University Archives
Melinda Isler, Archivist
FLITE 438
1010 Campus Drive
Big Rapids MI 49307
(231) 591-3731
[email protected]
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Ferris Expositor Records
Creator: Ferris Institute. Office of Public Affairs.
Dates: 1956-173
Abstract: The Ferris Expositor served as an internal publication that communicated information about campus staff and events. It was edited by the public affairs office to provide concise summaries for a rapidly expanding campus. The publication ran between 1956-1973 and was replaced by the FYI.
Language: English
Quantity: 3.0 cubic feet; 2 records center boxes
Identification: UA 18.3.615
Repository: Ferris State University Archives and Records Management Program
Historical Note
The first edition of the Ferris Expositor debuted on October 12, 1956 as an information source for a rapidly expanding institution. An introductory article describes the Expositor "as a device to keep us close together in knowledge and understanding of which goes together to make Ferris." It was edited by Virginia Deupree in the office of the Director of Institutional Relations, with administrators, faculty and staff who were appointed as reporters for the various divisions and departments.
The issues were four pages and usually featured a cover photograph of a campus building or a program. There were a mixture of signed and unsigned articles within. Occasionally, the president or another administrator would write a column. Campus information about enrollment, commencement or accreditation were often featured. The newsletter was produced weekly during the academic year. It began either in September or October and ran through the beginning of June.
Within a year of publication, the tagline changed to "an internal publication of Ferris Institute," reflecting it's goal of internal communication. A 1970 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education featured the newletter as a pioneering internal communication mechanism created by President Victor Spatthelf. Color was used for emphasis on the cover page.
The Ferris Expositor ceased publication in June 1973. It was replaced by the FYI.
Scope and Content Note
Known as the "official publication of Ferris Institute for staff, officials and friends of the college," the Expositor was named forits official function of explaining, commenting, interpreting and statements. While the idea was conceived by President Victor Spatthelf, it was coordinated by the office of Institutional Relations (later called the College Relations Office.) This office handled public affairs for the institution.
This publication provides a snapshot of a typical moment for the institution. Regular features within the publication include a cover photograph of a featured program or building, a calender of activities and a report on professional activities of faculty and administrators. Further text was devoted to campus speakers, student events such as speech tournaments or sporting events. Various functions around campus such as the library, or the financial aid office were often invited to write articles explaining the services that they provided to the campus. The articles also provided introductions to recently hired staff, or those who had announced their retirement.
This is truly an internal publication with a great focus on the staff. Some student activities are mentioned, but little about alumni. It sometimes serves as a conduit for information printed about the Institute from outside media sources. Articles are brief, and full citations and sources are seldom listed.
Arrangement
The papers are divided into two series.
- Series 1. Issues. 1956-1973.
- Series 2. Bound volumes. 1956-1973.
Access Information
Conditions of Access
The Ferris Expositor Records are open for research to all users in accordance with University Archives and Records Management access policies. It is available in the reading room of the Ferris State University Archives.
Conditions of Use
Requests for permission to publish material should be directed to the University Archivist. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
Copyright interests for this collection have been transferred to Ferris State University. For more information, contact the University Archivist.
Subject Headings
Below are a list of names, organizations and subjects relating to the collection. Names have been taken from Library of Congress Authority headings whenever possible.
- Ferris Expositor (Big Rapids, Mich.)
- Ferris Institute (Big Rapids, Mich.)- History- 1956-1963
- Ferris Institute (Big Rapids, Mich.)- Periodicals
- Ferris State College (Big Rapids, Mich.)- History- 1963-1973
- Ferris State College (Big Rapids, Mich.)- Periodicals
- Universities and colleges-Michigan-Curricula-Periodicals
Related Materials
None specified.
Administrative Information
Citations
Footnotes and bibliographic references should use the following format:
[Item], Folder, Box. Ferris Expositor Records. Ferris State University Archives. Big Rapids, Michigan.
Provenance (Acquisition Information)
These records were transferred to the University Archives by various employees. Most were received prior to 1980.
Processing Information
The Ferris Expositor Records were processed to the folder level by Melinda McMartin Isler in September 2005. A finding aid was prepared in a word processing format and converted to EAD 1.0. A revised finding aid was created in January 2008. A collection level MARC-format record was prepared and placed in the library online public access catalog. Description was based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004).
Technical Requirements
This collection consists of printed publications. No specialized software or hardware is required for viewing.
Content Listing
Series 1. Issues. 1956-1973.
This series consists of approximately 1.5 cubic feet of a serial paper publication. This staff publication gave general campus information to an expanding staff.
The issues are arranged in chronological order by month.
| Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Ferris Expositor. October 1956. |
| 1 | 2 | Ferris Expositor. November 1956. |
| 1 | 3 | Ferris Expositor. December 1956. |
| 1 | 4 | Ferris Expositor. January 1957. |
| 1 | 5 | Ferris Expositor. February 1957. |
| 1 | 6 | Ferris Expositor. March 1957. |
| 1 | 7 | Ferris Expositor. April 1957. |
| 1 | 8 | Ferris Expositor. May 1957. |
| 1 | 9 | Ferris Expositor. June 1957. |
| 1 | 10 | Ferris Expositor/Torch. Fall 1957. |
| 1 | 11 | Ferris Expositor. October 1957. |
| 1 | 12 | Ferris Expositor. November 1957. |
| 1 | 13 | Ferris Expositor. December 1957. |
| 1 | 14 | Ferris Expositor. January 1958. |
| 1 | 15 | Ferris Expositor. February 1958. |
| 1 | 16 | Ferris Expositor. March 1958. |
| 1 | 17 | Ferris Expositor. April 1958. |
| 1 | 18 | Ferris Expositor. May 1958. |
| 1 | 19 | Ferris Expositor. June 1958. |
| 1 | 20 | Ferris Expositor. September 1958. |
| 1 | 21 | Ferris Expositor. October 1958. |
| 1 | 22 | Ferris Expositor. November 1958. |
| 1 | 23 | Ferris Expositor. December 1958. |
| 1 | 24 | Ferris Expositor. January 1959. |
| 1 | 25 | Ferris Expositor. February 1959. |
| 1 | 26 | Ferris Expositor. March 1959. |
| 1 | 27 | Ferris Expositor. April 1959. |
| 1 | 28 | Ferris Expositor. May 1959. |
| 1 | 29 | Ferris Expositor. June 1959. |
| 1 | 30 | Ferris Expositor. September 1959. |
| 1 | 31 | Ferris Expositor. October 1959. |
| 1 | 32 | Ferris Expositor. November 1959. |
| 1 | 33 | Ferris Expositor. December 1959. |
| 1 | 34 | Ferris Expositor. January 1960. |
| 1 | 35 | Ferris Expositor. February 1960. |
| 1 | 36 | Ferris Expositor. March 1960. |
| 1 | 37 | Ferris Expositor. April 1960. |
| 1 | 38 | Ferris Expositor. May 1960. |
| 1 | 39 | Ferris Expositor. June 1960. |
| 1 | 40 | Ferris Expositor. September 1960. |
| 1 | 41 | Ferris Expositor. October 1960. |
| 1 | 42 | Ferris Expositor. November 1960. |
| 1 | 43 | Ferris Expositor. December 1960. |
| 1 | 44 | Ferris Expositor. January 1961. |
| 1 | 45 | Ferris Expositor. February 1961. |
| 1 | 46 | Ferris Expositor. March 1961. |
| 1 | 47 | Ferris Expositor. April 1961. |
| 1 | 48 | Ferris Expositor. May 1961. |
| 1 | 49 | Ferris Expositor. June 1961. |
| 1 | 50 | Ferris Expositor. September 1961. |
| 1 | 51 | Ferris Expositor. October 1961. |
| 1 | 52 | Ferris Expositor. November 1961. |
| 1 | 53 | Ferris Expositor. December 1961. |
| 1 | 54 | Ferris Expositor. January 1962. |
| 1 | 55 | Ferris Expositor. February 1962. |
| 1 | 56 | Ferris Expositor. March 1962. |
| 1 | 57 | Ferris Expositor. April 1962. |
| 1 | 58 | Ferris Expositor. May 1962. |
| 1 | 59 | Ferris Expositor. June 1962. |
| 1 | 60 | Ferris Expositor. September 1962. |
| 1 | 61 | Ferris Expositor. October 1962. |
| 1 | 62 | Ferris Expositor. November 1962. |
| 1 | 63 | Ferris Expositor. December 1962. |
| 1 | 64 | Ferris Expositor. January 1963. |
| 1 | 65 | Ferris Expositor. February 1963. |
| 1 | 66 | Ferris Expositor. March 1963. |
| 1 | 67 | Ferris Expositor. April 1963. |
| 1 | 68 | Ferris Expositor. May 1963. |
| 1 | 69 | Ferris Expositor. June 1963. (empty) |
| 1 | 70 | Ferris Expositor. September 1963. |
| 1 | 71 | Ferris Expositor. October 1963. |
| 1 | 72 | Ferris Expositor. November 1963. |
| 1 | 73 | Ferris Expositor. December 1963. |
| 1 | 74 | Ferris Expositor. January 1964. |
| 1 | 75 | Ferris Expositor. February 1964. |
| 1 | 76 | Ferris Expositor. March 1964. |
| 1 | 77 | Ferris Expositor. April 1964. |
| 1 | 78 | Ferris Expositor. May 1964. |
| 1 | 79 | Ferris Expositor. September 1964. |
| 1 | 80 | Ferris Expositor. October 1964. |
| 1 | 81 | Ferris Expositor. November 1964. |
| 1 | 82 | Ferris Expositor. December 1964. |
| 1 | 83 | Ferris Expositor. January 1965. |
| 1 | 84 | Ferris Expositor. February 1965. |
| 1 | 85 | Ferris Expositor. March 1965. |
| 1 | 86 | Ferris Expositor. April 1965. |
| 1 | 87 | Ferris Expositor. May 1965. |
| 1 | 88 | Ferris Expositor. June 1965. |
| 1 | 89 | Ferris Expositor. September 1965. |
| 1 | 90 | Ferris Expositor. October 1965. |
| 1 | 91 | Ferris Expositor. November 1965. |
| 1 | 92 | Ferris Expositor. December 1965. |
| 1 | 93 | Ferris Expositor. January 1966. |
| 1 | 94 | Ferris Expositor. February 1966. |
| 1 | 95 | Ferris Expositor. March 1966. |
| 1 | 96 | Ferris Expositor. April 1966. |
| 1 | 97 | Ferris Expositor. May 1966. |
| 1 | 98 | Ferris Expositor. June 1966. |
| 1 | 99 | Ferris Expositor. September 1966. |
| 1 | 100 | Ferris Expositor. October 1966. |
| 1 | 101 | Ferris Expositor. November 1966. |
| 1 | 102 | Ferris Expositor. December 1966. |
| 1 | 103 | Ferris Expositor. January 1967. |
| 1 | 104 | Ferris Expositor. February 1967. |
| 1 | 105 | Ferris Expositor. March 1967. |
| 1 | 106 | Ferris Expositor. April 1967. |
| 1 | 107 | Ferris Expositor. May 1967. |
| 1 | 108 | Ferris Expositor. June 1967. |
| Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Ferris Expositor. October 1967. |
| 2 | 2 | Ferris Expositor. November 1967. |
| 2 | 3 | Ferris Expositor. December 1967. |
| 2 | 4 | Ferris Expositor. January 1968. |
| 2 | 5 | Ferris Expositor. February 1968. |
| 2 | 6 | Ferris Expositor. March 1968. |
| 2 | 7 | Ferris Expositor. April 1968. |
| 2 | 8 | Ferris Expositor. May 1968. |
| 2 | 9 | Ferris Expositor. June 1968. |
| 2 | 10 | Ferris Expositor. October 1968. |
| 2 | 11 | Ferris Expositor. November 1968. |
| 2 | 12 | Ferris Expositor. December 1968. |
| 2 | 13 | Ferris Expositor. January 1969. (empty) |
| 2 | 14 | Ferris Expositor. February 1969. |
| 2 | 15 | Ferris Expositor. March 1969. |
| 2 | 16 | Ferris Expositor. April 1969. |
| 2 | 17 | Ferris Expositor. May 1969. |
| 2 | 18 | Ferris Expositor. June 1969. |
| 2 | 19 | Ferris Expositor. October 1969. |
| 2 | 20 | Ferris Expositor. November 1969. |
| 2 | 21 | Ferris Expositor. December 1969. |
| 2 | 22 | Ferris Expositor. January 1970. |
| 2 | 23 | Ferris Expositor. February 1970. |
| 2 | 24 | Ferris Expositor. March 1970. |
| 2 | 25 | Ferris Expositor. April 1970. |
| 2 | 26 | Ferris Expositor. May 1970. |
| 2 | 27 | Ferris Expositor. June 1970. |
| 2 | 28 | Ferris Expositor. October 1970. |
| 2 | 29 | Ferris Expositor. November 1970. |
| 2 | 30 | Ferris Expositor. December 1970. |
| 2 | 31 | Ferris Expositor. January 1971. |
| 2 | 32 | Ferris Expositor. February 1971. |
| 2 | 33 | Ferris Expositor. March 1971. |
| 2 | 34 | Ferris Expositor. April 1971. |
| 2 | 35 | Ferris Expositor. May 1971. |
| 2 | 36 | Ferris Expositor. June 1971. |
| 2 | 37 | Ferris Expositor. October 1971. |
| 2 | 38 | Ferris Expositor. November 1971. |
| 2 | 39 | Ferris Expositor. December 1971. |
| 2 | 40 | Ferris Expositor. January 1972. |
| 2 | 41 | Ferris Expositor. February 1972. |
| 2 | 42 | Ferris Expositor. March 1972. |
| 2 | 43 | Ferris Expositor. April 1972. |
| 2 | 44 | Ferris Expositor. May 1972. |
| 2 | 45 | Ferris Expositor. June 1972. |
| 2 | 46 | Ferris Expositor. October 1972. |
| 2 | 47 | Ferris Expositor. November 1972. |
| 2 | 48 | Ferris Expositor. December 1972. |
| 2 | 49 | Ferris Expositor. January 1973. |
| 2 | 50 | Ferris Expositor. February 1973. |
| 2 | 51 | Ferris Expositor. March 1973. |
| 2 | 52 | Ferris Expositor. April 1973. |
| 2 | 53 | Ferris Expositor. May 1973. |
| 2 | 54 | Ferris Expositor. June 1973. |
Series 2. Bound Volumes. 1956-1973.
This series consists of approximately 1.5cubic feet of the same serial publication. It is bound by volume and separated by academic year and marked with the name of a Ferris administrator or Board member.
The issues are arranged in chronological order.
| Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1956-1957. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1957-1958. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1958-1959. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1959-1960. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1960-1961. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1961-1962. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1962-1963. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1963-1964. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1964-1965. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1965-1966. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1966-1967. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1967-1968. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1968-1969. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1969-1970. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1970-1971. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1971-1972. | |
| 2 | Ferris Expositor. 1972-1973. |