Collections

Records of the administrative office responsible for developing and coordinating affirmative action programs for women, minorities and disabled faculty, staff, and students. Documentation includes topical files, minutes, reports, photographs and audio and video tapes. This record group also includes records of the Commission for Minority Affairs and the Commission for Women.

The records of the Affirmative Action Office span 1969 - 1993 and document the activities of the office and its predecessors, and provide information about affirmative action programs at the university and the status of minority, women, the disabled and other groups on campus. The records have come to the library in a number of accessions.

The Affirmative Action Office record group is organized into five subgroups: Affirmative Action Office, 1969 - 1993; Commission for Minority Affairs, 1971 - 1980; Commission for Women, 1970 - 1985; Council for Minority Concerns, 1979 - 1983; and Advisory Committee on Affirmative Action Programs, 1977 - 1986. The Affirmative Action Office subgroup includes records created or acquired by the Office. The other subgroups represent various university units that were merged into or whose function were taken over by the Affirmative Action Office.

Records of the University of Michigan College of Engineering include histories, correspondence and topical files of deans; minutes of the executive and other committees; faculty records, including minutes of meetings and faculty biographies; miscellaneous student and alumni records; photographs, microfilm, digital files, and archived website.

The College of Engineering records date from 1860 to 2014 and measure 118.5 linear feet, 3 oversize folders, and 1,196 GB. The records document the internal activities of the College of Engineering, both administrative and academic, the role of the college as a unit of the University of Michigan, and research developments and trends over the years. Correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, financial records, and other material reflect changing research interests within the field of engineering as well as the curriculum development that has accompanied technological advances. Of particular interest are the files relating to outside work by faculty members, a question of enduring concern within the college. The records reflect the relations of the College of Engineering with private industry, especially through the documentation of funding from outside sources and the involvement of professors in outside research.

Commission established in 1971 to investigate discrimination against women. It preceded the university's Affirmative Action Office which was formed in 1972. Membership includes faculty, staff, and students. Records contain material from the 25th anniversary of the Commission for Women, including audio-visual items. Also includes mission and planning documents and retirement subcommittee records.

The records are divided into three series. The Commission for Women Twenty-Fifth Anniversary series contains one folder of sample programs and invitations for the anniversary event which was held in 1996. The contents give a concise history of the organization and highlight the commission's most noteworthy activities.

A VHS video cassette of the anniversary festivities can also be found in the Audio Visual series. Another videotape contains the slide show Turnabout which was also shown at the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration. Turnabout was originally produced and presented in the early 1970s in an effort to raise stereotyping consciousness. One last item in the Audio Visual series is an audio cassette tape of a brown bag luncheon, which featured Carol Hollenshead on the history of the Commission for Women and Laura Calkins who spoke about updating the book A Dangerous Experiment a general history of women attending the University of Michigan.

Margaret Creger was chair of the commission from 1989 to 1991 and co-chair with Kathleen Alonozo from 1991 to 1992. Her records are held in the Margaret Creger Records series and contain correspondence regarding both the commission and the Commission for Women Retirement Subcommittee, meeting notes for this time period, several versions of the commission's strategic plan, and the annual report produced during her tenure. Of special importance are the results of a planning survey which was distributed to Commission for Women members in 1989. The collected information is neatly compiled and offers insight into the concerns of University women in the late 1980s.

The Martha Cook Building (MCB) opened in the fall of 1915 as the second all-women's dormitory on the University of Michigan campus. It was a gift of Mr. William Wilson Cook, a lawyer-philanthropist from New York City who was born and raised in Hillsdale, Michigan. The Martha Cook Building records are dated from circa 1913-2016 and include blueprints; chronological files; clippings; correspondence; financial records; minutes, particularly of both the MCB's Board of Governors and House Board; publications; reports; scrapbooks; subject files; and visual materials, such as negatives, photographs, and photograph albums.

The Martha Cook Building records (circa 1913-2016) document the activities of those involved with the Martha Cook Building and include blueprints; chronological files; clippings; correspondence; financial records; minutes; reports; scrapbooks; subject files; and visual materials, such as negatives, photographs, and photograph albums.

Significant people and groups featured in this collection include William. W. Cook; various House Directors, such as Sarah Rowe, G.J. Diekema, Olive Chernow, Josette Allen, and Rosalie Moore; the building's Board of Governors and House Board; and Martha Cook Building students and alumnae. Other notable topics include the construction, furnishing and remodeling of the Martha Cook Building; various scholarships; and activities, such as various anniversary events and the Messiah Dinner.

Records of the University Human Resources and its predecessors. University Human Resources plans, administers, and monitors the university policies regarding personnel and employee relations and nondiscrimination. This office coordinates with various executive officers and deans of the schools and colleges.

University Human Resources records (27.4 linear feet) are divided into three subgroups: Affirmative Action, Personnel, and Human Resources and Affirmative Action.