Wayne State University

AAUP Wayne State University Chapter Records

cwesterman — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:39:50 -0400

The Wayne State University American Association of University Professors was formed in 1930. The early activities of the chapter focused on administrative reform and faculty participation in University governance. In May of 1973 WSU AAUP won an election against the Michigan Education Association-affiliated Faculty Association and the WSUFT (Wayne State University Federation of Teachers) to become the faculty collective bargaining representative. Collection materials include records relating to chapter activities and contract negotiations, as well as President Arnold Pilling's notes and diary entries related to the chapter's activities during its formative years, the 1972 election campaign and the first contract negotiations.

Mel Ravitz Papers

cwesterman — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 15:22:23 -0500

Professor and Detroit community advocate Mel Ravitz held various posts in Detroit politics, including positions such as the Detroit City Plan Commission Director of Community Organization, on the Detroit City Council and as staff director of the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Services Board. As a professor at Wayne State University, Mr. Ravitz assisted in the formation of the University’s Department of Urban Planning.

Mr. Ravitz’s papers reflect his interests in community organizing and neighborhood revitalization, and serve to document the history of Detroit politics and the social and economic changes that the city faced during the later half of the twentieth century. In addition there are files relating to his activities to 2005.

The collection is in three parts.

Elise Hatt Campbell Papers

drice — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:47:56 -0400

Elise Hatt Campbell was a staff member of the Merrill-Palmer Institute. During her tenure she conducted studies and wrote articles concerning childhood development and education, as well as taught courses at Wayne University. Campbell was also a consultant in the Detroit Council for Youth Service and Chairman of the Committee of the Detroit Council of Social Agencies.

The papers of Elise Hatt Campbell reflect her work within the Merrill-Palmer Institute and as an instructor at Wayne University. Included are notes, outlines and handouts from various speeches and lectures she gave, any correspondence regarding those lectures, and forms, charts, and test data from research completed at Merrill-Palmer. Also included are research for her articles, some published works written by Elise and an unpublished manuscript related to her work at Merrill-Palmer.

Developing Urban Detroit Area Research Project (Doxiadis) Records

drice — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:01:54 -0500

The Developing Urban Detroit Area Research Project (UDA) began in 1964 with sponsorship from the Detroit Edison Company and Wayne State University to understand the affects of urban growth in the city of Detroit in order to better prepare for future growth. The project was managed for seven years by the international urban planning organization, Doxiadis Associates and produced three volumes of published findings.

The UDA records document Doxiadis and the evolution of this project, consisting of large amounts of written and graphic data, proposed uses of the research, and peripheral related projects.

FRIENDS of the Wayne State University School of Medicine Records

kschmeling — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:08:07 -0400

The organization began as a group of spouses of the School of Medicine’s administration during 1972. Later on, FRIENDS grew to include those associated with and those who would like to help the school. The organization was led by a board of directors and had committees as well. FRIENDS was involved with fundraising and service projects, but also had social outings and gatherings.

Ernest Goodman Papers

drice — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:49:05 -0400

A founding member of the Detroit Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Ernest Goodman served as NLG President, and formed the nation’s first (known) interracial law firm: Goodman, Crockett, Eden and Robb. He was deeply involved with the labor movement and some of its most bitter union organizing struggles and remained committed throughout his career to serving the common man, with clients ranging from Communists, Black Panthers, prison inmates, and African-Americans during the civil rights movement.

Part I of Mr. Goodman’s papers reflect his involvement in civil rights, constitutional law and labor issues, focusing on the Michigan Smith Act trial, the Sherrill School desegregation case, and the Black Panther trial for the murder of a Detroit Police officer.

Part II reflects his activities as counsel in controversial cases, particularly first amendment and civil rights cases, courts martial, deportation and denaturalization, and the 1971 Attica prison uprising. These papers further focus on the events, places, and people who influenced both his personal life and a career spent in service to social justice for the common man.

Part III (Two storage boxes) focuses on various cases, mainly from the 1980s-1990s, Goodman's writings, his work with Wayne State University Law School, and Estonian family correspondence.

Michigan Dance Archives: Harriet Berg Papers

aergas — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:10:36 -0400

Harriet Berg (born 1924) was a choreographer, teacher, performer, and arts advocate in the Detroit area for many decades. Her papers reflect her interests in all aspects of dance and other performing and fine arts, including material on a wide variety of dance companies and individual dancers, local, national and international. Some of the papers reflect her personal life as well as that of her family members. Part 1 includes materials on many aspects of dance and other performing and fine arts, as well as her personal family life. Part 2 reflects Berg’s work as director of the Renaissance Dance Company and Madame Cadillac Dance Theater, as well as her work with the Jewish Community Center and Camp Maas. Also included are materials relating to dance history, Isadora Duncan, local, state and national dance schools, dance programs, as well as artwork and publications relating to dance. Part 3 is a continuation of these topics and includes a collection of photographs and audiovisual materials including vinyl albums, videotapes, and audiotapes.

Helen T. Suchara Papers

astankrauff — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 14:07:47 -0400

Helen T. Suchara was a professor at Wayne State University’s College of Education from 1956 to 1981. During her time as a professor and even after her retirement, Helen served leadership positions for many different councils and committees, including the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit, the University Council for Wayne State University, the Association of Childhood Education International, and many more. Helen wrote numerous publications, travelled overseas for teaching assignments, and served in the Peace Corps.

Thelma G. James Papers

thenning — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:31:39 -0400

Thelma G. James joined Wayne State University in 1923, known then as the College of the City of Detroit. As a professor in the English department, she taught courses on folklore and the Bible as literature. James' research concentrated on folklore and folk medicine practices of various nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. In 1939, James co-founded the Wayne State University Folklore Archive with fellow English professor Emelyn Gardner. Now the oldest and largest record of urban folk traditions in the United States, this extensive archive was the culmination of interviews conducted by James, Gardner, and their students. Throughout her career, James developed a national reputation as a pioneer of folklore studies and had had a significant impact on the Wayne State community. She received the status of Professor Emeritus upon her retirement in 1967.

This collection contains the personal papers of Thelma James, records documenting the history and organizational methods of the Wayne State University Folklore Archive, and Folklore Archive card files on diseases and other topics collected from individuals in Michigan and Detroit from a broad range of nationalities and ethnicities. The card files in this collection include Albanian, African American, Native American, Armenian, Canadian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Lithuanian, Maltese, Mexican, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Swedish, Syrian, Turkish, and Ukrainian folklore.

Mildred Jeffrey Papers

drice — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:19:31 -0500

Mildred "Millie" Jeffrey worked as an organizer for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, as Educational Director of the Pennsylvania Joint Board of Shirt Workers, as a consultant to the War Labor Board, as Director of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Women’s Bureau, and as Director for UAW Community Relations and Consumer Affairs Departments. Ms. Jeffrey was also active in the Democratic Party and was a founding member and chair of the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) political arm, the National Women’s Political Caucus.

Part 1 of Ms. Jeffrey’s papers document her extensive work for women’s rights and the labor movement and reflect her commitment to social justice. Part 2 primarily documents the last 30 years of her life during which Jeffrey became an activist in the many social and political movements of the time, including women’s rights, civil rights, reproductive rights and peace.

Julie Sabit Papers

aorchard — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 13:43:19 -0500

Julie Sabit is a native of Detroit. She graduated from Southeastern High School in 1950 and received her BA in Sociology from Wayne State University in 1958. Sabit initially began work in the City of Detroit’s Planning Department as a student technical assistant in 1957. Upon her graduation in 1958, she began working as a Social Planning and Development Assistant within the Research Division of the Planning Department, eventually becoming the head of that division. In 1973, Sabit received her Master’s in Sociology from Wayne State University. She became involved with the Association of Municipal Professional Women (AMPW) when it was founded in 1975, and she served on its board from 1975 to 1985. In 1990, she retired from the City of Detroit’s Planning Department. During her retirement, Sabit received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University.

The Julie Sabit Papers reflect Sabit’s work within both the City of Detroit Planning Department and the Association of Municipal Professional Women, much of which overlaps. Material includes directories, correspondence, memos, officer rosters, annual reports, policy objectives, organizational timelines, project and events materials, newsletters, and other various publications.

Katherine Chamberlain Papers

kschmeling — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 12:58:12 -0400

Katherine McFarlane Chamberlain, professor of physics in the College of Liberal Arts, was born June 28, 1892 in Saginaw, Michigan. She earned a B.A. (1914), an M.A. (1919), and a Sc.D. (1925) from the University of Michigan. Chamberlain began as an instructor at the College of the City of Detroit in 1924 and was appointed full professor at Wayne State University in 1945. She was the author of, First College Course in Photography, Introduction to the Science of Photography and Darkroom Handbook. Her areas of research were optics and atomic power. Chamberlain served on the National Advisory Committee of the Phoenix Project, and the Atomic Energy Research Center of the University of Michigan. She retired from the University in 1960. Katherine Chamberlain died on January 9, 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Damon J. Keith Papers

drice — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:20:02 -0400

Judge Damon Keith served in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Keith delivered several landmark rulings in civil rights and civil liberties cases and played an active role in various civic, cultural and educational associations, including the Detroit YMCA, the United Negro College Fund, and the Detroit National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He is the recipient of the NAACP’s Springarn Medal, the American Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Award, the Edward J. Devitt Award for Distinguished Service to Justice, and over thirty honorary degrees. Judge Keith’s papers document important milestones in his career, his precedent-setting judicial decisions, his role in ensuring equal justice for all Americans, and the many honors and awards bestowed upon him for his dedication to civil rights and to the City of Detroit.

Vernon E. Keye Papers

drice — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:29:16 -0400

Vernon Keye was the director of Wayne State’s student mental health clinic for several years in the 1950s and 60s. He was heavily involved in the effort to create licensing standards for Michigan’s social workers and counselors. His papers reflect his work with the American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers, which later became the National Association of Social Workers, and his participation in numerous social work conferences.

Collection is unprocessed.

Merrill-Palmer Institute: Dr. Esther McGinnis Records

drice — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:39:14 -0400

Dr. Esther McGinnis was the Director of the Merrill-Palmer Institute from 1947-1951.
Prior to her appointment as Assistant Director in the 1930s, McGinnis was a professor of
Family Life at the Child Welfare Institute at the University of Minnesota and at State
Teaching College at Columbia University. Throughout her career at Merrill-Palmer she
did consulting work for other universities as well as government committees. Dr.
McGinnis’ records span her career both before and during her time at Merrill-Palmer and
reflect her varied activities and committee work, as well as both professional and
personal contacts.

Merrill-Palmer Institute: Dr. Francis H. Palmer Records

drice — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:20:21 -0400

Dr. Francis H. Palmer was president of Merrill-Palmer from 1978-1981, prior to which he
worked at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He received his education
at the University of Pittsburg, published widely, mainly on preschool and early
educational child development and was very active in the Headstart program. Palmer’s
records reflect his emphasis on the psychology of preschool and elementary age children
and his direction of institutional focus to research.

Merrill-Palmer Institute: Dr. J. William Rioux Records

drice — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:23:36 -0400

J. William Rioux was the president of the Merrill-Palmer Institute from 1967-1973, prior
to which he worked for the U.S. Department of Education. He was a native of Detroit
and received his Ed. D. at Wayne State University. During his time at Merrill-Palmer he
worked to diversify the student body, establish a graduate degree program, work with
urban youth, and bring more students into the program. He also emphasized
dissemination and publication of research by Merrill-Palmer faculty and staff.

The J. William Rioux Records contain mainly administrative files, which emphasize
Rioux’s commitment to urban and low-income youth and his push to bring in more
students and get them involved with the local Detroit community.

Merrill-Palmer Institute: Dr. Michael D. Usdan Records

drice — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:12:09 -0400

Dr. Michael D. Usdan was president of the Merrill-Palmer Institute from 1974-1977.
Educated at Brown University and Teachers College at Columbia University, Usdan
worked as a professor at City University of New York before joining Merrill-Palmer. He
published widely, writing mainly on educational politics. His records document his work
on urban and lower income youth in the Detroit area, as well as research and conferences
focusing on urban poor, parent-child relationships and the impact of unemployment on
families.

Merrill-Palmer Institute: Dr. Pauline Park Wilson Knapp Records

drice — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:47:04 -0400

Dr. Pauline Park Wilson Knapp was the president and director of the Merrill-Palmer
Institute from 1952-1967. Knapp received her B.S. in Home Economics from the
University of Kentucky and M.A. and Ph. D in Psychology from Columbia University.
She established the first Child Development Center in Georgia in 1928, was head of the
Department of Family and Life at the University of Alabama from 1941-45 and the Dean
of the School of Home Economics at the University of Georgia from 1946-52. In 1952
she rejoined the Merrill-Palmer Institute as president, returning to the school where she
was previously a student (1920s) and a staff member (1932-41). During her years as
president, Knapp broadened the school’s emphasis on parent education to incorporate
research on human development and increased research on applied child and family
issues. Under her leadership she increased the schools scope, built two new facilities,
The Program Center and the Skillman Center, and oversaw the largest increase in student
enrollment and faculty appointments in the history of the institute.

Knapp’s records cover day-to-day activities and long range programs, as well as the shift
in emphasis the institute underwent during Knapp’s tenure. Included are programs and
correspondence which highlight Knapp’s close relationship with students and supporters
through which she increased the influence of Merrill-Palmer and ensured continued
student enrollment. The collection also covers committees and boards Knapp served on,
as well as research conducted by the Institute, as a whole.

Monteith College Student Newsletters

cwesterman — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:48:17 -0400

Monteith College was endowed by a Ford Foundation Grant. Its purpose was to provide general education in an innovative way. Monteith was an experimental college developed by the College of Liberal Arts to study whether a small college on a large university for commuters could provide a first-rate education for average undergraduates. Monteith College was founded in 1959 and closed in 1979. This collection consists of newspapers produced by students of Monteith College.

Burt R. Shurly M.D. Papers

astankrauff — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 15:05:49 -0400

Burt Shurly was born in Chicago on July 4, 1871, son of Edmund Richard P. and Augusta (Godwin Shurly and grandson of Jon Martin and Elizabeth Catherine (Chumley) Shurly. After receiving his preliminary education at Northwestern Military Academy, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Burt R. Shurly graduated with his B.S. at the University of Wisconsin in 1894 and M.D. at the Detroit College of Medicine in 1895 and spent 1896 engaged in postgraduate study at the University of Vienna. He interned at Harper Hospital in Detroit and then began the practice of medicine in association with his uncle Ernest L. Shurly with an initial focus on tuberculosis later to focus on diseases of the eye, ear, nose, throat and chest. One of the most notable things that Shurly did was to serve as the director of the Carl E. Schmidt Base Hospital No. 36 in Vittel, France during World War I. Base Hospital 36 as it was known was the largest base hospital unit ever formed to that point. He passed away on October 20, 1950.

Suzanne Antisdel Collection

astankrauff — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 14:13:18 -0400

This collection comprises a locket pendant - crafted of brass and mother of pearl. It is dated 1934, the year that the name “Wayne University” was adopted for what is now Wayne State University.

Milton Tambor Papers

jruss — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:45:23 -0400

Milton Tambor was born in New York City in 1938. He earned a Hebrew Teachers degree from Yeshiva University in 1957. He completed his bachelor’s in Psychology at Wayne State University in 1959, his Master of Social Work at Wayne in 1963, and his PhD in Sociology at Wayne in 1991. Throughout his scholarly career, he has focused on teaching and writing about organizing social workers and non-profit and agency employees. He also had a long career in unionism, holding staff and leadership positions in AFSCME Detroit Local 1640, AFSCME Michigan Council 77, and AFSCME Michigan Council 25. Throughout his career, Tambor was also involved in other labor and leftist organizations in Detroit, most notably the anti-Vietnam War group Detroit Coalition to End the War Now and the Michigan Labor Committee on Central America. In 2001, Tambor retired and moved to Atlanta where he continues to work in the progressive movement.

The Milton Tambor Papers document Tambor’s academic career, work for AFSCME, and participation in labor, leftist, and progressive organizations in Detroit. They include articles, newspaper clippings, publications, fliers, meeting minutes, reports, and training material.

Theodore D. Rice Papers

astankrauff — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 08:54:10 -0400

Dr. Theodore D. Rice (1904-1989) was a Professor of Education at Wayne State University (WSU) for fifteen years, from 1957 to 1972. He specialized in secondary education.

Ruth Ellsworth Papers

astankrauff — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Ruth Ellsworth was a professor of Social Studies Education at Wayne State University in the College of Education from 1949 to 1977. She served on several committees at Wayne State University such as Wayne State University Retirement Committee, the Wayne State University Council Public Relations Committee, the Wayne State University Calendar Committee, Wayne State University's Quarter System Committee, and Wayne State University's Committee on Teacher Education. This collection is comprised of the papers from these committees and the work that she contributed.

Wayne State University Alumni Association Alumni News

astankrauff — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

The Alumni News was a magazine initially published by the Alumni Association of Wayne University, and then by the following units of Wayne State University: the Alumni Association, the Division of University Relations, and the Division of Public Relations. After 1986, the newsletter was once again published by the Alumni Association.

Wayne State University Alumni Association Wayne State Magazine

astankrauff — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Wayne State is a publication of the Wayne State University Alumni Association. From 2001 until 2006, the full title of the publication was Wayne State Magazine. The magazine's articles cover the activities of Wayne State University alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

Wayne State University Association of Black Business Students Records

kschmeling — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:15:43 -0400

The Association of Black Business Students was a student organization at Wayne State University. The records document its activities from 1984 to 2003.

Wayne State University Centennial Symposia Records

kschmeling — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 16:17:23 -0500

During the academic year 1967-1968 Wayne State University celebrated the hundredth anniversary of its founding. As part of the commemoration, the University sponsored a series of symposia of national significance under the theme, "The University and Urban Society."
Broadly, the Symposia theme dealt with the urban university and its impact on, and responsibilities to, its urban community. More specifically, the focus of the Symposia was an examination of the problems and issues associated with an increasingly urban society.

The collection consists primarily of the records of Edward Lurie, Wayne State University professor of history, who served as director of the Centennial Symposia, and his assistant, Philip Borden.

Wayne State University Department of African American Studies Records

kschmeling — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 14:02:40 -0400

The Wayne State University Department of African American Studies was formed in 1970. Its predecessor names were, the Department of Africana Studies and the Center for Black Studies. The files mainly reflect the department's activities from 1970 to 1984 with some materials dating from the mid 1960s.

Wayne State University Department of Marketing and Communications Records

kschmeling — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:03:35 -0500

The Wayne State University Department of Marketing and Communications (formerly the Office of Public Relations) functions as the primary liaison between the University and the news media and is concerned with maintaining the school's positive image.

This collection consists of materials produced between 1961-2000 and includes press releases; clippings and reports on press coverage relating to WSU; biographic files on the University's presidents and other prominent WSU staff and alumni; marketing print orders; and video recordings.

Wayne State University Fraternities and Sororities Records

astankrauff — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 13:58:29 -0400

These records contain files of fraternities and sororities that were active at Wayne State University between 1932 to 2000. The bulk of the records are from the 1950s and 1960s. Some organizations were active when the university were known as the College of the City of Detroit, Wayne University and currently Wayne State University. Documents include petitions for chapters, chapter installation materials, initiation programs, information booklets, handbooks, constitutions, membership rolls, registration forms, bulletins, yearbooks, newsletters, pledge manuals, directories, bylaws, event programs, speech outlines, committee reports, conference programs, banquet programs.

This collection offers a spotlight on a very important aspect of student life at what is now known as Wayne State University. Some of the materials spotlight particular aspects of student life, shown in honor societies dedicated to particular disciplines, such as international debate, education, engineering amongst others. Further some of these sororities and fraternities were dedicated to supporting students from particular identity groups such as Jewish students, Lutheran students. These groups have promoted leadership and social opportunities at Wayne State.

Wayne State University Gas House Gang Records

astankrauff — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 14:20:18 -0400

The Gas House Gang was established in 1920 at Wayne State University’s predecessor, the College of the City of Detroit. It was an all-male social organization on the campus. This group continued until 1957. The Gas House Gang was largely a social group for men whose Constitution had four supporting purposes: to support the college to the utmost, to oppose any mode of dress “which is unbecoming to a real man”, to do their best to obtain a high grade of scholarship, and to “respect womanhood to the highest degree”. The collection includes two minutes books, 1920 to 1957 as well two booklets from reunions of the group, 1970 and 1972.

Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business Records

astankrauff — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 17:23:23 -0500

These records contain materials that document the Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business from 1950 to 2009. The bulk of the materials are from the 1980s and 1990s. The Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business has gone through name changes through time, and this collection reflects this.
Materials were donated to the Reuther Library by Dr. William Volz, Wayne State Professor of Business Law and Ethics in 2018.
The materials included in this collection reflect both the career of Dr. Volz as well as the general history of the School itself.

Wayne State University Office of Educational Resources for Students with Disabilities Records

kschmeling — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 14:33:10 -0400

In October 1961, the University Office of Counseling for the Handicapped was established in the Division of Student Personnel, under the direction of Dr. William Knapp. Prior to the creation of this office, the work had been done by Miss Eleanor Bodewig, an academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts. The purpose of this office was to guide Wayne State in the development and implementation of barrier-free and handicap accessible accommodations, adaptive technologies, as well as a wide variety of student services including athletics, with the goal of increasing the social and academic possibilities for the integration of students with disabilities.

The records of this office span from 1956 to 1985 and include subjects such as: barrier-free design, accessibility, campus life, academics, athletics, and Paralympics. They exhibit the evolution of services and resources offered by Wayne State during this time.

Wayne State University School of Medicine Photographs and Audio-Visual Material

drice — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 15:37:44 -0500

The Wayne State University School of Medicine had four important forerunners: Detroit MedicalCollege (1868-1885), Michigan College of Medicine (1879-1885), Detroit College of Medicine (1885-1913), and Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery (1913-1933). The collection consists of photograph prints and negatives of Wayne State University School of Medicine staff, students, and buildings. Photographs of staff and students are posed yearbook and identification photographs. Building photographs include construction photographs, aerials, and panoramic. Miscellaneous photographs of school events and laboratory photographs are included as well.

Wayne State University School of Medicine Physician Biography Records

kschmeling — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 13:57:59 -0500

Files consist of physician profiles of doctors who were directly associated with the Medical College or who practiced in the Greater Detroit Area. Their profiles consist of obituaries, newspaper articles, correspondence, photographs and other records collected to give insight into their lives and practices. The second part of the collection features an assortment of records from the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Medical Association, and building plans for Wayne State University's Medial Science Building.

Wayne State University Student and Departmental Publications

astankrauff — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:10:00 -0500

These records contain a variety of files from both student organizations and university departments have been or were active at Wayne State University since 1881. The records span from the 1880s to 2013, but the bulk of the records are from the 1940s through the 1990s. Some organizations and departments were active when the university was knows as the College of the City of Detroit, Wayne University, and currently Wayne State University. Documents vary but include event flyers, newsletters, research studies, reports, conference programs, college recruitment materials, directories, event calendars, and program and course descriptions. These materials were gathered together from various locations within the Reuther Archives by former University Archivist Casey Westerman and provide a look into life on campus throughout the history of the University. Many of the materials are newsletters from both student organizations and university departments that were sent to current students or alumni providing insight into studies, activities, and general information about the organization at that particular time. Other materials show focus of the school or organization through research conducted or the focus of recruitment materials of the time. Overall, these materials provide an extensive view of student and school life at Wayne State University.

Wayne University Admissions Office and Acting Registrar Records

cwesterman — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:14:50 -0400

The Admissions Office and Acting Registrar Records consist of documents concerning incoming veteran students. Enrollment listings, correspondence, reports, statistics, admission interviews, and studies comprise the majority of the records. Two folders relate to the admission and enrollment of relocated Japanese-American ("Nisei," meaning "second-generation") students at Wayne State during World War II.

After the passage of the G.I. Bill in 1944, Wayne University received an influx of incoming veteran students. Dr. Leslie L. Hanawalt was the Acting Registrar and Director of Admissions of Wayne University at this time. In his 1968 book A Place of Light: The History of Wayne State University, he writes about the veteran period: “The body of veteran students that enrolled in American colleges after World War II has often been written about. At Wayne University several generalizations are remembered: the veterans were too numerous and came upon the campus too rapidly; everyone felt an interest in them and desired to help them with counsel and special programs, if necessary; a good many of them were married; they were on the whole patient and easy to deal with; and they performed well as students, on the average probably better than if their formal education had not been interrupted by the war. For the most important fact about them was that they were two or three years older than the average student; they were often clearer about what they wanted, more serious, more used to working, more strongly motivated. These characteristics combined to make the veteran period a bright spot in academic history.”

Nisei students were relocated to Detroit with the aid of the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council and enrolled beginning with the fall 1943 semester. In the summer of 1943 there were five non-evacuee Japanese American students at Wayne State, by the fall of 1943 there were thirteen enrolled Nisei students, and by the winter 1944 semester there were thirty-five relocated Nisei students enrolled.

Wayne University Foundation Records

cwesterman — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:02:26 -0500

The Wayne University Foundation was formed in 1938 to receive and administer financial endowments donated to the university. It was the hope of the university that endowment funds would play a large role in providing the necessary financial stability for Wayne to establish itself as a notable academic institution. Although the foundation existed for more than twenty years, it generated no substantial private donations or legacies. It was finally closed out in April of 1961.

The Wayne University Foundation Records include the financial records, reports, ledgers, and meeting minutes of the Wayne University Foundation from 1939 to 1961.

Wayne State University Academic Administration Vice President Winfred A. Harbison Records

cwesterman — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:07:44 -0500

Vice President Harbison was responsible for development, coordination and review of instructional services in the university, as well as the coordination of educational policies and programs. He chaired the University Council, administering the Student Personnel Services and Administration and Records Departments, as well as administering the employment of professional personnel at the university. The records chronicle matters presented to the Board of Governors for information or action, accreditation, budgets, building construction and maintenance, growth, development, policies and activities of colleges and university offices, Wayne’s relationship and involvement with professional associations, higher education institutions as well as government, business and industry, student organizations, student life, student policies and housing.

Wayne State University Activities Committee Records

cwesterman — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:31:00 -0400

The Wayne State University Activities Committee Records contains the records of the Secretary of the University Activities Committee during the tenure of Doris R. Boldt. John Fraser was the Chair of the University Activities Committee at this time.

These records contain the minute books from 1981-1987 and four special events books with information pertaining to parties sponsored by the University Activities Committee. These special events books contain material on special cruises, meals prepared for the parties, some photographs, and information on the budget, decorations, publicity, and prizes.

Wayne State University: University Council and Academic Senate Meeting Records

cwesterman — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:19:44 -0400

The Detroit Board of Education established the University Council in 1933 in order to facilitate the participation of university faculty in overall planning. The University Council was largely ineffectual until 1939 when it was reorganized under the direction of Vice President David Henry. In 1945, Henry, now President of Wayne University, authorized the University Council to pass judgement in the following areas: "changes in the scope of the University's work, such as the formation of a new school or college; policies related to instruction which are intercollege in their nature; University-wide personnel policies; and broad questions of student welfare." In 1990 the Council was renamed the Academic Senate.

The Academic Senate, as of 2014, is comprised of six members at large elected by the University academic community, and representatives of each school and college, the University Library System, and the Division of Academic Affairs, elected to the Senate in proportion to the number of full-time positions in these units. The Academic Senate currently has 83 members.

This collection consists of meeting minutes, agendas, proceedings, and reports of the University Council (1939-1990) and the Academic Senate (1990-2002).

Wayne State University Admissions and Registrar's Office Records

cwesterman — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 14:34:48 -0400

The bulk of this collection consists of material generated by the Space and Alterations committee, a group tasked with maintaining buildings, classrooms, labs, student lounges, and other spaces around campus. Also included are a manual describing the various functions and duties of the admissions office and a study regarding how the university would deal with applicants who did not meet the ordinary standards for admission.

Wayne University Admissions Records Division Records

cwesterman — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 14:42:15 -0400

This collection consists of two folders generated by Wayne University’s Admissions Division. Materials consist of a folder describing student’s eligibility for certificates, and a folder containing material generated by the inter-college course committee, which was chiefly occupied with considering new courses to add to the various colleges’ offerings, or altering existing ones.

Wayne State University Air Force ROTC Records

cwesterman — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 15:54:29 -0500

These records contain documents pertaining to the Wayne State Air Force ROTC Program, including staff records, job descriptions, reports, financial records, meeting minutes, and publications, as well as documents from the Arnold Air Society and the 395th AFROTC Cadet Fund.

Wayne State University Alumni Directories

cwesterman — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:47:47 -0400

This collection includes directories of the Alumni Association of Wayne University (1941-1956) and Wayne State University (1957-2007). Only the 1941, 1945, 1986, 2002 and 2007 directories list members of the Alumni Association; all other directories list board members, officers, employees, and organizers of the Alumni Association, the Wayne Alumni Fund, the Alumni Advisory Council, the Trust Finance Board, Women of Wayne Alumni Association, and the school and college alumni associations. Also included are a 1995 directory of alumni of the Wayne State University College of Nursing and 1965 and 1967 alumni directories for the School of Medicine.

Wayne State University Alumni Relations Director Homer Strong Records

cwesterman — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:48:17 -0400

Homer D. Strong was appointed the first Director of Alumni Relations in 1944 and continued in this position until 1967. He watched the organization grow from a group of approximately 15,000 to more than 80,000 members. During this period, Strong established the basic guidelines for the structure of the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association consisted of a President, First and Second Vice President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a Board of Directors who made up the Alumni Advisory Council. This body of elected officials governed the individual college alumni associations. The college and school alumni associations, in this collection, are Education, Law, Medicine, Mortuary Science, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work. Each was responsible for planning educational, social, and fundraising projects to benefit their respective schools and alumni. The general Alumni Association sponsored various reunions, homecoming activities, publicity for the university, and general fundraising projects such as the War Memorial Mall. The collection contains minutes, correspondence, reports, and financial material relating to the Alumni Association, individual college alumni associations, the regional American Alumni Council activities, Wayne State University publicity and fundraising, and student organizations.

Wayne State University American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Student Chapter Records

cwesterman — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 15:24:47 -0400

The Society of Tool Engineers was founded in 1932. In 1933 it was renamed the American Society of Tool Engineers; from 1960 until 1969 it was named the American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers. From 1970 until 2013 it was called the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In 2013 it was legally renamed SME. SME is a professional society of students, faculty, organizations, and individuals involved in manufacturing.

This collection contains correspondence, announcements, conference reports, and membership lists of the Wayne State University student chapter of the American Society of Tool and Manufacturing Engineers (ASTME). The Wayne student chapter disbanded in 1967. The current Wayne State University student chapter of SME was founded in March, 1990.

Wayne State University Annual Reports

cwesterman — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:00:43 -0400

This collection includes the annual reports of Wayne University and Wayne State University for the years 1940-1952 and 1989-1996.