Mount Holyoke College. Board of Trustees: Scope & Contents of the Collection

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Mount Holyoke College Board of Trustees Records date from 1836-2004. They document all aspects of the College's operation, including financial affairs, admissions practices, regulations for students, the employment and promotion of faculty and staff, improvements to buildings and grounds, and the selection of Board members. Materials are arranged in eleven series: Correspondence, Reports, Proposal, Petition, Statistics, Receipts, Tribute, and Audio cassette; Minutes; By-laws; Meeting Files; Workbooks; Chronological Files; Subject Files; Correspondence; Files for Individual Trustees; Litigation Records; Trustee Fellows Records; and Young Alumnae Trustees Records.

Correspondence, Reports, Proposal, Petition. Statistics, Receipts, Tribute, and Audio cassette (1836-1985) primarily concern improvements to buildings and grounds and the purchase of land by the College, the activities of trustee committees, faculty reappointments, revisions of Mount Holyoke's by-laws, and changes to social regulations for students. Correspondents include Andrew W. Porter, A. Lyman Williston, Joseph A. Skinner, Emily Jessup, Julia M. Tolman, and John M. Greene. These materials include reports by the Library and Education Committee (1870-1873) regarding Mount Holyoke's first library building and an audio cassette (circa 1974) of College President David Bicknell Truman discussing student membership on the Board of Trustees.

Minutes (1836-1998) record discussions and decisions by members of the Board. These documents often include reports by committees of the trustees as well as College administrators. Topics frequently mentioned in the minutes include the College's financial affairs, admissions and financial aid policies, changes to the curriculum, honorary degree recipients, salaries for faculty and staff, and improvements to campus facilities.

By-laws (1875-2004) describe the composition of the Board of Trustees and the duties and responsibilities of all of the units and officers of the College. The records consist of published copies of the by-laws and correspondence concerning proposed revisions to them.

Meeting Files (1951-2003), and Workbooks (1970-1997) contain a wide range of materials documenting the planning, implementation, and topics discussed during each meeting of the Board. These records include minutes and agenda, reports, correspondence, surveys, lists, copies of readings, and announcements.

Chronological Files (1993-2004) Chronological Files compiled by the Secretary of the Board or the Senior Administrative Assistant to the President contain reports, correspondence, plans, lists, publications, biographical information, and photographs documenting a cruise by Trustees during a retreat in Chicago, Illinois in 2000. Topics discussed by these materials include the Plans for 2003 and 2010 the relationship between the College and the Alumnae Association, and Mount Holyoke's decision to no longer require candidates for admission to submit Scholastic Aptitude test (SAT) scores.

Subject Files (circa 1951-1996) Subject Files primarily contain reports, correspondence, memoranda, policy statements and guidelines, articles, publications, lists, financial information reflecting the interests and concerns of the Board. These files include information about meetings, retreats, and visits to academic departments by Board members, improvements to campus facilities, and the College's support of a summer theatre at Mount Holyoke.

Correspondence (1966-1995) consists of letters by and two Trustees or the Secretary of the College, chiefly concerning plans for meetings of the Board, potential honorary degree recipients, or Mount Holyoke's financial affairs.

Files for Individual Trustees (1951-1994) contain letters by and to them concerning their support of the College, service on Board, and events and issues of interest to members of the Mount Holyoke community. These files also include resumes, articles, press releases, and biographical sketches relating to these individuals.

Litigation Records (1967-1990) concern a federal investigation which began in 1989 into possible anti-trust violations at a number of private colleges and universities in the United States, including Mount Holyoke. This investigation by the United States Justice Department focused how each school established fees for tuition room and board, faculty salaries, and financial aid awards for students. These records primarily consist of copies of agenda and minutes for meetings of the Board of Trustees (November 1967-May 1989), Joint Conference Committee (1984-1989), and Trustee Advisory Committee on Resources and Priorities (1987) which are marked with notes identifying documents relating to the investigation.

Trustee Fellows Records (1988-1993) contain agenda, minutes, correspondence, and notes (1988-1993) for meetings of former Trustees who act as advisors to the President of the College. Topics discussed by these materials include admissions policies and financial affairs.

Young Alumnae Trustee Records (1984-1994) consist of guidelines, correspondence, lists, and biographical information. These materials concern alumna from one of the three most recent graduating classes who serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees.