Whitman College Employees Association Records
Scope and Contents
The Whitman College Employees Association (WCEA) Records houses the organizational records of the WCEA. This collection, which dates from 1967 to 1987, consist of newsletters, correspondence, memoranda, survey data, and information about organized labor, evidencing the activities of the WCEA. This collection provides insight into the working conditions of Whitman College employees during the 1970s and 1980s.
Dates
- Creation: 1967, 1975-1986
Creator
- Whitman College. Whitman College Employees Association (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Materials related to personnel, grievances, and all files that fall under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are restricted for 75 years.
Historical Note
The Whitman College Employees Association (WCEA) was formed on January 25, 1978 by a nearly unanimous vote of forty seven college staff members. According to the WCEA constitution and bylaws, the purpose of the organization was to “promote the welfare of the employees of Whitman College and to secure a better means of communication with the administration of the College.” The formation of WCEA began in 1977 when Whitman staff members Claire Norsworthy, Sandi Jensen, Sharon Kespohl, Sally Weakley, Donna Chiarelott, Mike Soper, and Carol Paynter, distributed a questionnaire to women staff members employed by the college. The questionnaire included questions about salary, job classification, opportunities for promotion, and workplace satisfaction. A majority of the responses indicated dissatisfaction with working conditions at Whitman, including unfair salary practices, no written set of regulations or policies, and informal job descriptions. Over the next several years, the WCEA was able to negotiate a slight increase in staff salaries, the publication of a staff handbook which included information about fringe benefits and job categorization, and a formal grievance policy. The association also organized several additional salary surveys, worked to educate staff about their rights as employees, and continued to push for pay equity. According to the records, the WCEA appears to have no longer been active after 1987 due to low membership, but at its height more than fifty percent of staff were involved.
Extent
0.8 Linear Feet (2 manuscript boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Whitman College Employees Association (WCEA) was formed in 1978 to promote better working conditions and secure transparent policies for non-faculty staff. The Whitman College Employees Association Records, which date from 1967 to 1986, consist of newsletters, correspondence, memoranda, survey data, and information about organized labor, evidencing the activities of the WCEA.
Arrangement
This collection has been arranged by an archivist. The folders are arranged alphabetically.
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2019 are unknown. In 2019 materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes, and all folder titles were created by an archivist as original folder titles no longer existed. Routine financial receipts, dues money, and duplicate publications were removed.
Subject
- Whitman College (Organization)
- Title
- Whitman College Employees Association Records
- Author
- Dana Bronson
- Date
- 2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Whitman College and Northwest Archives Repository