Columbia University. Office of the Provost. Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs records, 1939-2006 (Bulk dates: 1956-2003). - View Resource (original) (raw)

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Columbia University. Office of the Provost. Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs records, 1939-2006 (Bulk dates: 1956-2003).

Title

Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs records, 1939-2006 (Bulk dates: 1956-2003).

Abstract

The records document the activities of the Offices of the Provost and the Vice President for Academic Affairs and begin with the Jacques Barzun administration, circa 1956. Any extent records that predate the Barzun administration are most likely part of the Central Files (1890s-1971), which are the records of the Office of the President. In addition, it appears that there is a small amount of material in the personal papers of both Jacques Barzun and Grayson Kirk, which are held by Columbia University's Rare Book & Manuscript Library. The records are particularly strong in the documentation of the Vice President's and Provost's work on issues related to academics, faculty, and indirectly, student life. The records include documentation on the administration, development, and history of departments, programs, research institutes and centers, schools, and academic services. These files also touch on issues related to development, such as budgets, committees, community relations, funding, grants, office politics, personnel, real estate, space planning, special projects, and university relations with affiliated institutions. The Provost is closely involved with the faculty of the University, as one of the main functions of the position is to handle appointments, grievances, leaves, salaries, and tenure for all faculty members. The records contain information not only on these responsibilities, but also on awards, fringe benefits, housing, neighborhood conditions, recruitment, research, retirement, safety, and teaching loads. The Provost also maintained correspondence and subject files for many individual faculty members. While the Vice President and Provost were usually not directly responsible for student life issues, many of the records reflect on issues that affect student life, such as 1968 crisis and its aftermath, academic planning, admissions, course offerings, discipline, financial aid, housing, safety, services, space, tuition, and unionization of graduate students. The majority of the files are essentially correspondence files. The files include correspondence between the Office of the Vice President and/or Provost and administrators, committee members, deans, department chairs, donors, faculty members, foundations, offices, and students. These files also contain agendas, agreements, background information, budgets, committee materials, legal documents, memoranda, minutes, proposals, questionnaires, personnel records, policy statements, reports, statistical data, and surveys.

Extent

336.4 linear feet ( 545 document boxes and 86 record storage boxes).