A Finding Aid for the Presidential Cabinet Records 1956-1996 - University Archives

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Presidential Cabinet Records

Creator: Ferris State University. Office of the President.

Dates: 1956-1996

Abstract: The Presidential Cabinet (with various official names) consists of high level administrators (often vice-presidents) who act to advise and inform the President. Records within the collection include agendas, minutes, notes, and some supporting documentation.

Language: English

Quantity: 1.5 cubic feet; 1 records center box

Identification: UA 1.0.10

Repository: Ferris State University Archives and Records Management Program

Historical Note

President Victor Spathelf created the Administrative Council in July 1956. The original proposal described the council as coordinating several administrative issues including:

1. recommendations from the Committee on Instruction regarding academic matters
2. recommendations from college-wide committees
3. recommendations of special project committees
4. recommendations of faculty advisory committees
5. issues brought up by executive officers
6. issues from the president for either action or information

The original council included executive officers (vice-presidents), academic deans, the registrar and the librarian. Only official members could vote, although other staff members were invited to meetings to give presentations on specific issues relating to their areas of expertise. The council was to meet monthly or by special call, and maintain minutes of the meetings.

Other presidents restricted membership in the cabinet to vice-presidents. Minutes have always been kept but the detail varied greatly. The cabinet has always advised the president and brought issues up which they felt were important to the institution as a whole. Typical topics brought up within the meetings include accreditation, Board of Trustees meetings, building projects, events, labor issues and funding.

Scope and Content Note

The President's Cabinet served as a formal advisory committee which began during the presidency of Victor Spathelf. He became president of Ferris Institute in 1953 and created this council, along with a series of other advisory groups within his first five years. This was in part to help the institution win accreditation from the North Central Association.

Records are divided into series based roughly on the president's tenure. Sometimes there is some overlap. When that occurs, the records are filed under the earlier president. Topics include university issues, building projects, academic endeavors and contract negotiations. Recent materials within the collection are restricted in accordance with University Archives and Records Management policies.

The scope of the meeting records varies with each presidency. Under the Administrative Council, an agenda, and some minutes and supporting documents are included. Under the first Cabinet series (1971-1984) only brief notes are available. There are also some minutes mixed in of meetings that the President held with deans. For the period following 1985, the actual secretary's notebook is available with notes taken. It is unclear whether formal minutes were ever created. Some agendas have been printed off from email messages and included in the collection as well.

The makeup of the cabinet also varies with each presidency. Sometimes it consists solely of vice-presidents, and in other cases it also may include other members such as director of the library or a representative academic dean.

Arrangement

The papers are divided into a five series:

1. Administrative Council
2. Cabinet
3. President's Cabinet
4. President's Cabinet
5. President's Cabinet

Access Information

Conditions of Access

The Presidential Cabinet 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 State College- Administrative Council
• Ferris State College- President's Cabinet
• Ferris State College- History -1956-1986
• Ferris State University- President's Cabinet
• Ferris State University- Office of the President
• Ferris State University - History- 1987-1996
• Universities and colleges- Administration

Related Materials

See the collections of individual presidents.

Administrative Information

Citations

Footnotes and bibliographic references should use the following format:
[Item], Folder, Box. Presidential Cabinet Records. Ferris State University Archives. Big Rapids, Michigan.

Provenance (Acquisition Information)

The pre-1971 materials within this collection were transferred at some point prior to 1980. Some minutes are have the name Goldie Nott on them. She served as the library director and collected materials for a Ferris historical collection. The remainder of the records were transferred by Elaine Kamptner in the Office of the President in October 2002 (box labeled PO CAB-1).

Processing Information

The Presidential Cabinet Records were processed to the folder level by Melinda McMartin Isler in June 2006. It was revised in December 2007. A finding aid was prepared in a word processing format and converted to EAD 2.0. A collection level MARC-21 record was prepared and placed in the library online public access catalog. Description based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004).

Technical Requirements

This collection consists of typed and handwritten papers. There is no specialized software required for viewing.

Content Listing

Series 1. Administrative Council. 1956-1971.

This series consists of approximately 0.3 cubic feet of records. The records include meeting packets for meetings attended by Goldie Nott and have both agendas and minutes and some supporting documentation.

These records are arranged chronologically.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	1	Administrative Council. Structure. 1956.
1	2	Meeting records. July 1956-December 1956.
1	3	Meeting records. January 1957-July 1957.
1	4	Meeting records. September 1957-July 1960.
1	5	Meeting records. October 1960-August 1962.
1	6	Meeting records. November 1964-January 1965.
1	7	Meeting records. February 1965-January 1968.

Series 2. Cabinet. 1971-1984.

This series consists of approximately 0.3 cubic feet of records. This records are primarily minutes, with a few agendas included.

These records are arranged chronologically.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	8	Meeting records. April 1971-March 1973.
1	9	Meeting records. April 1973-February 1976.
1	10	Meeting records. March 1976-April 1978.
1	11	Meeting records. May 1978-April 1979.
1	12	Meeting records. May 1979-February 1980.
1	13	Meeting records. March 1980-January 1981.
1	14	Meeting records. February 1981-January 1982.
1	15	Meeting records. February 1982-December 1982.
1	16	Meeting records. January 1983-April 1984.

Series 3. President's Cabinet. 1985-1989.

This series consists of approximately 0.3 cubic feet of records. The records contain the secretary's notebook of handwritten notes taken at the meetings.

These records are arranged chronologically.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	17	Notebook. September 1985-July 1986.
1	18	Notebook. July 1986-October 1987. RESTRICTED.
1	19	Notebook. November 1987-April 1989. RESTRICTED.

Series 4. President's Cabinet. 1989-1994.

This series consists of approximately 0.3 cubic feet of records. Records include both memorandum/meeting information packets and the secretary's notebook of handwritten notes taken at the meetings.

These records are arranged alphabetically by type, and chronologically within each type.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	20	Meeting records. 1991-1992. RESTRICTED.
1	21	Meeting records. January 1994-May 1994. RESTRICTED.
1	22	Notebook. April 1989-October 1990. RESTRICTED.
1	23	Notebook. November 1990-November 1991. RESTRICTED.
1	24	Notebook. December 1991-January 1993. RESTRICTED.
1	25	Notebook. January 1993-March 1994. RESTRICTED.
1	26	Notebook. March 1994-June 1994. RESTRICTED.

Series 5. President's Cabinet. 1994-1996.

This series consists of approximately 0.3 cubic feet of records. Records include both memorandum/meeting information packets and the secretary's notebook of handwritten notes taken at the meetings.

These records are arranged alphabetically by type, and chronologically within each type.

Box	Folder	Contents
1	27	Meeting records. July 1994-September 1994. RESTRICTED.
1	28	Meeting records. October 1994. RESTRICTED.
1	29	Meeting records. November 1994-December 1994. RESTRICTED.
1	30	Meeting records. January 1995. RESTRICTED.
1	31	Notebook. June 1994-January 1995. RESTRICTED.
1	32	Notebook. January 1995-January 1996. RESTRICTED.