. Additional materials, under "Academic Eminence Study," can be found in Central Files (UA#0001).

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

2002.012.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Collection-level record describing unprocessed material made public in summer 2018 as part of the Hidden Collections initiative. This collection was processed by Joanna Rios, June 2023.

Revision Description

2023-06-09 Finding aid published (JR)

2023-06-13 Added box 8. (JR)

Historical Note

Inspired by Columbia's then-upcoming Bicentennial year (1954), the University Development Plan Committee charged the Subcommittee on Academic Eminence to conduct a study "to ascertain the relative standing of Columbia's academic eminence in as objective a manner as possible." According to the report, the committee was "concerned with several danger signs which have appeared in recent years: (1) the recent loss of eminent people to other institutions; (2) the growing competition from state-supported institutions, government and industry; (3) the few eminent men who have in recent years refused invitations to join Columbia's staff; (4) the younger staff members of promise who are tempted to leave; (5) the many vacancies which will occur in the next few years due to retirements of eminent scholars; and (6) the urgent need for new and improved physical facilities which might overshadow the importance of staff."

To discover Columbia's academic eminence in comparison with other leading institutions, the Subcommittee set out to find the most distinguished scholars and where they were located. Columbia's Department Chairs (or Executive Officers, as they were known then) were asked to supply a list of "fields of learning" within their discipline as well as a list of professors specializing in each field. Survey forms were sent out to these scholars or a "panel of experts" to judge their colleagues and identify those who were the most eminent in a given field. The Subcommittee tabulated the results to see how Columbia ranked.

In the report, the Subcommittee found that Columbia ranked second only to Harvard in academic eminence. In order to improve its ranking, they recommended that Columbia hire an additional 27 eminent professors, create a favorable academic climate with attractive facilities, improve living conditions, award merit promotions, offer publication assistance, support participation in professional affairs, and demonstrate more administrative interest. The members of the University Development Plan Committee's Subcommittee on Academic Eminence were Paul F. Kerr, Chair; Charles R. Dawson, William A. Demorest, Edward H. Green and Christopher Mady, Secretary.

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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Name
Columbia University -- : Curricula	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID
Columbia University -- Administration	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID