Scope and Contents: Spanning between 1928 and 2011, the records of the Office of the Dean of Students (280.35 linear feet) report on nearly ten decades of student life and residential services at Oberlin College. The records of this group mirror the creation of the Office of the Dean of Students in 1964, the evolution and expansion of its services, and the results of this office’s goal setting and policy determination. The breadth, richness, and changing nature of residential student life at Oberlin is also highlighted among these records which document student demands for cultural diversity on campus, increased individual autonomy, policy making involvement, and social activism.
Consisting of annual reports, budgetary records, calendars and message logs, and other printed material collected, created, or received by the Office of the Dean of Students, these records are especially fulsome in documenting the administration of Dean George H. Langeler, 1966-1988. A modest amount of material also exists from the tenures of Dean Bernard Adams, 1964-1966, and Dean Patrick Penn, 1989-1994. In addition, this record group incorporates records from its antecedent bodies (namely, the Office of the Dean of Men, and Office of the Dean of Women, 1928-1967). Arranged into eight subgroups, these records report on the functional work of the several units reporting to the Dean. In addition to the Dean’s Administrative files, 1954-1991, files exist for Career Development and Placement, 1964-1995; Health Services, 1964-1989; Psychological Services, 1965-1989; the Student Union, 1938-1979; Housing and Dining, 1929-1991; Developmental Services/Student Support Services, 1935-1988; and, Residential Life, 1928-1989. Users should note that many of these administrative units have undergone name changes or had their administrative functions and goals redefined over time.
This group itself does not document aspects of Oberlin College student life during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Prior to the creation of the Office of the Dean of Students in 1964, student life at Oberlin was administered in a decentralized fashion along the lines of “in loco parentis”. Oversight of student life activity was accomplished through a variety of smaller offices, at a time when the college faculty was fully engaged in the life and culture of the institution. Documentation from this period regarding campus-wide activities, housing allocations, student discipline procedures, and religious formation are scattered throughout other groups of institutional records held by the Oberlin College Archives. Users should refer to the Associated Materials Note for more information regarding those records that supplement this documentary base.
The administrative files of Dean of Students George H. Langeler, 1966-1988, comprise the most significant portion of documentation. Comprehensive in nature, these records detail central administrative planning, budget allocations, the hiring and evaluation of personnel, and the supervision and direction of those offices reporting to the Dean. Langeler’s annual reports, those of his predecessor, Dean Bernard Adams, and the staff meeting minutes, document how the mission of this office was molded and developed over a 25 year period to embrace an inclusive, modern, and secular approach to student life. Documentation relating to the evolution of these varied administrative duties are highlighted in Series 11, General Files, and in Series 12, Files Relating to Administrative Reorganization, 1975-1989. While the mission of the Dean of Students did evolve beyond simply enforcing rules regarding student behavior and conduct, student disciplinary oversight continue to remain a central responsibility of this office (re. Judicial System Files in Subgroup VIII, Residential Life Records.) The oversight of academic advising, however, remains a function of the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
This record group also provides fulsome documentation on the evolution of this office on the College’s administrative chart. Dean Langeler’s active role as a conduit between Oberlin students, and the college faculty, staff, and trustees legitimized this office and its functions. The interplay between Langeler and the College President is modestly documented in the correspondence series. The voluminous and rich committee files (Subgroup I, Series 3) highlight Langeler’s response to the many issues raised by both senior administrators and the student body. Material from the African American Committee, 1966-69; the Bigotry Committee, 1988; the Co-Op Advisory Council, 1965-68; the Special Committee on Gay and Lesbian Concerns, 1988-1989; the Sexual Harassment Grievance Committee, 1988; and the Women’s Committee, 1977, provide just a few examples of the breadth of interests and concerns addressed by this office.
Monitoring, and at times, redirecting student activism, was another new area of responsibility for this Office. During the tumultuous national events associated with the war in Vietnam and the changing cultural attitudes of the mid to late 1960s, students directed their attention to activist causes as well as in the participatory politics of college governance and policy making. The establishment of the Student Life Committee in 1966, marked the first time students were formally included in administrative policy making for the college. The files from this committee, 1966-1991, as well as those from the Student Finance Committee, 1966-1989, (Subgroup I, Administrative Records, Series 3, Committee Files) detail the growing expectations and insistence by Oberlin students that they be consulted on the larger administrative questions faced by the College.
The demands placed on this office to oversee and respond to student concerns and political activism are also well documented in the student life subject files of Subgroup I. Subject files from the 1960s and early 1970s document student demands for increased individual autonomy, coeducational dormitories, racial diversity, and the use of drugs and alcohol on campus. By the early 1980s, new social concerns and questions arose surrounding abortion, the HIV/AIDS virus, sexual harassment, substance abuse, and discrimination against Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual students. Students were equally ardent in vocalizing their concerns regarding political issues. Their protests against the United States’ military involvement in Korea (1950-1955) and Vietnam (1965-1975), as well as demonstrating against mandatory draft registration, loyalty oaths, and the presence of Marine recruiters on the Oberlin campus (1969) are documented here. Later issues which captured the interest and support of students include the College’s plan to divest its funds in South Africa, 1986-1989; racist incidents on campus, 1988; and overall student dissatisfaction with the college administration, culminating in the April 13, 1990 student march against bigotry at the home of Oberlin College President, S. Frederick Starr, 1983-1994.
Oberlin’s need to improve its housing and dining services became particularly acute after World War II because of increased student numbers and government funding of higher education (G.I. Bill). Files from the Boarding Halls Committee, 1929-1939; the Residences and Dining Halls Committee, 1940-1962; and, the Housing Allocations Committee, 1971-1986, chart the College’s evolving residential program, from its placement of students in boarding houses and dormitories scattered across the town of Oberlin, to a complex system with two distinct campus’ (North Campus and South Campus), program houses, and student cooperatives being developed after World War II. Ample detail also exists documenting the extensive administrative demands placed upon the Dean’s office in terms of coordinating building maintenance, programming, and staffing configurations. The Building Maintenance and Renovation Files (Subgroup VI, Series 6) not only document the routine matters of dormitory upkeep, but also provide an extensive account on the several dormitory renovation projects of the 1980s. Files regarding the development of the controversial and contested residential commons program, 1984-1989, are found among the general files of Subgroup I, and the Building Administration and Use files of Subgroup VI. These files document Oberlin’s mixed response to institutional efforts to bring together students, faculty, and staff for community building activities and meals at the highly criticized Stevenson Dining Hall. Constructed in 1989, this student life facility did not provide the expected atmosphere or community building opportunities as advanced by residential commons program planners. Significant documents regarding the planning, design, construction, and intended use of Stevenson Dining Hall are located in Subgroup VI, Series 6, Building Maintenance and Renovation Files.
Other records relating to community building and campus wide social activities are found primarily among the files of Subgroup V, Student Union Records, 1938-1989. Of special interest is the planning of campus wide social events, the bringing of guest speakers to the College, the chartering and governance of student organizations, and the College’s efforts to provide students with a central gathering place on campus. The series of renovations made to Wilder Hall, 1984-1989, are also documented here.
During the 1970’s, in addition to responding to student activism, overseeing residential services, and organizing social activities, the Dean’s office had to grapple with the needs of a more diverse student body population. Files in Subgroup I, Administrative Records, regarding committees, program houses, student life, student cooperatives, and student organizations document the college’s effort to celebrate and support cultural diversity at Oberlin. Subgroup VII, Developmental Services/Student Support Services, report on the College’s educational enrichment programs designed for minority students, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those identified to be “at risk” for not completing a secondary education. The organizational files for these developmental initiatives, 1974-1985, document how they began as federally and privately funded projects but grew to receive a significant measure of prominence and administrative support from the College. In 1987, Patrick Penn was named Dean of Student Support Services. Further documented, however, is the eventual incorporation of these programs into the broader administrative goals of the Office of Student Life and Services, 1989-present, successor to the Office of Student Life. Very little information, however, exists for the Upward Bound program which began in 1979.
The earliest files in this record group date from 1928. They are represented by the records created and received by the separate offices of the Dean of Men and the Dean of Women. Of primary significance, because of their sheer volume, are the student name files (organized by class and thereunder by name). These files, 1928-1986, document the administrative duties assigned to the Dean of Men and Dean of Women in terms of overseeing student admissions, advising, financial aid awards, and general disciplinary matters. Early aspects of student residential life are reported upon in the files from the Boarding Halls Committee, 1929-1939, and the Residences and Dining Halls Committee, 1940-1962, found in Subgroup VI, Series 3. Committee Files.
Unfortunately, this record group does not contain extensive documentation regarding the work performed by several of the offices reporting to the Dean. Files for the Office of Career Development and Placement, 1963-1995, only contain a small amount of material. Further information regarding career placement and advising is found in Record Group 39, Office of Career Placement, 1887-1975. Prior to 1964, this office operated under a succession of different names, as a separate unit from the Dean of Men and Dean of Women. Records from the Offices of Health Services and Psychological Services are also thin, but are supplemented by material found in the committee files, personnel files, general files, and student life subject files in Subgroup I, Administrative Records.
Finally, this group provides only a modest amount of information on the nature of religious life at Oberlin College. Until 1994, the Office of the Chaplains operated outside the Dean’s jurisdiction. Subgroup I, Administrative Records, Series 1, Annual reports, does contain some material from the YWCA director, 1964-1967, and, files exist from the Religious Interests Committee, 1970-1985. More extensive documentation held by the Oberlin College Archives regarding religious life at Oberlin is detailed in the Associated Materials note.
The records of the Office of the Dean of Students are organized into the following subgroups, series, and subseries. A * indicates a restriction on the records.
SUBGROUP I ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1964-1988
Series 2. Budget Files, 1970-1989
Series 3. Committee Files, 1954-1991
Series 4. Correspondence Files
Subseries 1. Chronological File, 1968-1989
Subseries 2. Inner Office File, 1964-1989
Subseries 3. General File, 1958-1989
Series 5. Meetings, 1964-1990
Series 6. Personnel Files
*Subseries 1. Name Files, 1966-1987
*Subseries 2. Search Files, 1973-1989
*Subseries 3. General Files, 1964-1989
Series 7. Calendars and Message Logs, 1965-1990
Series 8. Payment Books, 1974, 1984
Series 9. Student Committee File Cards, 1968-1991
Series 10. Student Name Files, 1966-1984
Series 11. General Files, 1959-1990
Series 12. Files relating to Administrative Reorganization, 1972-1989
Series 13. Files relating to External Organizations, 1964-1989
Series 14. Subject Files (Student Life), 1965-1990
SUBGROUP II CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND PLACEMENT RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1963-1982
Series 2. Task Force Reports, 1971-1973
Series 3. Correspondence, 1971-1995
SUBGROUP III HEALTH SERVICES RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1964-1982
Series 2. Consulting Team Reports, 1965-1968
Series 3. Health Plan Board, 1967-1989
Series 4. Correspondence, 1979
SUBGROUP IV PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1965-1980
Series 2. Meeting Agenda, 1977
Series 3. Correspondence, 1964-1989
SUBGROUP V STUDENT UNION RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1938-1988
Series 2. Assemblies Committee, 1964-1973
Series 3. Student Union Committee, 1955-1989
Series 4. Wilder Hall, 1957-1989
Series 5. Social Board and Special Events Committee, 1946-1970
Series 6. General Files, 1951-1970
Series 7. Chronological Files, 1971-1981
Series 8. Miscellaneous Committees, 1968-1979
Series 9. Student Government Files, 1950-1968
SUBGROUP VI HOUSING AND DINING RECORDS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1970-1980
Series 2. Budget Records, 1964-1989
Series 3. Committee Records, 1929-1991
Series 4. Correspondence
Subseries 1. Chronological, 1979-1987
Subseries 2. General, 1968-1985
Series 5. Building Administration and Use Files, 1968-1989
Series 6. Building Maintenance and Renovation Files, 1974-1990
Series 7. General Files, 1965-1990
SUBGROUP VII DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES/
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES RECORDS
Series 1. Developmental Services Files
Subseries 1. Annual Reports, 1974-1982
Subseries 2. General Files, 1987-1990
Series 2. Student Support Services
Subseries 1. Annual Reports, 1985-1989
*Series 3. Student Name Files, 1975
Series 4. Support Programs
Subseries 1. Asian American Coordinator, 1973-1978
Subseries 2. Foreign Student Advisors’ Office, 1935-1966
Subseries 3. Special Opportunities Program (SOP/SEOP), 1961-1981
Subseries 4. Special Services for Disadvantaged Students (SSDS), 1970-1990
SUBGROUP VIII RESIDENTIAL LIFE RECORDS
*Series 1. Judicial System, 1967-1989
Series 2. Staff Training Manuals, 1985-1986
*Series 3. Student Files, 1968-1987
*Series 4. Dean of Men, 1928-1967
*Series 5. Dean of Women, 1943-1967
Series 6. Correspondence Files, 1978-1989
Series 7. House and Hall Director Files
Subseries 1. General Files, 1970-1989, n.d.
*Subseries 2. Name Files, 1973-1977
Subgroup IX. Late Accretions
Accession 2004/107, 1960 (1979-98)-1998
Accession 2010/060, 1969-1997
Accession 2011/064, 1985-2010
Accession 2011/082, 1966 (1996-2008)-2011
Accession 2012/037, 1977-1997
SUB-GROUP AND SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
SUBGROUP I. Administrative Records, 1954-1991 (36.0 l.f.)
Subgroup documents the general operations of the Office of the Dean of Students, covering the duties and activities of Dean of Students George Langeler, and his associate and assistant deans. Records are divided into thirteen series: Annual Reports; Budget Files; Committee Files; Correspondence; Meetings; Personnel Files; Calendars and Message Logs; Payment Books; Student Committee File Cards; Student Name Files; General Files; Files relating to Administrative Reorganization; Files relating to External Organizations; and Subject Files (Student Life).
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1964-1988 (0.6 l.f.)
Annual reports of the Dean of Men, 1964-1967, the Dean of Women, 1961-1968, Dean of Students, 1965-1988, and Associate Dean, 1971-1982, provide yearly summaries of office activities, including programmatic goals and objectives. Committee work, staff recruitment, and the College’s accreditation reviews by the North Central Association are covered. Of note are Dean of Students Bernard Adams’ first annual reports in which he describes the process by which he and the college defined the nature and duties of this new office. Included among the miscellaneous reports received are those of the YWCA, 1964-1967, which detail its work with the campus-wide religious interests committee and the Graduate School of Theology. Arrangement is by office, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 2. Budget Files, 1970-1989 (1.2 l.f.)
Budget allocations, sampled budget worksheets, financial projections, and yearly close-out sheets make up this record series. Correspondence regarding the budget is included. Arrangement is chronological.
Series 3. Committee Files, 1954-1991 (6.95 l.f.
Agendas, correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, and reports detailing Dean of Students George Langeler’s committee work make up this series. Of note are records from the Afro-American Studies Committee, 1968-1969, the Dorm Visitation Committee, 1968, the Student Life Committee, 1966-1991, and the Special Committee on Gay and Lesbian Concerns, 1988-1989. Student Life committee files include information on the approval of student organization charters, off campus housing, the residential commons program, and student retention. Series is arranged alphabetically by committee name, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 4. Correspondence Files, 1958-1989 (7.4 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Chronological File, 1968-1989 (4.47 l.f.)
Dean Langeler’s outgoing correspondence (carbon copy), memoranda, and notes from telephone conversations make up this subseries. Correspondence covers topics such as budgetary issues, committee business, the creation of a drug policy at Oberlin College, letters of recommendation for students, office configurations, personnel issues, religious life on campus, residence hall renovations, and student protests. Correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Subseries 2. Inner Office Files, 1964-1989 (1.65 l.f.)
Correspondence sent and received to campus wide offices and departments cover such topics as building renovation projects, divestment issues, the placement of students on the Financial Aid Committee, racial tension on campus and student recruitment. Of note is the “Report on the Education of Women at Oberlin”, 1980. Subseries is arranged alphabetically by office title, and chronologically thereunder.
Subseries 3. General Files, 1958-1989 (1.0 l.f.)
Subseries consists of correspondence of Dean George Langeler and also a small quantity relating to the work of the first Dean, Bernard Adams. Correspondence with other colleges and universities, parents, members of the Student Senate, and named correspondence files cover topics such as parental concerns, services provided to minority students, student unrest, and Oberlin’s accreditation review by the North Central Association. Key correspondents include Hal D. Payne, S. Frederick Starr, and Frank Satterwhite. Subseries is arranged alphabetically by folder title, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 5. Meetings, 1964-1990 (0.4 l.f.)
Consists of minutes, notes, and drafts of talks from Dean's and department heads' meetings. This series documents smaller, less formal meetings as well as full staff meetings. Topics discussed include cohabitation, 1974; cooperation and communication between the different offices of the Dean of Students, 1970; legislation regarding the Wilder Hall dating parlors, 1966; long range planning, 1984; a proposal for a student personnel program, 1969; and the role of the YWCA and the YMCA at Oberlin College, 1971. Divided into Dean's and department head's meetings, then arranged chronologically.
Series 6. Personnel Files, 1966-1989
Subseries 1. Name Files, 1966-1987 (2.25 l.f.)
Correspondence, letters of reference, and reports regarding staff evaluations, job classifications, conditions of employment, and salary levels are detailed in this subseries. Of note are files for Judith Appleton, Richard Dahl, Clark Drummond, Gywneth Love, Willis Ludlow, William Schnackel, and Martha Verda. Subseries is restricted.
Subseries 2. Searches, 1973-1989 (0.8 lin. ft.)
Search files regarding to the hiring of staff members make up this series. Of note are files pertaining to the selection of the Business Initiatives Program Director, 1988; the campus minister, 1984; a cluster director, 1987; and the Vice President for Operations, 1988. Arranged alphabetically by position title, and chronologically thereunder. Subseries is restricted.
Subseries 3. General Files, 1968-1989 (1.0 l.f.)
Files pertaining to affirmative action, employee evaluations, grievance procedures, and salary recommendations make up this series. Of note are files on Dean George Langeler’s sabbaticals to China (1981) and England (1986). Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Subseries is restricted.
Series 7. Calendars and Message Logs, 1965-1990 (0.5 l.f.)
Daily appointment calendars and telephone message logs as kept by Dean George Langeler and his administrative secretaries, detail his daily appointments, meetings and time out of the office. Series is arranged by type of material, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 8. Payment Books, 1974, 1984 (0.1 lin. ft.)
Receipt books illustrating the expenses to the office in 1974 and 1984.
Series 9. Student Committee File Cards, 1968-1991 (0.2 lin. ft.)
Maintained by the assistant Dean of Students, these cards list the names of students serving on various campus wide committees during the years 1968-1991. Arranged chronologically, and alphabetically thereunder by committee name.
Series 10. Student Name Files, 1966-84, 92 (0.6 l.f.)
Student name files include disciplinary material, letters of recommendation, student account and billing information, and letters from parents regarding student health and other concerns. Arrangement is alphabetical by name. Permission of Archivist is required.
Series 11. General Files, 1959-1990 (6.6 l.f.)
Consisting of correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes, and reports, files cover general administrative topics such as academic advising, 1978-1988; the college record keeping policy, 1965-1982; grievance procedures, 1977-1981; and long range planning, 1969-1980. Of special note is the article by Dean William Davis, “What Happens to Black Students who Graduate from Oberlin”, 1969, and documentation on Winter term projects sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students, 1969-1989. Series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Series 12. Files relating to Administrative Reorganization, 1972-1989 (0.3 l.f.)
Consisting of correspondence, handwritten meeting notes, memoranda, and reports, this series documents the several phases of administrative reorganization which occurred in the Office of the Dean of Students. Files detail the possibility of creating a Freshman Dean, 1980; services provided to minority students; the restructuring of the Office of residential Life in room 106, Peters Hall, 1980; the merging of the offices of Residential Life and Housing and Dining to create the Office of Residential Life and services, 1984; and the merging of the Dean of Student Support Services and the Dean of Students into a Dean of Student Life and Services, 1989. Included is Al Duffenbach’s “A Proposal for restructuring the Administration of Housing and Dining and the Offices of the Dean of Men and Dean of Women”, 1972.
Series 13. Files relating to External Organizations, 1964-1989 (1.25 l.f.)
Files contain correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and reports detailing Dean George Langeler’s involvement in a variety of local, regional, and national organizations associated with the concerns of higher education. Of note are the files from the Great Lakes College Association on the “Improving the Quality of Life for Women Students Project”, 1988; the North Central Associations’ accreditation summary, “Report on a Visit to Oberlin College”, 1988, and the Ohio Public Interest Research Group’s “Recycling Proposal for Oberlin College”, 1988. Arrangement is alphabetical by organization name, and chronological thereunder.
Series 14. Subject Files (Student Life), 1965-1989 (4.95 l.f.)
Correspondence, memorandum, meeting notes, and other printed material cover topics relating to student life at Oberlin College. Included are files on program houses, 1969-1980; student co-operatives, 1951-1989; student organizations, 1964-1992; and student publications, 1965-1988. Other material covers topics such as co-educational dormitories, student protests, and varying issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, human sexuality, sexual harassment, and the campus hate crimes of the late 1980’s. Of note is the document, “Sexual Harassment at Oberlin: Six Case Studies”, 1982. Series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
SUBGROUP II. Career Services (Formerly Career Development and Placement
Records, 1964-1996 (0.4 l.f.)
Contains materials relating to the Career Services (formerly Office of Placement and Graduate Counseling). This office was established to counsel students in assessing their interests regarding to academic and vocational choices, and to assist students in the consideration of career opportunities. Organized into three series: Annual Reports; Task Force Reports; and Correspondence.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1963-82 (0.2 l.f.)
Annual reports detail this Offices’ trends in counseling, success of efforts, and special activities, as well as summaries of relevant data, such as summer job placement and students accepted to graduate school. Arrangement is chronological.
Series 2. Task Force Reports, 1971-73 (0.1 l.f.)
Consists of minutes and notes from the Task Force on the Office of Placement and Graduate counseling. This task force was formed to assess the need for such an office. A copy of the 1973 report is included, as well as correspondence dealing with revisions of the report. Arranged alphabetically.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1971-96 (0.1 l.f.)
Consists of letters from Dean Langeler to parties on and off campus regarding the services provided by this office. The correspondence of Lanna Hagge-Greenberg is also included. Correspondence covers such topics as staffing issues, the Business Initiatives Program, and preparing students for interviews and job recruiters. Of note is the document, “Professional Development for the Musician”, 1986 and correspondence regarding the establishment and administrative support for the Business Initiatives Program, 1993-1996. Arrangement is chronological.
SUBGROUP III. Health Services Records, 1964-1989 (1.25 l.f.)
Contains records relating to the Oberlin Clinic, Student Health Services, and the Health Plan Board. Includes administrative records, student questionnaires, pamphlets, surveys, and correspondence. Organized around four series: Annual Reports; Consulting Team Reports; Health Plan Board; and Correspondence.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1964-1982 (0.25 l.f.)
Consists of Annual reports on student health prepared by Dr. Judith Appleton, for 1979-82, and the annual reports of the Medical Coordinator of the Oberlin Clinic, Dr. John Warner, for 1970-76 and 1978-79. Arranged by report, then chronologically.
Series 2. Consulting Team Reports, 1965-1968 (0.25 l.f.)
Contains the report of the Task force formed in 1968 to assess the College's student health program and to recommend improvements. Also contains notes and guidelines suggested to the Task force by medical professionals. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3. Health Plan Board, 1967-1989 (1.70 l.f.)
Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports, and surveys of the Oberlin College Health Plan Board cover such topics as this units’ relationship with the office of Psychological Services, the creation of an AIDS policy, the Oberlin College Student Health Plan, student health insurance, statistics on student medical care, and the use of tobacco on campus. Student grievance files against the Oberlin Clinic are restricted. Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Series 4. Correspondence, 1979 (0.25 l.f.)
Consists of George Langeler's 1979 correspondence sent and received to students and parents. Deals with the Health Plan, as well as correspondence with staff regarding the operation of Health Services. Arranged chronologically.
SUBGROUP IV. Psychological Services Records, 1965-1989 (0.4 l.f.)
Contains records pertaining to the psychological health of students on the Oberlin campus, and includes information on student counselors. Records are divided into three series: Annual Reports; Meeting Agenda; and Correspondence.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1965-1980 (0.1 l.f.)
Consists of the annual reports of the psychological services department, submitted by Dr. John R. Thompson. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Meeting Agenda, 1977 (0.01 l.f.)
Contains the minutes of the Psychological Services department meetings for the year 1977. Arranged chronologically.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1964-1989 (0.29 l.f.)
Correspondence between Dean George Langeler and staff members of Psychological services cover such topics as crisis intervention, protocols in informing parents of student illnesses, and the relationship between psychological services and the office of residential life and services. Arrangement is chronological.
SUBGROUP V. Student Union, 1938-1981 (8.60 l.f.)
Consists of records pertaining to the operation, procedures, programs, and staff of the student union. Records are divided into nine series: Annual Reports; Assemblies-Committee; Student Union Committee; Wilder Hall Records; Social Board and Special Events Committee; General Files; Chronological Files; Miscellaneous Committees; and Student Government Files.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1938-72 (0.4 l.f.)
Consists of the annual reports of the Director of the Student Union, Larry Heller, and covers general programming, services provided by the Union, staff activities, problems, and recommendations. Programs, usage reports and calendars for each year are included. Also contains reports of the Associate Dean of Women and Director of Recreation for 1954-65, and miscellaneous reports on activities in the Student Union for 1938-62. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Assemblies Committee, 1964-1973 (2.0 l.f.)
Consists of the correspondence, calendars and minutes of the Assemblies committee, as well as a file of speakers for the years 1964 to 1969. Speakers files include contracts, itineraries, and correspondence. Arranged by committee and speakers, then chronologically.
Series 3. Student Union Committee, 1955-1989 (1.8 l.f.)
Consists of the minutes, correspondence, and programs of the Student Union Committee, as well as a report to the committee regarding possible motivation for the Oberlin student union, gleaned from a conference in Toledo, Ohio. Arranged chronologically.
Series 4. Wilder Hall Records, 1957-1989 (0.8 l.f.)
Series consists of correspondence, reports, and other printed matter regarding the operation and programming of Wilder Hall. Topics cover budgetary issues, food services, operation of the Rathskeller, staffing issues, and summer programs. Files also include information on the bowling alley, building maintenance, the installation of an automatic teller in Wilder Hall, and renovation plans for the building. Renovation plans, 1984-1989, include ten sets of architectural drawings (Map Case 1, drawer 19, and Map Case 2, drawers 3 and 11). Arrangement is alphabetical by folder title.
Series 5. Social Board and Special Events Committee, 1946-1970, (1.25 l.f.)
Consists of the charter, minutes, and financial reports of the Oberlin Social Board. Also included are files on bands hired, publicity material, and special performers that appeared, including Herbie Mann, Judy Collins, Max Morath, and Pete Seeger. A notebook kept on Oberlin's "Big Weekend" from 1951-63, and another on special events from 1948 to 1961, completes this series. The series is divided into Social Board and Special Events Committee, and arranged chronologically.
Series 6. General Files, 1951-1970 (0.4 l.f.)
Contains files of events regarding Student Union activities, but were not handled by the Social Board or Special Events Committee. Includes black and white photographs of formal dances from 1948 to 1951. Arranged chronologically.
Series 7. Chronological Files, 1971-1981 (0.8 l.f..)
Consisting of correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, reports and other printed material, this series documents the day to day transactions and functions of the Student Union. Documented is the work of the Assemblies Committee, the Orientation Committee, and student organizations, as well as information on employee evaluations, film schedules, guest speakers on campus, and space and equipment needs. Key correspondents include Clark Drummond, Assistant Dean of Students and Coordinator of Student Activities; and Jay Yutzay, Student Union Manager. Arrangement is chronological.
Series 8. Miscellaneous Committees, 1968-1979 (0.8 l.f.)
Series consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, questionnaires, reports, and printed materials which document the work of the Orientation Committee and the Town-College Committee. Highlighted are the year-round efforts of the Orientation Committee (1971-1979) to ensure that new students adapt easily to college life, as well as the work of the Town-College Committee (1968-1969) which focused on building a respectful relationship between the student body and residents of Oberlin. Arrangement is alphabetical by committee, and chronological thereunder.
Series 9. Student Government Files, 1950-1968 (0.3 l.f.)
Meeting minutes, memoranda, and reports document the work of the Student Council (1950-1967) and Student Senate (1966-1968). Of note is the level of student involvement on such issues as activity fees, the building of new dormitories, the grading policy at Oberlin College, and the legal rights of students. Arrangement is alphabetical by organizations, and chronological thereunder.
SUBGROUP VI. Housing and Dining Records, 1929-1991 (17.19 l.f.)
Subgroup consists of records detailing the administration, physical maintenance, and programming of the college residence and dining halls. Records are divided into seven series: Annual Reports; Budget Files; Committee Files; Correspondence Files; Building Administration and Use Files; Building Maintenance and Renovation Files; and, General Files.
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1970-1980 (0.01 l.f.)
Prepared by Richard Dahl, annual reports detail dormitory and dining hall staff reviews, budget allocations, committee activity, and long range planning. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Budget Records, 1964-1989 (2.24 l.f.)
Sampled budget worksheets, close-out statements, construction budgets, correspondence, memoranda, operating statements, and renewal and replacement files make up this series. Materials cover such topics as budget justifications and allocations for housing and dining, funds for the upkeep of campus residence halls and dining facilities, the impact of budget reduction exercises in the mid 1970’s and 1990, and funds for the residential commons program in 1986-1987. Of note is the 1984 document “Simplification of the Reimbursement Reporting System”, and Director of Residential Services, Duane L. Hamilton’s “Budget Deficit Study”, 1989. Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 3. Committee Files, 1929-1991 (3.1 l.f.)
Consisting of correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, project proposals and reports, this series details the work of the housing and dining committee and its subcommittees. Files of the Boarding Halls committee, 1929-1939, cover topics such as leasing agreements with Oberlin boarding houses, the use of electricity, radios, and telephones in dormitories, and the College’s acquisition of the Oberlin Kindergarten Training School dormitories in 1932. Of further note is the “Report of the Special Committee to Study Relations between the Committee on Boarding Halls, the Women’s Board, and the Committee on Living Conditions”, June, 1932. The Residences and Dining Halls Committee, 1940-1962, discusses such issues as the approval of dancing in certain residence halls, 1940; the campus water shortage, 1944; and, the rejection of the Share-a-meal program, 1948. Housing allocation procedures, room assignment patterns, dormitory renovations, and student proposals for new program houses are also detailed in this series for the years between 1960 and 1980. Arrangement is alphabetical by committee name, and chronological thereunder.
Series 4. Correspondence Files, 1968-1987 (1.4 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Chronological File, 1979-1987 (1.0 l.f.)
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other printed material as received by staff members C. William Schnackel, Manager of Housing and Dining Halls, Ellis S. Delphin, Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Residential Life, and Kathleen Ragan, Director of Residential Services, cover such topics as apartment rental rates, entertainment funds, fire safety, house director salaries, renovation projects, student housing appeals, and student abuse of common law marriage laws. Of note are files regarding the possible reorganization of the Offices of Residential Life and Housing and Dining, 1983, and Grover Engineering Company’s report “Future Capital Budgets for Major Repair, Replacement, and Renovation of Buildings,” 1980. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 2. General File, 1968-1985 (0.4 l.f.)
Contains correspondence between Dean Langeler and fellow staff members Richard Dahl, 1983-84; Diane Dillard, 1979-81; Gwyneth Love, 1974-83; Chuck Oakley, 1973-79; and William Schnackel, 1979-83. Correspondence with parents and students is also included, and is filed separately. Arranged by staff or student, then alphabetically.
Series 5. Building Administration and Use Files, 1968-1989 (2.85 l.f.)
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other printed material document the administration and use of the college residence halls and dining facilities. Sampled housing assignment files, 1979-1988, document the number of available spaces in dorms, room allocation procedures, statistics, and student housing appeals. Dining attendance files, 1979-1984, and weighted number of meals served files, 1982-1991, detail the number of students served at the college’s several dining halls. Of further note are files concerning the development and implementation of the Residential Commons program, 1984-1988, and the document, “Long Range Planning Standards- Dascomb and South Dining Halls”, 1987. Series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Series 6. Building Maintenance and Renovation Files, 1974-1990 (5.75 l.f.)
Series documents the physical maintenance, repairs, and renovations to college dormitories and dining halls. Correspondence, job site meeting minutes, and project manuals cover all aspects of the construction and renovation projects for Allencroft and Johnson, 1987; North Hall, 1986; Talcott and Baldwin, 1986; and Tank Hall, 1985. Architectural drawings for Barrows and Dascomb, 1981; North Hall, 1986; Talcott and Baldwin, 1986; and Tank Hall, 1985, are available (Map Case 1, drawer 19). Sampled maintenance files, 1983-1989, and work order printouts, 1988-1989, detail the minor repairs and associated expenditures for building maintenance. Arrangement alphabetical by folder title.
Series 7. General Files, 1965-1990 (2.05 l.f.)
Correspondence, meeting minutes, memoranda, and reports cover topics such as campus fast guidelines, 1982, coeducational housing, 1972-1978, and cleanliness issues with the Kosher co-op, 1979. Dormitory atmosphere questionnaires and responses, 1972-1980, are included, along with program house charter proposals, 1972-1979, and documents produced by the Residence Halls Life committee entitled “Homosexuality: Some Thoughts”, 1974, and “Heterosexual Cohabitation”, 1975. Arrangement is alphabetical by folder title.
SUBGROUP VII. Developmental Services, 1935-1988 (5.65 l.f.)
Subgroup contains the records pertaining to the Office of Developmental Services and Student Support Services, and its subsidiary programs: the Asian American Counselor Coordinator; the Foreign Student Advising Office; the Special Opportunities Program; and, Special Services for Disadvantaged Students. Subgroup is organized into four series: Developmental Services; Student Support Services; Student Name Files; and, Support Programs.
Series 1. Developmental Services, 1974-1990 (0.6 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Annual Reports, 1974-1982 (0.4 l.f.)
Annual reports from director Hal D. Payne to President Emil Danenberg detail the history of the developmental services program; its academic advising, developmental reading and writing courses, counseling to Asian American, Latino American, and Native American students, and its tutorial program. An annual report for the Upward Bound Program, 1978, can also be found here. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 2. General Files, 1987-1990 (0.2 l.f.)
Subseries contains miscellaneous correspondence received by the Developmental Services program, material pertaining to the Diversification Program, 1971, and an outline of this units’ mission and goals. Arrangement is alphabetical by type of material, and chronological thereunder.
Series 2. Student Support Services, 1985-1990 (0.6 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Annual Reports, 1985-1989 (0.2 l.f.)
Annual reports written by Robert Panos and Patrick Penn, and submitted to the United States Office of Education for Special Services Grants, outline the types of students served by this office, performance outcomes, and project accomplishments. Reports are arranged chronologically.
Subseries 2. General Files, 1987-1990 (0.4 l.f.)
Files include a 1989 grant application to the United State Department of Education; financial support requests from students for such items as application fees for graduate programs, books and other school supplies, conference fees, job interviews, and summer school tuition, 1989-1990; and, documentation regarding the Comprehensive Counseling, Advising, and Placement Center (C.A.P.). Arranged alphabetically by type of material and chronologically thereunder.
Series 3. Student Name Files, 1975 (1.2 l.f.)
Financial aid information, tuition costs, and transcripts for students who received assistance from this office in 1975 make up this series. Files are arranged alphabetically by student’s name. Series is restricted.
Series 4. Support Program Files, 1935-1988 (4.25 lin. ft.)
Subseries 1. Asian American Counselor Coordinator, 1978-1988
(1.25 l.f.)
Annual reports, budgetary material, meeting minutes, workshop files, and search files document the selection and work of the Asian American Counselor Coordinator. Of note are the minutes from the Standing Committee on Pluralism and Equality (SCOPE) on Asian American Affairs, 1985. Arrangement is alphabetical by type of material, and chronological thereunder.
Subseries 2. Foreign Student Advisors Office, 1935-1966 (0.4 l.f.)
Files contain lists of foreign students, immigration rules, summer program records, and student name files. Of note are the Institute of International Education Reports, which reflect the formation and precursors to the creation of this office, 1935-1960. Files are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Subseries 3. Special Opportunities Program, 1961-1981 (0.6 l.f.)
Budgetary files, correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports submitted by Hal D. Payne, and Booker Peek, make up this series. Included are reports regarding the Special Opportunities Program (also referred to as the Special Educational Opportunities Program, and occasionally as Upward Bound) and its associated programs; “A Proposal to Bridge the G.A.P.” (Good Academic Program), 1971; “Developmental Educational Model for Oberlin College”, 1973, and “Middle Start: Supportive Interventions for Higher Education Among Students of Disadvantaged Backgrounds”, 1970. Arrangement is alphabetical by folder title.
Subseries 4. Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, 1970-1990
(1.0 l.f.)
Annual reports, grant application files, and other miscellaneous files make up this subseries. Annual reports (submitted to the U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare by Hal D. Payne and Patrick Penn) detail the counseling and academic advising provided by this program, as well as its instruction in math, reading, writing, and study skills. Grant applications include the 1973 document “A Trio Program: Talent Search, Upward Bound, Special Services.” Other files include personnel data, and miscellaneous correspondence regarding the funding of the program. Subseries is arranged alphabetically by folder title, and chronologically thereunder.
SUBGROUP VIII. Residential Life, 1928-1989 (197.25 l.f.)
Judicial system records, student name files, correspondence files, and house and hall director files document the work of the Office of Residential Life. The student name files consist of files kept by the Dean of Students, and its two predecessor bodies; the Dean of Men, and the Dean of Women. Subgroup is organized into seven series: Judicial System Files, Staff Training Manuals, Student Files, Dean of Men, Dean of Women, Correspondence Files, and House and Hall Director Files.
Series 1. Judicial System Files, 1967-1989 (0.4 l.f.)
Contains working papers for and the final draft of the Judicial charter which was issued in 1981. Other materials include case files, correspondence, and notes concerning the Judicial Board’s duties and functions. Series contains some confidential materials. Arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Staff Training Manuals, 1985-1986 (0.2 l.f.)
Manuals entitled “A Manual for Professional and Student Dormitory Staff”, n.d., and “Residence Halls Staff Manual”, 1985-1986, detail such information as building staff responsibilities, emergency procedures and phone numbers, programming, and a who’s who list. Arrangement is chronological.
Series 3. Student Files, 1968-87 (94.25 l.f.)
These files include certification of degree requirements, transcripts, housing and dining requests, leave of absence and withdrawal forms, and photographs of each student. Amount of information varies with each file. Student files from 1928 to 1968 are filed under the Dean of Men (13/1) and the Dean of Women (14/1). Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically within each year. 1987 is the end of the series. Series is restricted.
Series 4. Dean of Men Files, 1928-67 (66.0 l.f.)
Records in this series consist of student files maintained by the Dean of Men prior to the merger with the Dean of Students. The records consist of cards (9 1/2" x 11 1/2") alphabetically arranged according to the student's class year. Each card usually includes a photograph; parental information; high school grades and activities; courses taken at Oberlin; and the date degree was received. Found in the cards are comments by the Dean and any correspondence to and from the Dean about the student. Series is restricted.
Series 5. Dean of Women Files, 1943-67, (35.0 l.f.)
The Dean of Women, like the Dean of Men, was abolished in 1967 when the Dean of Students position was consolidated. The records contained within this series consist of student files maintained by the Dean of Women. The files are alphabetically arranged according to the student's class year. A typical record includes a photograph; parental information; high school transcript; information on courses and activities at Oberlin; comments by the Dean about the student; and correspondence pertaining to the student. Series is restricted.
Series 6. Correspondence Files, 1978-1989 (0.2 l.f.)
Correspondence to parents, staff, and students covers such topics as drinking policies, staffing issues, student safety, and student housing. Also included is correspondence and associated material regarding John H. Schuh, Associate Dean of Residential Life at Indiana University, on his visit and subsequent consultant’s report, 1983, on the organization and structure of the Office of Residential Life at Oberlin College. Files are arranged chronologically.
Series 7. Hall and House Director Files, 1973-1989 (1.41 l.f.)
Subseries 1. General Files, 1970-1989, n.d. (0.6 l.f.)
Accommodation files, correspondence, meeting minutes, staffing information, and reports make up this subseries. Of note are files on staff training, and Hall Director’s responses to the 1973 student orientation program. Also included is a “Report of a Visit to Oberlin College”, 1988, by Thomas Grady, Dean of Student Affairs, Grinnell College, in which such issues as mentoring, professional development opportunities, and supervision of Hall Directors are discussed. Arrangement is alphabetical by folder title.
Subseries 2. Name Files, 1973-1977 (0.8 l.f.)
House director name files contain correspondence, position applications, and reports. Arranged alphabetically by name. Subseries is restricted.
SUBGROUP IX. Late Accretions, 1960-2011 (13.6 l.f.)
Comprises five accessions: 2004/107 (8.7 l.f.), 2010/060 (0.8 l.f.), 2011/064 (2.50 l.f.), 2011/082 (1.2 l.f.), and 2012/037 (0.4 l.f.). These records, dating from 1960 and ending at 2011, primarily cover the 1980s through 2008, the year of Dean Linda Gates’ retirement. They have not been interfiled and have been left in the order in which they were received, after removal of duplicates. Some files are restricted, as noted on inventories (see Archivist’s case file).
Administrative/Biographical History
