Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The University of Michigan's highest governing body is the Board of Regents. The Regents deal with virtually every aspect of university policy and campus life. The records of the Regents reflect this broad range of interests and authority. This record group contains exhibits from meetings beginning in 1899. These exhibits are the most complete record of the actions of the Regents, supplementing and detailing the published minutes Proceedings of the Board of Regents. Additional documentation in this record group includes manuscript minutes, 1837-1870, correspondence, material by and about the Regents, photographs, audio recordings of meetings, 1977-2011, and material on recent presidential searches.

As the official governing body of the university, the Regents deal with virtually every aspect of university policy and life. The records of the Regents--which includes exhibits of Regents' meetings, topical files, correspondence files, audio and visual material, and archived web content--reflect this broad range of interests and authority. But while the documentation is wide-ranging, it is not continuous. Certain types of records are continually before the Regents, particularly information regarding salaries, leaves of absence, appointments to faculty positions, and formal approval of degrees conferred upon students. More often, however, the Regents are presented with a specific problem and asked to resolve it through the creation of policy. After the creation and successful implementation of a policy, the situation which caused the issue to arise is usually no longer a matter of Regental concern. The Regents' records reflect this pattern of action. Issues arise, are resolved, and then are supplanted by new concerns.

University of Michigan law professor and dean of the law school, member of numerous governmental and professional organizations; organizational and subject files.

The E. Blythe Stason collection documents the activities of this law school dean, foundation head, and member of numerous governmental and professional organizations. Although there are significant materials relating to his tenure as Dean of the U-M Law School, the researcher should note that the bulk of those files will be located within the record group for that university unit.

Legal scholar and professor of law and legal research at the University of Michigan, 1901 to 1944. Papers include biographical material, speeches and articles, and files related to teaching, research and involvement in professional organizations.

The Edson Read Sunderland collection (18.5 linear feet) spans the years 1892-1959 with the bulk of the material covering 1923-1953. Sunderland's steady and vigorous advocacy for reform in legal procedures, including the drafting of procedures for the courts of the United States, Michigan, and Illinois are well documented in the papers. When considered as a whole, the collection (which is comprised mainly of writings, speeches, research materials, and correspondence) reflects Sunderland's meticulous and focused approach to legal scholarship.

The papers are organized into eight series including Biographical Materials (0.75 linear feet), Research Material and Reports (7.25 linear ft.), Organizations and Committees (2.0 linear feet), Correspondence (4 linear feet), Law School, University of Michigan (1 linear foot), Faculty Board in Control of Student Publications (0.5 linear feet), and Speeches and Articles (3 linear feet).

Professor of mathematics and later of law at the University of Michigan., papers include addresses and essays, family genealogies, class notebooks, and a draft manuscript and source materials for a history of the U-M Law School.

The Edwin Charles Goddard papers consist of addresses and essays on various subjects by Goddard and his wife Lillian; miscellaneous letters; notes and letters on European trip, 1908-1909; family genealogy; outline of an algebra course; University of Michigan law thesis; original manuscript and manuscript material for his history of University of Michigan Law School; Ann Arbor High School and University of Michigan student notebooks on courses by Henry C. Adams, James B. Angell, Isaac N. Demmon, John Dewey, Henry S. Frieze, Charles M. Gayley, Richard Hudson, Elisha Jones, Andrew C. McLaughlin, George S. Morris, Albert B. Prescott, Jacob E. Reighard, Volney M. Spalding, and Victor C. Vaughan. Also included are portraits of Goddard and of his mother, Mary Blodgett Goddard, and her family.

Research associate at the Law School of the University of Michigan. Research associate at the Law School of the University of Michigan. Personal correspondence; research materials relating to her study of Michigan's territorial court system; and other papers concerning Law School history.

The Elizabeth G. Brown papers include personal correspondence; research materials relating to her study of Michigan's territorial court system; and other papers concerning Law School history.

Professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Specialized in International Law, having served in the U.S. Department of State. Stein was born in the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in 1913. The bulk of the Eric Stein collection relates to his research and writings, and his career as a law professor at the University of Michigan. The papers, dated from 1933 through 2012, have been arranged topically into eight series: Biographical, Ford Foundation, Correspondence, Courses, Topical Files, Writings, Czech Constitution, and Research Materials.

The Eric Stein papers consist of his writings, correspondence, and biographical material, spanning his early professional career in the military in the 1930s, through his death in 2011, but primarily focusing on his career as a professor of law at the University of Michigan. The materials received by Stein were donated in three main installments and as such are arranged in this manner. Many of the series contain materials from multiple accessions, but the larger series, such as the correspondence and topical files, are arranged in multiple sub-series. Because sub-series are arranged by accession, there is some overlap in subjects covered as well as dates of material.

Professor of bankruptcy law at the University of Michigan Law School and helped to formulate modern bankruptcy law. Member of the National Bankruptcy Conference, the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, and the Commission on Bankruptcy Laws. Participated in the formulation of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978; correspondence, reports, minutes, articles, and collected research, 1960-1979, documenting his membership in bankruptcy law and his work on committees drafting bankruptcy law proposals.

The Frank R. Kennedy papers are composed primarily of the work resulting from his membership in the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules of the Judicial Conference of the United States (ACBR), the National Bankruptcy Conference (NBC), and the Commission on Bankruptcy Laws (CBL). In addition the collection contains over sixty years of professional correspondence documenting the scholarly and professional work of Professor Kennedy in the field of bankruptcy law. The entire collection spans 1936 to 1999 with the bulk of the collection falling between 1960 and 1979. The collection is divided into ten major series: Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, Bankruptcy Reform Act, Biographical Information, Commission on the Bankruptcy Laws of the United States, General Correspondence, National Bankruptcy Conference, Other Organizational Affiliations, Teaching, Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, and Writings and Research.

Law professor at the University of Michigan; the collection includes lecture notes, course materials, correspondence, writings, and topical files.

The George E. Palmer collection primarily contains notes and materials that Palmer used in teaching his classes. Several of his writings, as well as various pieces of correspondence that give insight into his research interests and personal character (especially his correspondence with Jack Dawson), can be found scattered throughout the collection. The collection is divided into four series: Trusts and Estates, Restitution, Guest Lecturing, and Topical Files.

Professor of law and president of the University of Michigan. Papers include correspondence, reports, and speeches relating to all aspects of his University activities; and visual materials.

The Harry B. Hutchins papers cover the years 1879 through 1929, and include records generated during his years as professor and dean of the law department, President of the University of Michigan, and in retirement. Boxes 1-18 are primarily comprised of correspondence. Reports of the departments, schools, and other units of the university are contained in box 19, folders 30-32, and box 20, folders 1-13. As president, Hutchins did not regularly submit annual reports to the Board of Regents. Additional materials include speeches, photographs, and biographical material.

Professor of constitutional law at the University of Michigan. Papers include correspondence, reports, articles, speeches, photographs, and notebooks, relating to Bates' professional career, with material concerning activities of Ann Arbor National Defense Committee; life and career of Lawrence Maxwell, lawyer and U.S. Solicitor General in the Cleveland administration, funding and building the Michigan Union (1911-1918); Republican politics in the 1930's and 1940's; Franklin D. Roosevelt's attempt to reorganize the Supreme Court in 1937; and campus life at the University of Michigan during the first and second World Wars.

The Henry M. Bates papers include correspondence, reports, articles, speeches, photographs, and notebooks, relating to Bates' professional career, with material concerning activities of Ann Arbor National Defense Committee; life and career of Lawrence Maxwell, lawyer and U.S. Solicitor General in the Cleveland administration, funding and building the Michigan Union (1911-1918); Republican politics in the 1930's and 1940's; Franklin D. Roosevelt's attempt to reorganize the Supreme Court in 1937; and campus life at the University of Michigan during the first and second World Wars.

The papers are organized into Correspondence undated and 1886-1949, Michigan Union Building, 1911-1918; Committee of Nine on Mineral Law, 1927-1929; Miscellaneous Papers; and Photographs.