Since Whitman College’s founding in 1859 as a seminary and its rechartering as a four-year college in 1883, the Board of Trustees has served as the institution’s highest governing body. Its role has been to oversee major strategic decisions, including campus development, financial stewardship, academic vision, and leadership appointments. From the earliest years, trustees like Elkanah Walker helped establish the college’s foundation, even donating land for Whitman’s first building.

The archives house the Board of Trustees records from 1907 to 2012, totaling approximately 23.7 linear feet. The collection includes meeting minutes, committee records, subject files, correspondence, bylaws, and governance documents. These materials reveal how the Board has guided Whitman through significant periods of transformation, including presidential transitions, curriculum reforms, capital campaigns, and endowment management.

While some of the more recent records remain closed due to a 30-year restriction policy, available documents include critical moments such as the Board’s discussions on divestment from South Africa in the 1980s, the expansion of campus facilities, and strategic planning during financial challenges. Notably, President Stephen B. L. Penrose, who served from 1894 to 1934, played a dual role as trustee and president, shaping many of the college’s formative years alongside the Board.

The Board of Trustees records provide a detailed institutional memory of Whitman College’s governance. They highlight how the college’s leadership navigated social, political, and financial shifts over more than a century, offering rich insight into the philosophy and structure behind decision-making at one of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest liberal arts institutions.