The records of Dean Rhoda Russell (1891-1972) have been divided into two series, Committee and Faculty Records (1931-1972) and a Topical File (1891-1972). Committee and Faculty Records have been further divided into two subseries, Committee Records (1931-1972) and Faculty Records (1937-1972).
112 linear feet — 2 oversize folders — 1.24 GB
The physical records of the School of Nursing measure 112 feet, 2 oversize folders, and 1.24 GB (online), with an additional 9 feet of material in records center storage. Physical records date from 1891 to 2010, although the great majority of the material was created after 1940 by the current School of Nursing; the School of Nursing website has been archived since the early 2000s.
Only fragmentary records of the school's two predecessor units are found in the collection. Reflecting the source of the material, the collection has been arranged into broad subgroups, the titles of which usually reflect the dean from whose office the records originated.
Dean Russell's Topical File, which is also arranged alphabetically, contains all of the surviving documentation for the School of Nursing's predecessor units, as well as material generated during Dean Russell's term of office. Material about predecessor units is found primarily in the following file headings: History; Michigan State Government, Board of Nursing, Reports; New York State Nursing Reports; and Reports, School of Nursing, Annual. Regarding Dean Russell's own period of service, the Topical File is particularly informative regarding accreditation (filed under the National League of Nursing, the agency responsible for accreditation), curriculum changes, graduate programs, the Michigan Association for Regional Medical Programs, the Michigan League of Nursing, the Michigan State Nurses Association and the student body (filed both under Students, as well as Alumnae and Alumni, Class Lists).
Because of the span of years involved, filing practices vary greatly in the Topical File. Sometimes material was gathered together under a general heading with several subheadings (such as the Michigan Association for Regional Medical Programs) while in other cases material is scattered throughout (one example is student material). Furthermore, similar, but not necessarily related, materials were often filed under the same heading. Efforts have been made in processing to correct such problems, but undoubtedly several remain undetected.