Guide to the Collection of Assorted Committees Records RG 3.3.6

Summary Information

Repository

Sarah Lawrence College Archives

Title

Collection of Assorted Committees Records

ID

RG 3.3.6

Date [inclusive]

1928-2017

Extent

1.0 linear feet 2 document boxes

Language

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Sarah Lawrence College Archives 2005

Revision Description

 Finding Aid entered into Archivists' Toolkit by Emma Cameron May 2014

Conditions Governing Access note

The collection is closed for 75 years from the date of creation of the documents. Some material is unrestricted. See the Archivist for further information.

Acquisition note

Received from various offices throughout the years

Processing Information note

Processed 2005 by Abby Lester

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Historical note

Ad Hoc Committee on Restructuring the College Year Report: The 1969 report from this Committee on adding a summer term permanently as well as other concerns. Authors of the report were: Wilford Leach, Thais Lindstrom, and Charles Trinkaus.

Adjustments Committee (Retrenchment Committee) (1941-1942): Created by the Board of Trustees as a faculty committee comprised of faculty members of different departments to study ways in which the College could meet “curtailed enrollment if necessary.” The members of the Committee were: Jerome Swinford, chair; Kathryn Mansell; Henry Miller; Louis Barillet; and John Storck. The Committee reported to the Trustee Committee on Education. It appears that the Committee disbanded after the 1941-42 academic year.

Administrative Committee (1939-40): This faculty committee was established, along with a Trustee Administrative Committee, to run the College during Constance Warren’s leave of absence (August 1939 – January 1940). The Committee consisted of Henry Ladd, Esther Raushenbush and Beatrice Doerschuk. The folder consists of minutes of the Committee and correspondence with supporting materials.

College Events Committee: On November 23, 1946, the Curriculum Committee released a statement of the structure and function of the Committee on College Events, “a sub-committee of the Curriculum Committee.” The Committee was to consist of students and faculty. At the January 17, 1947 meeting of the Curriculum Committee, Esther Raushenbush made the following report: “that on thinking over the function and activities of this sub-committee, she felt that it had probably been a mistake to separate the committee so completely from the activities of the Curriculum Committee. She would like to have this committee consider plans for lectures and other activities that bear some more direct relationship to the work going on at the College.” At November 18, 1947 meeting of the Curriculum Committee, Raushenbush outlined a history of the College Events Committee and “the forming of the present committee which is the coordinating committee for all college events and which has superseded the Curriculum Committee sub-committee. Members of the Committee on College Events have asked what their relation to the Curriculum Committee is. It was decided to prepare a statement defining this relation so that both the Curriculum Committee and the College Events Committee would understand it. It was agreed that suggestions for meetings of interest in relation to the curriculum should be passed on to the College Events Committee with any recommendations we have, but that planning and scheduling those meetings should reside in the College Events Committee.” The functions of the College Events Committee were originally performed by the Curriculum Committee. As the number of lectures and activities at the College, grew, the Curriculum Committee saw a need for a separate body to handle scheduling for events. Reports by the College Events Committee appear in the Curriculum Committee meeting minutes from 1947 through 1959. No minutes exist after December 1959 and reports to the Curriculum Committee cease after the 1959-1960 academic year. The collection of minutes and memoranda in this collection are incomplete. Reports of the College Events Committee can be found in the Curriculum Committee meeting minutes.

Committee to Consider Teaching Methods: Appointed to consider and recommend procedures of obtaining information on the teaching methods and capacities of faculty members. Included in this folder is the report of the Committee from May 3, 1934. The members of the Committee were: John Tull Baker, Mary Virginia Heinlein, and Max Lerner, chair.

Committee on Research Coordination, 1952-1954: The Committee was organized by President Harold Taylor and the Planning Committee in December, 1952 to coordinate faculty research. “The idea is to advise faculty members in the preparation of and work on any research project which the College might be able to help along…, especially by submitting it to any foundation interested.” The Committee consisted of Albert Lauterbach (chair), Martin Gormley, Maurice Irvine and George Goethals.

Committee to Study Conditions of Employees, 1935-1936: In November, 1935, Constance Warren created this Committee “to make a study of the general situation with regard to wages and hours of work and labor conditions in the college, in comparison with those of other institutions, and to report to the Faculty Central Committee.” (Nov. 5, 1935 Faculty Central Committee minutes p.3-4) The Committee was comprised of Adele Brebner, Jean Trepp, and Twyla Cavert. The report of the Committee found in this collection, was sent by Constance Warren to the Board of Trustees with a recommendation that they not appoint a permanent committee, as the report suggests. (Faculty Central Committee minutes, June 2, 1936, pp. 1-2)

Committee on the Utilization of Space: Established as an advisory committee to the President in September, 1960. The Committee was “concerned with the utilization of space for offices, dormitories, classrooms, etc. and for minor matters of building revision and alteration.” Contains valuable information on alterations made to buildings and grounds.

Community Relations Committee: The goal of this committee was to “develop a community relations program that helps to forge consistent, positive relationships with Yonkers, Bronxville, and Westchester County.” In addition to initiatives worked on by the group to foster better relations with the neighboring community, a major issue the Committee focused on was negotiation for better terms of College University zoning amendment passed by the Yonkers City Council. The amendment reallocated zoning boundaries so that some buildings owned by the College would be located outside its boundary lines.

Concert Committee, 1980-1981: During the summer of 1980, Charles DeCarlo asked Dean Ilja Wachs to appoint a Concert Committee charged with overseeing and coordinating all professional and public concerts “done under the College’s auspices. This Committee will be supported by the person who will be appointed to take charge of the logistics and management of the Performing Arts Center.” Included in this folder are correspondence regarding the establishment of the Committee and other correspondence relating to specific performances. Also included is a calendar of performances for the 1980-81 academic year. The location of additional materials and the duration of the Committee is unknown.

Don Meeting Minutes, 1928-1940: Consists of meeting minutes of all dons. It is unclear when this committee disbanded. Records appear to be incomplete. See also Steering Committee on Freshman Work. RESTRICTED for 75 years from the date of creation or death of the individual.

Faculty Ad Hoc Committee on Rights and Responsibilities: Consists of reports, correspondence, background materials and statistics relating to the work of the Committee.

Faculty Committee on College Needs: As a result of an increasing student body, the Trustees and the Faculty Central Committee suggested in 1936 that a committee be formed to look at the general financial needs of the College. Thus, in March, 1937, Constance Warren appointed a Faculty Committee on College Needs, which reported to the Trustee Committee. The Committee consisted of Constance Warren, Beatrice Doerschuk, Olga Swoboda, Helen Merrell Lynd, and John Storck. All the departments on campus submitted proposals for their needs, which were reviewed by the Committee. The Committee filed its report with the Board of Trustees on May 6, 1937 along with the statements written by various offices on campus. The Committee continued to report to the Trustees through May, 1938. See also: Constance Warren Papers.

Faculty Committee for the Reconciliation of Plans for the Reorganization of Faculty: Report from the Committee in February, 1970.

Faculty Development Committee: Appears to have met for the first time in Fall 1999. The purpose of the Committee is listed in the folder. Includes one meeting agenda and the purpose and function of the Committee.

Faculty Research Committee: In January, 1929, Marion Coats appointed a Faculty Research Committee with Helen Merrell Lynd as chair. The term research is somewhat misleading. This Committee undertook study of teaching methods, evaluation of student work, criteria for admissions and related matters. All of this was focused on current problems at SLC. This folder includes solely two copies of a report by Helen Merrell Lynd from April 10, 1929, “Suggested Program for Research for Sarah Lawrence College.”

Film Sub-Committee: In September, 1942, the Curriculum Committee named a sub-committee on films comprised of: Helen McMaster, chairperson, Adele Brebner, Norman Lloyd, Max Lerner, and Theodore Roszak. The Committee was charged with handling the administrative details of organizing film showings on campus. Films were shown on campus prior to 1942, but under other auspices and were usually approved by the Curriculum Committee. For other items relating to film series on campus, see the Curriculum Committee minutes, the film series subject files, and the Constance Warren Papers. The Committee appeared to play a less prominent role in bringing films to campus in the mid-1950s. The documents in this collection reflect work done by the Committee up until 1955.

Research Committee (1934-35): Established formally in 1935, but the minutes exist for the 1934-1935 academic year. The Committee consisted of the Director of Education and others interested in getting money for research on exploratory classes.

Research Committee (1958-1966): In January, 1958, the Faculty Committee on Planning the Future of the College recommended the establishment of a Research Committee appointed by the Advisory Committee and the President consisting of three faculty members and the Dean of the College as chair. The responsibilities of the Committee were to identify and explore education research at the College, act as a central agency for referral of individual research projects by faculty, advise the administration on appointments connected with educational research, and provide sources of support for faculty research projects. The records include meeting minutes, establishing documents, proposed faculty research and requests for assistance. Also includes information on meetings with the Union for Research and Experimentation in Higher Education. Committee members through the years included Rudolf Arnheim, Esther Raushenbush, Bert Swanson, Marjorie Downing, Jewel Cobb, Carla Pekelis, Charles Trinkaus, William Park, Michael Brown, and Alden Wessman. The Committee spent time in the early to mid-1960s on self-study of the College and its programs. The records for this Committee end in 1966. It is unclear when the Committee disbanded. Also includes minutes of seminars of faculty members on various topics from November and December, 1960. Topics included Guidance, Evaluation, Content, and Progression.

Research Committee on Faculty Load: Created between 1930 and 1931. The records included in this folder are reports and statistics from the Committee regarding the faculty load for 1930 to 1932.

Round Table Committee (Speaker’s Committee): In 1932-33 there was a Speaker’s Committee which sponsored informal discussions called Round Tables. Round Tables were designed “for the free interchange of opinions and knowledge between members of the faculty and the student body on matters of current interest in the college community. An instructor or guest speaker led these discussions which were open to the entire student group except in a few instances when the specialized nature of the subject under consideration restricted the invted group to those students of a specific interest and training.” (Curriculum Committee minutes, 1933-34, pages 179aa-ab) It appears that the Round Table Committee was established the following year charged specifically to organize round tables. Grace E. Fox seems to have been in charge of this Committee and the organization of the round tables. The Committee worked closely with the Budget Committee and originally consisted only of faculty members. In 1933-34, students were added to the membership. It is unclear when the Committee was disbanded. The materials in this collection consist of a few meeting minutes, but mostly correspondence regarding various round table events and reports of round table events. Transcripts of round tables have been removed and housed in the Events section of the Subject Files under the name of the round table.

Steering Committee for Freshman Work: The minutes begin in September, 1935. The committees/faculty included are Faculty For Freshmen, Freshmen Dons, Teachers of Exploratory Courses, Steering Committee for Freshman Dons and Teachers, a couple of meetings between the Steering Committee and the Alumnae Committee on Education, Steering Committee on Freshmen Work. See also the Don Meeting Minutes. RESTRICTED for 75 years from the date of creation or death of the individual.

Student Curriculum Committee: At the December 17, 1935 meeting of the Committee on Curricular Problems (i.e., the Curriculum Committee), “It was agreed that it was desirable to ask the students to form a Student Curriculum Committee…It was agreed that a sub-committee of two members of the Committee on Curricular Problems would meet with the Chairman of the Student Council, the agenda official, and the chairman of advanced students and prepare a memorandum on this matter.”At the January 21, 1936 meeting, “It was suggested that a sub-committee of the Faculty Committee on Curricular Problems be appointed to meet with the Student Council to discuss the constitution and work of a Student Curriculum Committee.” At the January 28, 1936 meeting, “It was agreed to approach the Student Council on the question of forming a Student Committee on Curricular Problems.” In the minutes of the Student Council on February 4, 1936, the subject of a Curriculum Committee was brought up. It was decided that a Committee be established to “meet with the faculty to decide the plans for new courses and any changes in courses. Katherine Douglass ’34, Eleanor Fassett ’35, Catherine Dill ’36, and Jeanne Newhall ’37 were appointed.” As noted in the Student Handbook for 1938-39, “The student curriculum committee was established last year [incorrect; established in 1935-36] to analyze and discuss the effectiveness of various phases of the curriculum from the students’ standpoint.” In the first year, the students sent out a questionnaire to upperclassmen to find out what new courses were desired, etc. The findings were passed on to the Faculty Committee on Curricular Problems. Another early document explaining the responsibilities of the Student Curriculum Committee stated that members of the Committee “represent their class’ opinion about the curriculum. They seek out student criticism and suggestions for revision and addition of courses. On the basis of these opinions, they make suggestions to the faculty about curriculum. They also serve on one or more subcommittees…Two members are elected by each class.” The composition of the Committee changed over the years. In the 1965-66 student handbook, the committee is described as consisting of “two representatives from each class, one representative from the day students, and four members, including the chairman, who are elected from the preceding year’s committee. Any especially interested students may join the committee.” The Committee’s purpose is listed as to “understand, evaluate and build upon the educational principles and ideals of the College.” As of the late 1960s, the separate Student Curriculum Committee was dissolved and students participated directly in the Curriculum Committee of the College. For more information and minutes on the Student Curriculum Committee, see the minutes of the Curriculum Committee and the Student Council.

Vocational Committee: In 1935, a small group of faculty and administrators formed a Vocational Committee in an effort to identify students’ interest in vocational matters. To this end, they circulated a questionnaire, which resulted in the first of many Vocational Conferences held on campus. The committee also arranged faculty panels, made contacts with employers, and served as a clearing house of information, which was passed on to the students’ dons, who functioned as “middle-men” between the committee and the students. The Committee continued its work, but the folder here only contains the first year of minutes (February-November 1935). See also the Career Counseling Records.

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Related Materials

See also

For additional information on the Faculty Committee on College Needs please see the Constance Warren Papers.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

• Sarah Lawrence College. Board of Trustees.
• Sarah Lawrence College. Curriculum Committee.

Genre(s)

• Correspondence
• Curricula

Personal Name(s)

• Arnheim, Rudolf
• Cobb, Jewel Plummer, 1924-
• DeCarlo, Charles R.
• Doerschuk, Anna Beatrice, 1880-1974
• Downing, Marjorie D. Coogan, 1917
• Graves, Marion Coats, 1885-1962
• Ladd, Henry, 1895-1941
• Lauterbach, Albert, 1904-1986
• Leach, Wilford, 1929-1988
• Lerner, Max, 1902-1992
• Lindstrom, Thaïs S.
• Lloyd, Norman, 1909-1980
• Lynd, Helen Merrell, 1896-1982
• McKelvey, Jean T. (Jean Trepp), 1908-1998
• Park, William, b. 1930
• Pekelis, Carla, 1907-1985
• Raushenbush, Esther
• Roszak, Theodore, 1907-1981
• Swanson, Bert E.
• Swinford, Jerome, d. 1976
• Taylor, Harold, 1914-1993
• Trinkaus, Charles Edward, 1911-1999
• Wachs, Ilja, 1931-
• Warren, Constance, 1880-1971

Subject(s)

• Community relations

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Collection Inventory