Collections

The Alumni Association of the University of Michigan was established in 1897 following a consolidation of the Society of Alumni with the alumni societies of the professional schools. The Michigan Alumnus became the association's official organ. As the organization grew, local chapters were established and provided greater structure. The records include files pertaining to the Alumni Association's administrative office and various chapters and interests groups. This includes national and international U-M alumni and alumnae clubs, the Alumnae Council, the Society of Alumni, the University of Michigan Black Alumni (UMBA-formerly the African American Alumni Council (AAC)), and the Reunion of Black Graduates (RBG). The records include but are not limited to correspondence, minutes, reports, and survey responses, audiovisual materials, digital files, photographs, and publications.

The collection spans 1845-2001. The textual records of the Alumni Association (boxes 1-133) are largely unprocessed, and are described in only general terms in this finding aid. Exceptions include files maintained by Marjorie Williams who served as the vice chair and chair of the Alumnae Council from 1960 to 1962, Class Reunion files, and Topical Files.

Additions to the collection (boxes 168-171) incorporate records, audiovisual materials, photographs, and publications pertaining to the University of Michigan Black Alumni (UMBA). To note are materials specifically related to the African American Alumni Council (AAAC)-formerly the UMBA, and the Reunion of Black Graduates (RBG). This includes information about the Dr. Leonard F. Sain Award, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship and symposium, the Camp Michigania retreat, and annual reunion for black graduates photographs, planning materials, and souvenir books.

BMC Media Services (formerly Biomedical Communications) is an in-house graphics and marketing production service for the University of Michigan. The collection is comprised of visual materials, including photographic prints, negatives, slides, and contact sheets, as well as videotapes, a few films, and digital files. The records reflect BMC's biomedical origins and document the history of the medical school, health science, hospitals, and related departments at the University of Michigan.

The records of BMC Media Services (formerly Biomedical Communications) measure 31.65 linear feet of visual material in a variety of formats. The records consist of seven series, largely different photographic categories: Faculty and Staff Portraits, Group Portraits, Class Photographs, Building Photographs, Topical Photographs, Films, and Videotapes.

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.

Center was established as the Historical Center for the Health Sciences. Records include interviews of emeritus University of Michigan Medical School faculty members conducted by the Center for the History of Medicine. Transcripts and audio recordings of interviews discussing their backgrounds, education, careers, and tenure at the University of Michigan.

An oral history project undertaken by the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine, the project focused on interviewing retired or emeritus faculty members in order to preserve their institutional knowledge of the Medical Center and the university.

Between the years 2002 and 2004, the center's assistant director for programs, Christine Bass, conducted four interviews. From 2004 to 2007, Enid Galler, proprietor of Voice Treasures, took over the interviewing process and conducted fourteen additional oral histories. All interviews include discussions of the faculty member's early life, education, and career accomplishments.

The interviews are available as digital materials online and were recorded on audio cassettes. In addition to these audio formats, there are one or more folders corresponding to each interview, which contain a typed transcript of the interview, a copy of the faculty member's curriculum vitae and in some cases, additional biographical information. The interviews conducted by Enid Galler include an index (with people, organizations, and subjects) and a detailed subject list. Mary Beth Reilly conducted later interviews.

Transcripts are arranged alphabetically by last name, with all audio cassettes in Box 2.

University of Michigan unit established in 1990 in part to collect and disseminate information regarding the history of health sciences in Michigan. Records include newsletter of the Center; collected historical manuscripts, photographs, and motion pictures relating to the development of health sciences at the University of Michigan; include notebooks of medical school students, account book, 1831-1839, of Berrien Springs, Michigan physician, and miscellaneous materials relating to the medical school and to medical practice.

The records of the Center for the History of Medicine (CHM) records include administrative records documenting operation of the center and archival material collected by the center. The materials have been divided into three subgroups: Administrative, Collections, and Center for the History of Medicine Website.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science is a teaching and research unit of the University of Michigan Medical School. The collection consists of publications produced by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, including annual reports, newsletters, brochures and histories.

Publications are divided into two series: Unit Publications and Sub-Unit Publications.

The series Unit Publications contains a brochure and a proposal regarding the consolidation of ophthalmology services at the university into one center as well as a 1999 history "A Heritage of Excellence: The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan 1872-1999." There is also a program from a concert in 1997 Symphonic Visions, celebrating the 125th anniversary.

The series Sub-Unit Publications contains annual reports, brochures, directories, newsletters and reports of the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center. The newsletter Advances in Ophthalmology begins in 2001. Dedication and groundbreaking material for the Kellogg Eye Center and the Brehm Center are also included.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science is a teaching and research unit of the University of Michigan Medical School. Records include chairman's topical file relating to the administration and programs of the department. The majority of the documentation is from the tenure of Paul R. Lichter, although the tenures of John Henderson and Bruce Fralick are also represented. Documentation relates to the administration and programs of the department, and the construction of the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center.

The records of the University of Michigan Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science were received in two separate accessions. The first accession, received in 1994, is located in box 1. The materials received from chairman Paul R. Lichter in 2007 are located in boxes 2-5. The records consist of 5 linear feet, and are organized into two topical series: Chairman's Topical Files, 1951-1981 and Paul R. Lichter Topical Files, 1978-2003.

Office serving as chief advisor to the university's executive offices on matters of health policy, research, finance, education, and provides oversight for the Health System and Medical School. Contains administrative files, committee minutes, topical files and correspondence.

The records for the Office of the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs are held in five series existing in multiple accessions: Central Files, Life Sciences Initiative, Speeches and Presentations, Committees, and the Archived Website series.

The collection, 1974-2018 (Scattered) and undated, documents the impact of PBB on the Neyer family and their cattle and dairy farm, their ongoing efforts to educate themselves and the public about the dangers of PBB, in the media, and politically, and to fight for financial reimbursement in Circuit Court, and to understand and document the impact of PBB on their health.

The collection, 1974-2018 (Scattered) and undated, documents the impact of PBB on the Neyer family and their cattle and dairy farm, their ongoing efforts to educate themselves and the public about the dangers of PBB, in the media, and politically, and to fight for financial reimbursement in Circuit Court, and to understand and document the impact of PBB on their health. Parts of the collection were generated or collected by brothers David and George “Tim” Neyer. The collection has several broad series. The first and largest of these, over half of the collection, is collected documentation of the disaster and its impact. Research journal articles, newspaper and magazine clippings from local, state, and national publications, reports, fliers, and newsletters compose about half of the collection. Also in this series are correspondence, fliers, bills, and related information Neyer and his family collected from researchers, physicians, politicians, Michigan State University, Farm Bureau Services, the PBB Health Studies, a variety of beef and agricultural organizations. There are nine folders of materials from the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Public Health, later Community Health. Also included are communications, newsletters, and other information from organizations which sought to educate and inform farmers and the public about PBB and/or advocate for the farmers, notably the PBB Action Committee of Reed City (2 folders). A second series is the documentation of the direct impact of PBB on the Neyer family and farm as recorded the Neyer brothers’ ongoing efforts to tell the story from their perspective in the media, including newspapers and on television, in family cow photographs, family correspondence to Neyer and to politicians by Madden relatives, health test records, and the Neyers’ claim in Circuit Court, and related materials and correspondence with lawyers Abood, Abood and Abood, P.C. MI. Lastly, Tim’s efforts as a member of the PBB Citizens Advisory Board for Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health and its MI PBB Registry are documented in five folders. The collection is organized by size, alphabetically and chronologically.

Health test results are in Box 1 in 3 folders: Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, MI PBB Registry, Correspondence, Test Results of George Neyer and Informational Materials, 2004-2018 (Scattered), undated; MI. Dept. of Public Health, Long-term PBB Study, Correspondence, Proposal, Forms, Test Results of George and Kacey Neyer, 1975-1988 (Scattered); MI. Dept. of Public Health, Long-term PBB Study, Correspondence, Test Results of George Neyer, 2000-2012 (Scattered). In 2023 Archivist Marian Matyn obtained permission from George and Kacey Neyer to retain and make available for public research the family’s medical test results. Copies of the permission form are in the relevant folders in Box 1.

Processing Note: A total of .5 cubic feet of materials, mostly acidic or poor-quality newspaper clippings and articles, such as thermal copies, were returned to the donor as per the donor form. Photocopies of these items were retained in the collection. Also returned to the donor were a few items that were peripheral to the collection, such as copies of general family photographs. All photographs remaining in the collection were sleeved for preservation and access purposes.

The University of Michigan Hospital system has evolved and expanded since its inception in 1869. The various hospitals, such as the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, provide medical treatment to the Ann Arbor, Michigan area. The Hospitals records contain five series: Hospital Administration, Nursing, Committees/Councils, Patient Files, and Hospital Buildings. This collection includes meeting minutes, patient files, director files, correspondence, and more.

the University of Michigan Hospitals records include administrative correspondence and topical files; committee files; ward reports and other case records; annual reports of hospital departments; records of hospital activities, and clippings