College of Arts and Sciences records

Collection — Box: 1-2, 1-11, 1, 1-30

Identifier: 15/1/117-15/1/233-15/1/341-15/1/410

Staff Only

Collection contains the subject files from the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Buffalo from the College's inception in 1913 to 1967 when it was split into three Faculties.

The bulk of the records date from the late 1940s to 1967. With a few exceptions, there are no subject or correspondence files prior to circa 1947. However, the history of the College is well documented by its annual reports (1914/15, 1920/21-1966/67), and the minutes of the Faculty (1914-1967), the Executive Committee (1923-1967), Tutorial Committee (1930-1950), Committee on Admissions and Requirements for Degrees (1935-1965), and the Curriculum Committee (1924-1963).

In addition to the minutes, the records also include correspondence of the Dean and his administrative staff, subject files, budget documents, reports, studies and other materials. Subjects include the relation of the College of Arts and Sciences with its faculty, with the University administration, with other schools and colleges of the University of Buffalo, and with professional organizations.

The records do not include faculty personnel files as such, though information about individual faculty members exists in a variety of forms. Also, there are no student records, although there are committee records (especially from the Tutorial and Curriculum Committees) which deal with questions involving individual students.

Dates

1913-1967

Language of Materials

Collection material in English.

Terms of Access

The College of Arts and Sciences records, 1913-1967 are open for research.

Copyright

Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Extent

41.46 Linear Feet (28 cartons, 15 manuscript boxes, 1 half manuscript box)

Additional Description

Overview

Historical Note

The Council of the University of Buffalo voted to establish "Courses in Arts and Sciences" on June 18, 1913. The first students enrolled in the Fall. From this modest beginning, the College of Arts and Sciences rapidly expanded into a full undergraduate program. Full recognition came in 1920 when the College was authorized to grant degrees by the State Education Department and accredited by the Middle State Association.

The College of Arts and Sciences managed B.A. and B.S. programs. M.A. and Ph.D. programs were regulated by the Committee on Graduate Study and Degrees which was established in 1923 and became the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1939. In 1958, University College, which had its own Dean, was established to administer lower level 9Freshman and Sophomore) courses. Students who graduated from University College had to apply for admission to the College of Arts and Sciences if they wished to continue their studies at the University of Buffalo. The College of Arts and Sciences retained responsibility for its component departments as both University College and the Graduate School were administrative units with no faculty of their own.

One of the more noted programs of the College of Arts and Sciences was the Tutorial Plan, which was established in 1922 for qualified upperclassmen and expanded in 1931 to include all upperclassmen. Students in the Tutorial Plan could take special courses of independent instruction offered by the academic departments and divisions. The Tutorial Plan was replaced by an Honors Program in 1962.

Four Deans served the College of Arts and Sciences:

Julian Park, 1915-1954
Richard H. Heindel, 1954-1956
Milton C. Albrecht, Acting Dean, 1956-1958; Dean,1958-1965
Myles Slatin, Acting Dean, 1965-1967.

The Academic departments of the college were divided into three Divisions: Philosophy and Social Sciences; Mathematics, the Physical and Biological Sciences; and Language, Literature and the Arts.

In 1967, the State University of New York at Buffalo was reorganized. The College of Arts and Sciences was abolished and its departments incorporated into three "Faculties", each headed by a Provost. These new Faculties -- Arts and Letters, Social Sciences and Administration, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics--were roughly equivalent to the Divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences.

In 1998 the College of Arts and Sciences was recreated and the former faculties were again merged.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in four series by accession/collection number: 15/1/117, 15/1/233, 15/1/341 and 15/1/410. Each series begins its own box numbering system, associated and shelved by its collection number. Series II and IV are further arranged in subseries: I. 15/1/117, Subjects files; II. 15/1/233; IIA. Subject files; II.B. Faculty personnel sheets; II.C. Report from the Faculty; II.D. Tutorial Committee; III. 15/1/341, Correspondence (Myles Slatin, Acting Dean), 1961-1962, 1964-1965; IV. 15/1/410; IV.A. Annual reports; IV.B. Budget; IV.C. Committee, Admissions and requirements for degrees; IV.D. Committee, Curriculum; IV.E. Committee, Executive; IV.F. Committee, Tutorial; IV.G. Committees; IV.H. Committees, Search and Screening; IV.I. Departmental correspondence and related materials; IV.J. Elections; IV.K. Enrollment archives; IV.L. Faculty; IV.M. Faculty minutes; IV.N. General files; IV.O. Honors Program; IV.P. Printed materials; IV.Q. Research reports; IV.R. Schools; and IV.S. University Council minutes.
Each series is shelved according to its accession number.

Acquisition Information

Collection was received in three major accessions from the College of Arts and Sciences between 1965 and 1967 forming four separately numbered collections: 15/1/117, 233, 341 and 410. The major portion was sent by Acting Dean Myles Slatin at the time of the dissolution of the College in 1967.

Accruals and Additions

No further accruals are expected to this collection.

Alternate Forms

Microfilm copy available of Series IV.E., College of Arts and Sciences, Executive Committee minutes, 1923-1967, MicFilm Archives 15/1. and of Series IV.M., College of Arts and Sciences, Faculty minutes, 1914-1967, MicFilm Archives 15/1.

Related Resources

3/4/847, College of Arts and Sciences records of the 75th Anniversary Celebration, 1988-1989
3/4/759, Arts and Sciences Anniversary Exhibit materials
Record Group 16/, Faculty of Arts and letters, 1967-1998
Record Group 20/, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 1967-1998
Record Group 22/, Faculty of Social Sciences and Administration, 1967-1998
Record Group 50/, College of Arts and Sciences, 1998-
15/2/118, Milton C. Albrecht papers, 1946-1975
15/2/119, Julian Park collection, 1834-1962