After a series of race-based incidents occurred on campus during the first half of 1987 and after an ad hoc committee convened to review the implications of these incidents, Rhode Island College President Carol J. Guardo appointed a new presidential committee, the Committee on Human Relations. This committee superseded the Committee on Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. John S. Foley, Vice President for College Advancement and Support, served as the first chair of the Committee. The Committee on Human Relations had three subcommittees: the Subcommittee on Racial Understanding, the Subcommittee on Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, and the Subcommittee on Gender Relations. The charge of the committee was to “advise the president on matters related to the creation, enhancement and maintenance of positive, collegial human relations among members of the College community.” The Committee could “recommend policies, procedures, and activities which would establish, facilitate, and maintain an environment conducive to good relations and prohibitive of discrimination toward, or mistreatment of, any member of the College community.” They helped write and update the Illegal Harassment Policy and the Complaint Resolution Policy. The Committee on Human Relations ceased around 2018 and some of its functions were replaced by the already established Dialogue on Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
The collection contains the initial charge and bylaw documents for the Committee on Human Relations, as well as subsequent changes, member lists and meeting minutes for various years, reports, event information, and policy documents. The collection is not comprehensive.
Rhode Island College Special Collections holds copyright to materials in the collection. Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection.
The collection is open for research.
Rhode Island College. Presidential Committees and Task Forces. Committee on Human Relations records, CA-0006, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
The collection is arranged in rough chronological order.
The collection is arranged in rough chronological order.
The collection was arranged and described by Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian in 2023. Further material was added and the finding aid updated by Denison in 2025.
Works used in preparation of inventory: Administrative history taken from information in the collection.
Rhode Island College Special Collections also holds the Rhode Island College. Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan records, CA-0002.
Some of the materials in this collection were housed with the Rhode Island College. Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan records, however they were removed and made into their own collection.
The collection has not been digitized.