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Administrative History

Faculty governance at American University has changed over time. In its first incarnation, the governing body consisted of the Chancellor of the University, the Deans of the University, and the officers of instruction. The faculty proposed requirements for admission, courses of study, conditions of graduation, nature of degrees to be conferred, rules and methods of conduct, candidates for degrees, fellowships, awards and prizes, investigated student misconduct, and established rules for regulating student activities and clubs. By 1940, the faculty had grown significantly and a restructuring was required. The new governing body consisted of the President of the University, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Dean of the Graduate School, professors, associate professors and assistant professors.

By 1942, the University established individual faculties for the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Sciences and Public Affairs. The first standing committees (admissions and academic standards) were established in 1942. The standing committees were expanded to include the following: committee on committees, committee on educational policy, committee on admissions, library committee, student personnel committee, and committee on faculty relationships in 1953. The University Senate was established in 1963. The Provost serves as Chairman. The University Senate has twenty-one voting members who are elected by entire University faculty. Standing committees include: executive committee, committee on faculty relations, committee on student relations, committee on athletics, and committee on undergraduate admissions and scholarships.


Scope and Content Note

This series consists of agendas, correspondence, minutes, publications, and reports documenting faculty governance at American University from 1922 to the present.


RECORDS INVENTORY

University Faculty
Proceedings

  • 1922-1926
  • 1938-1941
  • 1942-1957

Faculty & Executive Committee of the Faculty
Proceedings 1957-1963

University Senate
Minutes - 1963-2004 (bound volumes)

Box 1
Committee Files
Academic Development 1977-78
Academic Advising Committee 1981 [2 folders]
Ad Hoc Committees (general) 1980-94 [2 folders]
Ad Hoc Committees on:

  • Assessment 1988-1990
  • Continuing Education 1968-70
  • Dining Facilities 1968-71
  • English Requirements 1969-71
  • Faculty Club 1968-69
  • Foreign Languages 1969
  • Grading and Inflation 1991-1992
  • Interdisciplinary Studies 1969-70
  • Intersession 1968-72
  • Mission Statement 1970
  • Refinement of the Grading System 1965-66
  • Registration and Schedule 1968-69
  • Social Sciences 1965-66
  • Space Planning 1996
  • Teaching and Learning 1968-70
  • Tenure and Temporary Faculty Issues 1999-2000
  • University Operations 1972-73
  • University Requirements 1964-68
  • Withdrawal Policy 1966

Ad Hoc Committee to:

  • Define the Bachelor of Arts Degree 1968
  • Study the Special Academic Problems of Foreign Students 1962

Ad Hoc Women’s Committee 1972-1975, 1975-1976, 1976-1979 [3 folders]
Administration Evaluation 1983-86
Administration Review 1993-94
Admissions 1960-63, 1969, 1986 [4 folders]
Advisory Committee on Advising 1991-93
Advisory Committee on Search and Evaluation 1972-1978
Advisory Committee on Sexual Harassment 1991
Advisory Committee on Sponsored Research 1969
Annual Reports from various committees 1967-69, 1972-73, 1982-92 [6 folders]

Box 2
Committee Files (continued)
Annual Reports from various other committees (continued) 1992-2001 [8 folders]
Athletics 1951-62, 1966-68, 1986-89, 1991-1999, 2001-2002 [6 folders]
Budget Advisory 1969-1970, 1993-95, 1997-2004 (continued) [10 folders]

  • Purchasing Committee 1998-2004 [7 folders]

Box 3
Committee Files (continued)
Calendar and Scheduling 1977-81
Commencement 1967-71
Community Service and Studies 1992-1995
Computer Resources 1979-99 [6 folders]
Conference Committee 1969
Curriculum and Academic Programs 2002-2004
Curriculum Problems 1958-66 [2 folders]
Educational Policy 1961-63, 1973 [3 folders]
Employee Benefits 1983-1984, 1988-1993 [5 folders]
Equity 1986-1989, 1990-99, 2001-2004 [3 folders]
Evaluation 1972-1991, 1991-1995 [2 folders]
Executive 1960-1969, 1973, 1985-1987 [5 folders]

Box 4
Committee Files (continued)
Executive Committee (continued) 1988-2002 [8 folders]
Facilities and Services 1980-90
Faculty Benefits 1985-2000 [5 folders]
Faculty Development 1971-75, 1986-1988, 1994, 1997, 1999-2001 [4 folders]
Faculty Grievances 1986-2000 [2 folders]
Faculty Relations (FRC) 1962-2003 [8 folders]
FRC Annual Reports 1971-93

Box 5
Committee Files (continued)
FRC Open Meetings 1980-92, 1999-2001 [2 folders]
FRC Reports and Recommendations 1965
Faculty Workload 1993
Finance 1964-1983, 1986-1996 [21 folders]

Box 5a
Committee Files (continued)
Finance (continued) 1996-2000 [3 folders]
Food Services 1990-91 [2 folders]
General Education 1963-1964, 1976-79, 1987-1994 [4 folders]

Box 6
Committee Files (continued)
Graduate Studies 1964-94 [21 folders]

Box 7
Committee Files (continued)
Graduate Studies (continued) 1994-2002 [13 folders]
Graduate Studies – Academic Grievance 1998
Information Services 2002-2004
Interdisciplinary Studies 1974-80 [2 folders]
Internal Governance 1976, 1977 [2 folders]
International Programs and Students 1977-98, 2000-2001 [2 folders]
Library 1958-2002 [6 folders]
Lower Division 1962
Middle States Steering Committee (n.d.)
Nominating 1968, 1986, 1988, 1994
Obstacles and Incentives 1999-2000
Physical Plant and Services 1990-94, 1997-98 [3 folders]

Box 8
Committee Files (continued)
Priorities 1980
Program Review 1985, 1993-94
Research 1967-69, 1973-74, 1980-2001 [8 folders]
Research, Open Meeting 2000-2001
Student Learning and Academic Engagement 2003-2004
Student Life 1962, 2002-2003 [2 folders]
Student Personnel 1961-62
Student Publications 1965-1969
Student Relations 1964-1969, 1973, 1980-1987, 1990-2001 [9 folders]
Study of the Relationships of Policies of the School and the College 1949
Summer Sessions 1971, 1976-77, 1981-82, 1985-88
Undergraduate Admissions, Scholarships and Financial Aid 1963-81, 1986-87 1992-2001 [7 folders]
Undergraduate Studies 1969-1972

Box 9
Committee Files (continued)
Undergraduate Studies (continued) 1973-2000 [24 folders]

Box 10
Committee Files (continued)
Undergraduate Studies (continued.) 2001-2002 [2 folders]
Undergraduate Studies, General Education Program Review 1993
University Curricula 1960-61
University Evaluation 1965-69
University Requirements 1947-53, 1963-68 [2 folders]
Ward Circle Planning Committee 1996
Women’s Concerns 1978-81

Administrative Files Academic Regulations 1990-1994, 1997-2000 [2 folders]
AU 85 Oct. 24, 1980
AU 100 1987-1992
AU 2000 1990-1991
Awards and Proposals 1988-1994
Berendzen Resignation 1990
Board of Trustees 1969, 1977-1983, 1988-1997 [3 folders]
By-Laws and Act of Incorporation 1990-2000
Campus Conversations (Strategic Plan) 2000-2001
Ceremony to Honor Retiring and 25-year Faculty 1986-1993 [2 folders]
Chairmen of the University Senate 1963-1999
Conduct Council 1968-1995
Copyright Issues 1991
Degrees, Majors, Minors, and Certificates 1992
Distinguished Faculty Lectures 1984-2003 [3 folders]
Elections 1990-1995, 1994-1995, 2002 [3 folders]
Election Letters (Thank-you and Congratulations) 1999-2004 [6 folders]

Box 11
Emeriti Luncheons 1991-2004 [5 folders]
Faculty Action Summaries 1985-91
Faculty Development 1994
Faculty Manual and Revisions 1987-1996
Faculty Mentoring Program 1991-1992
Faculty Orientation 1987-1992
Faculty Picnic 1988-1995
Faculty Status Reports 1993-2000 [4 folders]
Founder’s Day 1987-1996 [2 folders]
General Education Program at AU 1963-64
General Files (University Senate) Undated, 1946-1951, 1957, 1961, 1963-1972 [16 folders]

Box 12
General Files (continued) 1973-May 1986 [20 folders]

Box 13
General Files (continued) June 1986-1999 [21 folders]

Box 14
General Files (continued) 2000-2004 [13 folders]
Graduate Regulations 1960
Grants Supporting Research and Teaching 2001-2003
Historical Files 1964-1993
Honors Board 1967-71, 1987-1994 [2 folders]
Medals 1991-1997
Minutes See: Bound Volumes
Non-Tenure Track Appointments 1980-83
Office of Campus Life 2002-2003
Phi Beta Kappa Application 1967
Planning Council Minutes 1975-78
Program Changes 2000-2002, Accounting-Anthropology [3 folders]

Box 15
Program Changes (continued) 1964-2003, Anthropology-Software Process [41 folders]
Program Proposal, Graduate Certificate in Secondary Teaching 1998
Program Review 1985-1999 [3 folders]

  • General
  • American Studies-World Capitals Program
  • Anthropology-TESOL
  • Applied Sociology-Toxicology
  • Center of Excellence, Comparative Economic Policy and Institution
  • Graduate Studies, Masters Program Review
  • Masters Programs
  • Philosophy and Religion-Physics, General

Box 16
Proposed Budget Reductions 1994
Provost Communications Aug. 1987-2004 [11 folders]
Report of the Reconvened 75 th Anniversary Student Evaluation Committee 1969
Report for the University Senate by the Vice President of Development and Planning, 1988
Research Standards for Promotion and Tenure 1987
Retirement 1971-93
Retreat 1988-1990, 1993 [2 folders]
Sense of the Senate and Committee Resolutions 1991-1993
Sexual Harassment Project 1999
SIS International Relations Sub-Faculty 1965
Student Representation 1989-1993
Summary of Senate Actions 1989-1991
Task Forces:

  • APEL Program 1977
  • Field Experience 1989-1991
  • Future of CPIA 1987
  • Governance 2002
  • Smoking 1989-1992
  • Temporary Faculty Issues 1998-99
  • Washington Semester Program 1993

Tripartite Committee of Sixteen 1969 [2 folders]
University Mission Statement 1993-1994 [2 folders]
University Organizational Chart 1994
University Professor Requirements
University Senate Rules and Regulations 1962-68, 1975, 1985-1990, 1993 [3 folders]
Washington College of Law Faculty Committee 1964
Washington Research Library Consortium 1969-1996

Box 17
Faculty Senate Tape Recordings 2000-2004
01/19/00 Executive Committee
02/09/00 Executive Committee
04/19/00
04/26/00 Executive Committee
05/03/00
06/20/00 Executive Committee
08/23/00 Executive Committee
09/06/00
09/10/00
09/20/00
10/04/00
10/18/00
11/01/00
11/15/00
12/06/00
01/24/01
02/07/01 Budget Meeting
03/07/01
04/04/01
09/05/01
09/19/01
10/03/01
10/10/01 Executive Committee
10/17/01
11/07/01
11/14/01 Executive Committee
11/28/01 Executive Committee
12/05/01
12/12/01 Executive Committee
01/23/02
01/30/02 Executive Committee
02/06/02
02/20/02 Executive Committee
03/05/02
03/06/02 Open Meeting on Governance
04/03/02
04/17/02 Executive Committee
05/01/02
06/12/02 Executive Committee
10/16/02
11/13/02
12/04/02
01/22/03
02/12/03
04/02/03
04/16/03
05/07/03
09/03/03
09/10/03
09/24/03 Middle States Discussion
10/01/03
10/03/03
11/05/03
12/03/03
01/21/04
02/04/04
03/03/04
04/07/04
05/03/04
05/05/04
09/08/04
10/06/04
11/03/04
12/01/04

Box 18
American Senator 1979-2002 [11 folders]

Box 19
University Senate Meetings March 1993 - April 2000 [19 folders]

Box 20
University Senate Meetings September 2000 - May 2005 [7 folders]