US-RPD-7.01 Guide to the Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs. Administrative Officers records1927, 1963-1977 Finding aid prepared by Douglas Doe. Rhode Island School of Design Archives 2009 May 15
Fleet Library at RISD 20 Washington Place Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-709-5922 Fax: 401-709-5932 email: risdarchives@risd.edu
Finding aid encoded by Jessica Bitely 2009 May 15 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) 2023 May 3 Douglas Doe created a separate resource record for migration to ArchivesSpace. English Rhode Island School of Design Archives
Fleet Library at RISD 20 Washington Place Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-709-5922 Fax: 401-709-5932 email: risdarchives@risd.edu
Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs. Administrative Officers records 1927, 1963-1977 Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs. Administrative Officers records 3.5 linear feet Correspondence and memoranda dominate the records of Academic Affairs administrative officers. The bulk of the series contains the records of Donald M. Lay, Jr. (1965-1975). 7.01 Historical note

The Executive Committee and the President created the Office of the Dean of the College in 1960. The Dean, previously the Assistant to the President (1958-1960), served as a Vice-President of the Corporation, 1960-1963, and the chief administrative officer of the School with responsibility for the academic programs and policies of the School. Replaced by the Dean of the Faculty who was responsible for instruction, admissions, and the Registrar, 1963-1966, the Office of the Dean of the College returned in 1966 with oversight of the Deans of the Faculty and Students, Admissions, Registrar, and Library.

Reorganization of the administrative structure in 1975 created the present Office of Academic Affairs and the position of Provost. Further changes in 1978 replaced the Provost with the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, 1978-1993. The Office of the Dean of Students became the separate Office of Vice-President for Student Affairs from 1978 to 1995 when it returned to the Academic Affairs office.

Academic Affairs Officers

Dean of the College: David L. Strout, 1960-1963 Donald M. Lay Jr., 1967-1975

Provost: Merlin Szosz (Acting), 1976 Jack Stewart, 1976-1977 Bruce Helander (Acting), 1977-1978

Associate Dean of the College: Merlin Szosz, 1972-1975

Associate Provost: Merlin Szosz, 1975-1977 C. Fenno Hoffman, Jr. (Acting), 1977-1978

Collection information

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Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs. Administrative Officers records, Rhode Island School of Design Archives.

Correspondence and memoranda dominate the records of Academic Affairs administrative officers. The bulk of the series contains the records of Donald M. Lay, Jr. (1965-1975). His correspondence and memorandums document his activities as Dean of the College, 1968-1974, as well as Acting President, 1968-1969. The structure of his files mirrors those of Presidents Talbot Rantoul and Lee Hall. The Thomas L. Reed records, 1963-1964, document his work with President Albert Bush-Brown and includes his letter of appointment (1963), correspondence with Bush-Brown's secretary Pauline Burke, and letters of a personal - professional nature.

Merlin Szosz's records (1963-1975) document his activities as Associate Dean (1972-1975) as well as an instructor (1963-1971) and include letters and memoranda exchanged with Lay and RISD Treasurer Murray Danforth. Records for Associate Provost C. Fenno Hoffman, Jr. (1977-1978) document his work in 1977 as Chair of the Special Committee on Faculty Governance as well as development of a faculty notebook with extensive notes by Hoffman. There is one file for Dean Roger Gilman (1919-1929) regarding teacher certification (1927) that is maintained in the Historical Records collection, 1877-1947.

This series is organized into five series: I. Dean Roger Gilman records, 1927 II. Dean of the Faculty Thomas L. Reed records, 1963-1964 III. Dean Donald M. Lay, Jr. records, 1968-1974 IV. Associate Dean Merlin Szosz records, 1972-1974 V. Associate Provost C. Fenno Hoffman, Jr. records, 1977

Administrative information

All records were transferred from the Office of Academic Affairs.

 Names Rhode Island School of Design. Office of Academic Affairs Subjects Rhode Island School of Design--Administration Rhode Island School of Design--Faculty RIAMCO Browsing Terms Education Titles

Types of materials Correspondence Memorandums Reports Occupations

Functions

Additional information

Series I Dean Roger Gilman records 1927 1 55 Teacher Certification 1927 Series II Dean of the Faculty Thomas L. Reed records 1963-1964 1 1 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1963-1964 1 2 Albert Bush-Brown 1963-1964 Series III Dean Donald M. Lay, Jr. records 1968-1974 1 3 Correspondence 1968-1969 1 4 Correspondence 1969-1970 Fall 1 5 Correspondence 1969-1970 Spring 1 6 Correspondence 1970-1971 Fall 1 7 Correspondence 1970-1971 Spring 1 8 Correspondence 1971-1972 1 9 Correspondence AY 1972-1973 1 10 Correspondence AY 1973-1974 1 11 General Correspondence 1969-1970 Spring 1 12 General Correspondence 1970-1971 Fall 1 13 General Correspondence 1970-1971 Spring 1 14 Memorandums AY 1968-1969 1 15 Memorandums AY 1969-1970 2 1 Memorandums AY 1970-1971 2 2 Memorandums AY 1971-1972 2 3 Memorandums AY 1972-1973 2 4 Memorandums AY 1973-1974 Fall 2 5 Memorandums 1973-1974 Spring 2 6 Reports 1970-1973 2 7 Reports 1973-1974 2 8 Students 1973-1974 Series IV Associate Dean Merlin Szosz records 1972-1974 2 9 M. Danforth 1972-1975 2 10 Memos M.S. 1972-1975 2 11 Memos D.M.L. 1971-1974 2 12 Correspondence 1963-1971 2 13 Correspondence 1972-1974 3 5 Correspondence 1975 3 5 Correspondence 1976-1977 Series V Associate Provost C. Fenno Hoffman, Jr. records 1977 3 1 Correspondence: Faculty Governance 1977 3 2 Correspondence: Division Chairmen 1977 3 3 Correspondence: Outside Professional Activities 1977 3 4 Correspondence: Handbook 1977