Whitman College Overseers Records

Collection

Identifier: WCA-157

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Board of Overseers records contain materials describing the function, duties, and organization of the Whitman College Board of Overseers, including the by-laws, as well as information on various members throughout college history. The collection contains records of activities such as building construction, college planning, committees, and donor relations. Types of materials include correspondence, memoranda, reports, and meetings minutes.

Dates

Creation: 1907-2012

Creator

Whitman College. Board of Overseers (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Records of the Board of Overseers and its committees are closed for 30 years from the date of creation. Access to files spanning multiple years will be opened to researchers based on the date of the most recent materials. Student educational records such as credentials, grade sheets, correspondence, reports, notes, applications, and all other records pertaining to past and present students are governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and are restricted for 75 years from the date of creation. Personnel related files of the college's faculty and staff, including search, review, promotion, reappointment, tenure, and disciplinary/grievance records, are restricted for 75 years from the date of creation. Additional restrictions may apply to other materials in this collection. Restrictions are noted at the file level in the finding aid, and on red flags in the folders.

Historical Note

In a 1908 report to the Whitman College Board of Trustees, the Dean of the College, Archer W. Hendrick, advocated for the creation of a Board of Overseers. The Board of Overseers was approved by the Board of Trustees. At that time, the Board of Overseers consisted of 64 members that served five-year terms, and were given the power to establish departments of study, elect a school treasurer, direct the financial and educational policy of the institution, and take measures to develop Whitman’s history, traditions, and purpose. The first Overseers included men from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and their first meeting was held on November 17-18, 1908.

In 2017, the Board of Overseers was reconfigured into the President’s Advisory Board. The advisory board focuses on ensuring support for the strategic priorities of Whitman. They serve both as advisors to the president and cabinet and as special ambassadors for Whitman with students, alumni, friends and prospective students

Extent

6.6 Linear Feet (6 record cartons, 2 manuscript boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Board of Overseers, which was reconfigured into the President's Advisory Board in 2017, focuses on ensuring support for the strategic priorities of Whitman College. The Board of Overseers records contain materials describing the function, duties, and organization of the Whitman College Board of Overseers.

Arrangement

Arranged into three series: 1. Meeting Materials, 2: Committee Records, 3. Subject Files.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The majority of the records were transferred to the Archives in 2006 by the Office of the President. Additional records have been periodically transferred by the Office of the President and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Dana Bronson, and the following students under her supervision: Kacey Godwin, West Bales, Rayana Weller, Colby Dragon, Zoe Henderson, and Katy Sassara.

The majority of the Overseers Records created prior to 1990 were kept in binders, and organized chronologically into two series: Meeting Materials and Committee Records. This order was maintained, and materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. The collection was arranged into series based on the original order of the records, and original folder titles were maintained when possible. Contents were not always verified against the folder titles for accuracy. While efforts were made to remove duplicate materials, there is likely some duplication across the different series because of the ad hoc manner in which these records were maintained and donated to the Archives. The entire collection was screened for restricted content by Dana Bronson in October 2019, and the appropriate restrictions were applied at the file-level.