S. Frederick Starr Presidential Papers, 1958-1994
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
Selected out of a national search, historian Stephen Frederick Starr (b. March 24, 1940) served as Oberlin College’s twelfth president (1983-1994). Starr’s primary presidential goal was to ensure that Oberlin remained one of the most distinctive liberal arts colleges in America. In the early years of this administration, the institution’s financial base was restored, divisional faculties were increased by over sixty continuing appointments, and the college’s physical plant was refurbished. However, this administration, which initially received campus wide affirmation, later found itself struggling to maintain its constituencies of support. Starr’s personal style and mainstream agenda for innovative change often clashed with the college’s conservative faculty and liberal student body, resulting in a complex, modern presidency, whose controversies often overshadowed its successes.
Inheriting a fiscal state of affairs weakened by eroding endowment values, rising tuition costs, and creeping inflation, Starr focused on ways to increase College funds through enhanced alumni support, a Capital Campaign, and the aggressive solicitation of external dollars from federal and private sources. As a result of the 1983-84 Alumni Association ACTION Campaign (Alumni Campaign to Involve Oberlinians Now), over time, giving to the annual fund rose from 23 percent to more than 50 percent. Drawing on the success of the ACTION campaign, Starr was the driving force behind the College’s $80 million Capital Campaign (1986-91). The campaign greatly exceeded its goal, raising a reported $94 million.
The targeted goals of the Capital Campaign contributed to supporting the College’s academic and institutional needs, and ensuring Oberlin’s position of quality and competitiveness among its academic peers. Campaign dollars devoted to faculty development (endowed chairs, increased fellowship opportunities, and teaching equipment) numbered over $19 million. The financial aid budget was slated for a $17.5 million increase, and another $17.5 million was to be directed to improving the college’s aging physical plant. Likewise, campaign funds were directed to supporting Oberlin’s curriculum, as well as ensuring the stability and health of the college endowment with an increased ratio of endowment dollars per student.
These enlarged financial resources allowed Starr to focus on his goal to expand Oberlin College. The work of the Office of Sponsored Programs was critical here, as it obtained over 400 grants to support faculty research opportunities. Included among the many private and government bodies who awarded grants to Oberlin were the Jesse Philips Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, the National Endowment of the Arts, the National Science Foundation, and the Research Corporation. Over a decade, the college endowment rose from $130 million to $275 million, and the financial aid budget rose from $7 million to $14.5 million.
Aware of affirmative action issues, Starr sought to create diversity among the faculty and staff of Oberlin College. Starr’s senior staff included an African American as the Dean of Student Life and Services, and a woman as the Vice President of Operations. Reporting to the President, the Office of Affirmative Action attempted to ensure that Oberlin’s employees represented a balance of minority and ethnic groups. Between 1983 and 1993, the percentage of minority faculty members rose from 7.35 percent to 12.5 percent, while the female faculty increased from 24.49 percent to 29.2 percent. Of equal importance was the 1992 revision of the college’s sexual harassment policy. This lead to the appointment of an Officer of Gender Equity (1994), who also reported to the President.
In an effort to rejuvenate and strengthen the college faculty, the 1978 “faculty freeze” was lifted (1985/86), and built-in leave replacements were made available to a growing number of academic departments (1986/87). Capital Campaign funds and alumni bequests helped establish a total of 15 endowed professorships. Notable gifts included $4 million from Robert S. Danforth (c.‘47) and $1 million from Donald R. Longman (c.‘32). In 1994, the American Association of University Professors reported that 69 tenure track positions had been created at Oberlin College over the last ten years.
Redefining and focusing Oberlin’s curriculum was central to the Starr presidency. His limited involvement on such curricular issues as distribution requirements (1989), the promotion of the Black Studies program to department status (1983), and the founding of a computer science program (1985), often signaled his implied consent on such academic shifts already in the offing. However, Starr did take the lead in supporting several curricular developments. Under his direction, Oberlin College hosted a series of science conferences (1984-89) for the presidents of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges. By bringing attention to the science needs of these entities in higher education, the federal government and private funding agencies responded by providing Oberlin and its academic peers financial support to increase their science curriculums. Scholarships and new laboratory equipment were supported by the Capital Campaign and the National Science Foundation, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provided funds to support the biology and neuroscience programs. Later on, $2 million from the campaign funded the construction of the Roger S. Sperry Neuroscience Building (1990). Starr also played a direct role in establishing the Business Initiatives Program (1990) and supported increased course offerings in international studies.
The clarinet playing Starr also considered strengthening of the Conservatory of Music as one of his presidential goals. Internal restructuring, a ten year accreditation from the National Schools of Music (1988), enhanced recruitment efforts, and merit based scholarships gave the Conservatory the edge it needed to maintain a competitive position among the leading conservatory schools in the nation. Publicity surrounding the College’s involvement with the American Soviet Youth Orchestra also gave the Conservatory additional international exposure. Physical improvements included the renovation of Warner Hall (1983), and the expansion of the Conservatory Library (1988).
Improving upon the College’s fixed assets, Starr played a dynamic role in the renovation and beautification of the Oberlin campus. Carnegie Library, Cox Administration Building, Finney Chapel, Warner Hall, and Wilder were all renovated. Newly erected structures included the Clark Bandstand, the Conservatory Library (1988), Stevenson dining hall (1989), the Roger Sperry Neuroscience Building (1990), and the Heisman Field House (1992). Nine college residences were renovated, and a program of “clustered living” was implemented in conjunction with the completion of Stevenson dining hall. Technological advancements included the installation of a new telecommunications system (1984-86), the library’s shift to on-line cataloging (1985), and the establishment of the campus data network (1988). Later developments included campus wide adoption of the Macintosh platform, the establishment of computer classrooms and laboratories in the Mudd Center and Stevenson Hall, and increased usage of electronic mail for campus wide communications.
During Starr’s tenure, Oberlin had difficulty enrolling a selective student body in the College of Arts and Sciences. While the Admissions Office did see a rise in its number of applicants, acceptance rates remained high (65%), with comparably fewer students enrolling (24%). The college’s financial aid policy, which generally was perceived to be based on need, rather than on merit, did not always attract the same caliber of students from Oberlin’s past. Many also expressed concern that financial aid budget increases were granted at the expense of other college programs.
Improving the quality of student life at Oberlin was another important objective of Starr, even though he frequently clashed with members of the student body, who viewed him as an “Ivy Leaguer” intent on changing Oberlin. Upon the retirement of Dean of Students George Langeler (1989) Starr set out to restructure the campus’ student life offices, and appointed a new Dean of Student Life and Services. Patrick Penn, the new administrative dean who was responsible for coordinating the work formerly conducted by the Dean of Students and the Dean of Student Support Services, made student retention one of his top issues. Campus wide efforts to provide answers surrounding this concern included the Deans’ Research Group, which produced a study titled “Black Student’s Persistence to Graduation at Oberlin College” (1988). The consulting firm Maguire Associates, Inc., also completed an in depth report (3 vols.) on student and parental perceptions of Oberlin (1993).
Starr’s busy schedule often called him away from the campus to act as a representative on such national and regional bodies as the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA); and, to give testimony to the United States Congress on educational issues and Soviet/Russian affairs. Starr served as the Board Chair of the GLCA, and helped create the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (1991). Furthermore, through his promotion of the college’s involvement with the American Soviet Youth Orchestra (1986-92), Jazz Masterworks Editions (1982-90), and Campus Compact (1992), Oberlin received regional, national, and international exposure.
Starr’s personal and administrative style often obstructed his own efforts to improve Oberlin, resulting in a presidency marred by a number of controversial incidents. Within his first two years in office, Starr’s credibility was challenged over his handling of the Solomon Amendment (1983-84), and the dismissal of campus minister Willis Ludlow (1984). The divestment of funds in South Africa (1983-89), and on-going incidents of campus racism also increased tensions between the president’s office and the rest of the College. Starr’s proactive style of rapid change often conflicted with the more deliberative process advocated by the faculty, and resulted in disagreements over such issues as the College’s distribution requirements, grading policies, and class scheduling. Moreover, the divisional faculties grew resentful when promised campaign dollars did not prove to be as substantial or substantive as projected. Despite the reported success of the Capital Campaign, managing the college’s finances was a challenge for Starr. Unable to maintain the financial abundance of his early presidency, Starr’s fiscal strategy eventually shifted from monetary expansion, to the reallocation of institutional resources in order to restore the college’s “financial equilibrium”.
Starr’s efforts to mainstream the college’s social and academic environment further increased tensions as many perceived his actions as an attempt to strip Oberlin of its distinctive characteristics. Presidential relations with college professional staff became strained as a result of the uncoupling of faculty and A&PS benefit payments (1985) and the realignment of A&PS pay structures (1991); and, dissatisfaction among the custodial staff grew with the college’s attempted implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) objectives (1990). Represented by the UAW, the custodial staff’s negotiations with the College were drawn out, and not resolved until the spring of 1995. Mounting tensions on campus had earlier reached a climax over Starr’s handling of the student unrest at the President’s house on April 13, 1990. The prolonged investigation conducted by the General Faculty Ad-Hoc Policy Committee (“3-3-3”), and the trial against student protesters, became an explosive issue for Oberlin and confirmed that the Starr presidency had lost a significant measure of support within the faculty and wider campus community. The cumulative effect of past actions and struggles had taken its toll, and probably haunted Starr for the remainder of his tenure in office.
Between July of 1991 and February of 1992, Starr took a six month sabbatical. Upon his return, he formed the Strategic Issues and Steering Committee (SISC) with the intent to create a long range plan for Oberlin. In 1993, a first draft of the plan was presented, reiterating much of what Starr had advocated during his entire presidency. Closely preceding Starr’s resignation as president, the plan was never revised or implemented, and was left to die.
In March of 1993 at a meeting of the full Board of Trustees, S. Frederick Starr announced that he was resigning. He agreed to remain in Oberlin until June of 1994 while the college conducted a search for its new president and he looked for a new administrative position. In May of 1994, on the eve of his departure, Starr accepted the position of President of the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies in Washington, D.C. He began working there in July of 1994.
SOURCES CONSULTED
Oberlin College Alumni Magazine
Oberlin College Observer
Oberlin College Review
Author: Mary Margaret Giannini Subjects (links to similar collections)College facilities--Ohio--Oberlin--Planning
Curriculum planning--Ohio--Oberlin
Former Soviet Republics--Foreign relations--United States
Great Lakes Colleges Association--History--Sources
Jazz masterworks editions--History--Sources
Multicultural education--Ohio--Oberlin
Oberlin College--Administration--20th century
Oberlin College--Presidents
Soviet Union--Foreign relations--United States
Starr, S. Frederick--Archives
Student movements--Ohio--Oberlin
Universities and colleges--Finance
Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
Expansive in terms of range, and volume (81.9 l.f.), the presidential papers of S. Frederick Starr mirror the work of a proactive leader who sought to make Oberlin College one of the nation’s most distinctive liberal arts institutions. Within these official records, the researcher will find delineated the decision and policy making actions of the Starr administration with fine detail on building projects, campus unrest, financial planning and development, personnel issues, and his promotion of college departments and programs. Consisting of eighteen record series, these official records are arranged as follows: Annual Reports, Appointment Calendars & Telephone Message Logs, Awards and Honors, Budget and Fiscal Files, Commencement and Honors Day Files, Committee Files, Correspondence, Miscellaneous Files relating to Grievances and Separations, Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations, Miscellaneous Files relating to Divisions, Departments, and Administrative Units, Name Files, Personnel Files, Publicity Files, Special Initiatives and Project Files, Speeches and Writing Files, Subject Files, and Non-textual records. These files represent a mix of the original, information copy, and personally annotated documentation created and received by President Starr during his eleven year presidency (1983-94).
Documentation regarding the primary goals of Starr’s presidency varies in its depth and consistency. While providing a fair accounting of the Starr presidency, some serious problems exist in this record group; namely, these files were poorly administered prior to their accession by the Oberlin College Archives. During the active phase of these records, the president’s staff apparently operated without a systematic files administration plan and support staff did not receive administrative direction. Thus, general files consisting of individual folders or expanding file folders were arranged largely by alphabetical (name and subject) order. However, files created out of the same activity and/or relating to the same topic may have been assigned different folder headings and filed in more than one place. Hence, in conducting research into the records of the Starr administration, one will need to read through an assortment of alpha files, chronological files, and subject files.
In the process of arranging and describing this group, every effort was made to increase access to the records by bringing together files which held common record characteristics. For example, researchers will find that all of the records regarding Starr’s committee work are organized under Series 6, Committee files, rather than being scattered alphabetically across the group in individual folders. Notwithstanding, researchers must be prepared to utilize a variety of research strategies, recognizing that corresponding material can be found in the several different series of this record group.
Gaps also exist in the record. Documentation for the last year of Starr’s presidency is very thin. The chronological correspondence in Series 7 does date through June of 1994; but, the other administrative records in this group vary in their coverage. Aside from a lack of systematic and consistent record keeping (as mentioned above), the reasons for this uneven coverage is not clear.
Additionally, while the majority of these records document the years of Starr’s presidency (1983-94), these official papers do contain files inherited from previous presidential administrations. On occasion, researchers will encounter material dating from the administration of William Edwards Stevenson (1946-59), although most early records originate from the presidency of Emil C. Danenberg (1973-81) and acting president James L. Powell (1981-83). Included with this record group are also an assortment of President Starr’s writings and speeches (1958-94) (Series 16), which cover such topics as architecture, higher education in the United States, jazz music, and Soviet and Eastern European affairs.
Evidence of Starr’s administrative style and vision for Oberlin College can be found in Series 1, Annual Reports. These records document a president who was continually seeking to identify ways to improve upon and market the College’s strengths through the accomplishments and efforts of individual offices and departments. The President’s Annual Reports tended to be thematic in character, in which Starr focused upon and promoted different aspects of Oberlin’s educational mission. Issues which were given constant emphasis during his administration (the Conservatory of Music, international studies, and science education) provided the subject matter for a number of Starr’s annual reports. Subseries 2, Annual Reports Received by the President, document the work of the individual divisions, departments, and offices of the College, while also displaying Starr’s proactive leadership style. His written responses and suggestions accompanying these reports, give an account of how Starr perceived the contributions of individual offices to the overall success of Oberlin College.
Starr’s activities, on and off of the college campus, are documented in Series 2, Appointment Calendars and Telephone Message Logs. Details regarding Starr’s meetings with Oberlin College faculty, staff, and students, as well as his time out of the office to participate in events external to the College, are noted in his appointment calendars. For more information concerning those external organizations and projects which often drew the President away from the Oberlin campus, users should refer to Series 10, Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations, and Series 15, Special Initiatives and Project Files.
Series 4, Budget and Fiscal Files, provide details regarding the specific expenditures of the President’s office, as well as on campus-wide fiscal policy. For more documentation regarding the college’s financial activity during Starr’s administration, readers will want to consult the records of the Advisory Committee on Social and Political Concerns (1982-86), the Budget and Finance Committee (1983-90), the Investment Committee (1982-92), and the Shareholder Responsibility Committee (1982-92), which are all found in Series 6, as well as records in Series 11, Subseries 1, relating to the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Treasurer. The records of the Board of Trustees (RG 1), the Office of the Provost (RG 4), the Vice President of Business and Finance (RG 6), and the Office of the Treasurer (RG 7) should also provide further information on college budgetary matters.
Series 6, Committee Files, displays a president who had a genuine interest and concern regarding the outcome of college committee work. Starr’s involvement in campus construction and beautification, curriculum development, divestment of funds in South Africa, and student retention, are some of the major campus-wide issues are documented here. Users should note, however, that material is scant regarding Starr’s involvement with Conservatory of Music committees.
Series 7, Correspondence, represents the most significant set of files covering the Starr presidency. Divided into alphabetical files, chronological files, general correspondence, and recommendation letters written, the proactive character of Starr’s presidency is duly exhibited here. Letters directed to college trustees, faculty, parents, staff, students, and other individuals, cover a broad range of subjects. For example, filed among the routine correspondence of thank you letters and R.S.V.P.’s, users will find letters to college trustees and senior staff regarding college hiring practices, development campaigns, divestment, legal matters, negotiations with the UAW, and the student protests of April 13, 1990. Included also are copies of Starr’s handwritten notes to faculty, friends, staff members, and trustees, in which he remarks, in a more personal manner, on the issues and decisions being made at the college.
The correspondence in Subseries 1, Alphabetical Files, is arranged by corespondents’ names, and letter subject. The general correspondence of Subseries 3 consists of letters, which at the time of transfer to the archives, were unfiled, or, were interspersed throughout the record group. Of note are Starr’s letters for the record, in which he discusses his impressions of Oberlin (1985) and sums up the successes and failures of his presidency (1994). This series also contains those letters Starr received in response to the announcement of his resignation from Oberlin College (1993) and upon his acceptance of the Presidency of the Aspen Institute in Washington D.C. (1994). Filed alphabetically, correspondence with alumni and students exists for the letters A and B. It is assumed that the remaining letters to students and alumni were interfiled in the remaining correspondence series.
Users should be prepared to search for select pieces of correspondence by examining all of the correspondence subseries, as well as searching in the other series of this record group. Correspondence will be found interfiled in Series 10, Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations, Series 11, Miscellaneous Files relating to Divisions, Departments, and Administrative Units, Series 12, Name Files, and Series 13, Subseries 1, Former Faculty and A&PS Files.
While relatively small (1.0 l.f.) in comparison to the other series in this record group, Series 8, Miscellaneous Files relating to Campus Demonstrations, provides a valuable gauge in measuring the health and stability of the Starr presidency. Here the researcher will find President Starr’s collected files relating to several incidents of campus unrest at Oberlin College. Of special interest are Starr’s notes concerning the College’s response to the student demonstrations of April 13, 1990, an incident which may have marked the beginning of the end of the Starr administration. Included with these files are records regarding the work of the 3-3-3 Committee, in which is addressed the Oberlin College Policy on Student Demonstrations (1990). Likewise, the college’s handling of alleged age and racial discrimination charges as filed by Clark Drummond (1994) and Dwight Hollins (1992-94) can be found in Series 9, Miscellaneous Legal Files relating to Grievances and Separations. For further information regarding the College’s involvement in legal matters, users should refer to the records of the By-Laws and Legal Matters Committee found in Series 6, Subseries 1. Material on the College’s process to update its 1982 policy on sexual harassment (1991-94) can be found in Series 6; and, information detailing the college’s handling of the Solomon Amendment (1983-84) is located in Series 11, Subseries 3. Files regarding the dismissal of college Chaplain, Willis Ludlow (1984) are located in Series 13, Subseries 1.
Starr’s national, regional, and local efforts to shape, improve, and enhance higher education in America are documented in Series 10, Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations. Through his involvement on the American Council of Education, the Independent College’s Office, and the Great Lakes College Association, Starr addressed such issues as the costs of a college education, increasing international exchange programs and language requirements at colleges and universities, and the impact of politics and government on higher education.
Series 13, Miscellaneous Files relating to Divisions Departments and Administrative Units, is rich in documenting the administrative relationships under Starr’s management, and the records themselves detail Starr’s role in administrative oversight and in the implementation of institutional policies. Subseries 1, Files relating to Offices reporting to the President, provide detail on Starr’s communications and directives to his Senior Staff as well as to the Affirmative Action Officer, the Chaplains Office, and the Office of Gender Equity. The creation of a coordinator for minority admissions (1985), personnel reductions for the College of Arts and Sciences (1991), support for the Chaplain’s Office (1992-94), advice given to the Conservatory of Music regarding admissions goals (1988) and recruitment (1985), and the creation of the Dean of Student Support Services (1984) are detailed here. Likewise, users will find documentation regarding Admissions Office recruitment tactics, staffing issues, and long range strategies for financial aid in this subseries. Material documenting Starr’s promotion of the educational interests of the Conservatory of Music, and documentation regarding the Treasurer’s office are thin. For more detailed documentation on the Conservatory, users should consult the records of the Conservatory of Music (RG 10). Information regarding the Treasurer’s Office will be found in Series 6, with the files of those committees which oversaw the monetary policies of the College, and throughout the President’s correspondence in Series 7.
Evidence of Starr’s support for the College’s science curriculum is documented in files regarding the British Petroleum science program, and the neuroscience and biopsychology program in Series 13, Subseries 2. Likewise, Series 17, Subject Files, contains information on the Oberlin College Science Conferences. Material regarding the improvement of the college science facilities can be found with the records of the Natural Sciences Division Committee in Series 6, Subseries 2. These records include the Earl R. Flansburgh and Associates, Inc. consultant’s report on Natural Sciences Comprehensive Facilities Plan (1990). The Report was based on work done by the College’s Science Space Planning Committee, chaired by Richard Schoonmaker. (See Chemistry Department Records.) Starr’s interest in increased recruitment of student athletes by the department of physical education, his efforts to establish a chair in Arabic and Islamic Studies (1990), and his creation of the Business Initiatives Program (1985), are also documented here. Information regarding the closure of the Communication Studies Department (1986) is also detailed in this subseries.
Series 13, Subseries 3, Files Relating to Administrative Offices and Units, provides in-depth information regarding Starr’s pro-active efforts on the development and fund raising front which led him to create the ACTION campaign (1983-85), and the Capital Campaign (1986-91). For additional material regarding the ACTION campaign, users should consult the records of the Alumni Association (RG 20). Materials regarding the college’s handling of the Solomon Amendment controversy are also found in this subseries. Files regarding campus building projects include material on the renovations to Carnegie Library, the addition to the Conservatory library, and the construction of Heisman Field House and Stevenson Dining Hall (North Campus Dining Facility). Other records regarding campus construction and beautification efforts can be found in Series 6, in the files of the Buildings and Grounds Committee (1983-90), and the Cox Renovation Committee (1984-85). Records from the Architectural Review Committee (1986-94), a body established by Starr, also document campus construction and beautification efforts. Information concerning the Bandstand Competition (1986-89) can be found in Series 15, Special Initiatives and Project Files.
Series 17, Subject Files treat Starr’s every connection and interest on matters such as class availability (1993), domestic partnership (1992-93), grading practices (1986), science conferences (1985-88), and sexual harassment (1992-93). Starr’s collected material regarding the Justice Department’s investigation into the College’s possible involvement in tuition price fixing (1989-92) is filed here. Finally, files exist on the Oberlin College Sesquicentennial Celebration (1983), an event that was well underway before Starr assumed the presidency.
Series 15, Special Initiatives and Project Files, details Starr’s activities which were external to the daily administration of the College, but were nonetheless for the benefit of Oberlin. Records regarding the American Soviet Youth Orchestra (1986-94), the Bandstand Competition (1986-89), the Jazz Masterworks Editions (1986-94), the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble (1982-1990), and the Three Year B.A. degree (1990-93) (which includes Starr’s 1993 document of the same name) are highlighted in this series. Further information regarding the American Soviet Youth Orchestra can be found in the records of the Conservatory of Music (RG 10) and the Office of Communications (RG 18).
The remainder of this record group is made up by Awards and Honors, and Commencement and Honors Assembly Files. Series 18, Non-textual records, is made up primarily of recordings of the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, and the American Soviet Youth Orchestra. This series also contains select photographs, video, and audio recordings of Starr’s speeches and appearances during his presidency. Computer disks containing copies of Starr’s correspondence are filed with Series 7. For photographs, sound recordings and other non-textual records documenting the Starr presidency, users should consult the records of the Office of Communications (RG 18), Photographs (RG 32), Audio Recordings (RG 37) and Moving Images (RG 57).
Outline of the Arrangement
Series 1. Annual Reports
Subseries 1. Annual Reports of the President
Subseries 2. Annual Reports Received by the President
Series 2. Appointment Calendar and Telephone Message Logs
Series 3. Awards and Honors
Series 4. Budget and Fiscal Files
Series 5. Commencement and Honors Assembly Files
Series 6. Committee Files
Subseries 1. Board of Trustee Committee Files
Subseries 2. General Faculty and College Faculty Committee Files
Series 7. Correspondence
Subseries 1. Alphabetical Files
Subseries 2. Chronological Files
Subseries 3. General Correspondence (alpha and chron)
Subseries 4. Recommendation Letters Written
Series 8. Miscellaneous Files relating to Campus Demonstrations
*Series 9. Miscellaneous Case Files relating to Grievances and Separations
Series 10. Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations
Subseries 1. National
Subseries 2. Regional
Subseries 3. Local
Series 11. Miscellaneous Files relating to Divisions, Departments, and Administrative Units
Subseries 1. Files relating to Offices Reporting to the President
Subseries 2. Files relating to Academic Departments and Programs
Subseries 3. Files relating to Administrative Units
Series 12. Name Files
Subseries 1. Board of Trustee Name Files
Subseries 2. General Name Files
Series 13. Personnel Files
*Subseries 1. Former Faculty and A&PS Files
*Subseries 2. Senior Staff Search Files
Subseries 3. Personnel Subject Files
Series 14. Publicity Files
Series 15. Special Initiatives and Project Files
Series 16. Speeches and Writings Files
*Series 17. Subject Files
Series 18. Non-textual Records
Subseries 1. Audio Cassettes/Reel-to-Reel Recordings
Subseries 2. Photographs
Subseries 3. Records
Subseries 4. Videotapes
* various restrictions have been placed on these records
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Annual Reports, 1982-1992 (1.6 l.f.)
Annual reports represent those both created, and received by the Office of the President. The President’s annual reports tend to be thematic in character, with each report designed to focus on a specific aspect of Oberlin College’s educational mission. The annual reports received are from Senior Staff offices, academic departments, and administrative units, and report on the specific activities of those units for a given academic year and outline programmatic goals and objectives for the next year. Series is arranged into two subseries: Annual Reports of the President, and Annual Reports Received by the President.
Subseries 1. Annual Reports of the President, 1983-1992 (0.4 l.f.)
Among the topics covered in these reports are international education (1987-88), the Conservatory of Music (1986-87), independent learning (1988-89), and the social sciences at Oberlin (1989-90). Included are the drafts and files kept by Starr during the production of his annual reports. Reports were not prepared for academic years 1992-93 and 1993-94. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 2. Annual Reports Received by the President, 1982-1991 (1.2 l.f.)
Annual reports from Senior Staff offices, academic departments, and administrative units, vary in their size and scale. In many instances, reports are accompanied with a copy of Starr’s comments upon the reported activities of the unit and sometimes include his suggestions as to that unit’s continued work. Subseries is arranged chronologically and alphabetically thereunder.
Series 2. Appointment Calendar and Telephone Message Logs,1983-1994 (3.0 l.f.)
Subseries 1. Appointment Calendar, 1983-1994 (1.0 l.f.)
Maintained by the President and his administrative assistants, the appointment calendars (1984-94) detail Starr’s appointments, scheduled meetings, and time out of the office to participate in Alumni Association events, professional meetings, performances with the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, and as a guest speaker at other Colleges and Universities. Calendars are arranged chronologically.
Subseries 2. Telephone Message Logs, 1987-1994 (1.2 l.f.)
These 84 volumes represent the telephone messages taken for the President by his support staff. On occasion, the messages will logs will identify the message subject. Users should note that the President’s executive secretary and administrative assistant took messages in separate log books during the same time period. Hence, these separate message volumes overlap in their time span. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 3. Itineraries, 1983-94 (.80 l.f.)
Itineraries of President Starr. Some itineraries or supporting documents have been corrected. [1997/95]
Series 3. Awards and Honors, 1983-1994 (1.2 l.f.)
Honorary degrees from Marietta College (1994), Middlebury College (1985), and Olivet College (1984) can be found here. Other items include a Golden Toad Award (1994); and, a scrapbook (1983) that contains the certificates of congratulation sent to Starr from other colleges and universities upon his selection as President of Oberlin College. Series also contains a file on Starr’s presidential inauguration (1983). Arrangement is by type of award, and chronological thereunder.
Series 4. Budget and Fiscal Files, 1982-1994 (2.45 l.f.)
Account books and files (1983-93) created and maintained by staff of the office of the President detail daily and routine expenditures on entertainment, equipment, postage, travel, professional memberships, and supplies and services. College Budget files (1982-92) include financial projections, ledger outlines, spreadsheets, and memorandum (through 1988) from Vice President of Business and Finance, Dayton Livingston. Of particular interest are the files relating to the budget reduction exercises of 1990, and to the issue of bond financing (1985, 1989). Series is arranged alphabetically by type of item, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 5. Commencement and Honors Assembly Files, 1982-1994 (0.4 l.f.)
Series consists of commencement and honors assembly directives from President Starr to the Office of the Secretary and the Alumni Association Executive Director regarding the planning for these two annual events. Included are incoming and outgoing letters between Starr and commencement and honors assembly guests, as well as draft copies of Starr’s speech notes. Of particular interest is a document prepared by the college archivist, Roland M. Baumann, detailing the number of students who walked around the Memorial Arch at the May 1994 Commencement Exercises. Series is arranged by event, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 6. Committee Files, 1977-1994 (5.05 l.f.)
These assembled files represent President Starr’s direct and indirect involvement with Board of Trustee’s, General Faculty, and College Faculty Committees. Included are reports and materials sent to the President as information copy, as well as materials from committees with which Starr was actively involved and/or participated. Series is arranged into two subseries: Board of Trustee committee Files, and General Faculty and College Faculty Committee Files.
Subseries 1. Board of Trustee Committee Files, 1982-1994 (2.45 l.f.)
Files document in part President Starr’s involvement (direct and indirect) with committees of the Board of Trustees, in the capacity of full member, ex-officio member, or as an interested observer. Included is correspondence between Starr and committee members, meeting minutes, and memorandum. Some files constitute information copy sent to the President. Of note are the Trustee Committee files of the Building and Grounds Committee (1983-90), the Executive Committee (1983-88), the Honorary Degrees Committee (1983-86), and the Strategic Issues Steering Committee (1992-93). Some miscellaneous files exist regarding the identification of potential trustees, trustee lists, and Starr’s own personal notes on the search for his successor, Nancy S. Dye, Oberlin College’s thirteenth president. Subseries is arranged alphabetically by committee name. Records are restricted.
Subseries 2. General Faculty and College Faculty CommitteeFiles, 1977-1994 (2.6 l.f.)
Files consist of correspondence, meeting minutes, and reports from General Faculty and College Faculty committees for which Starr was as a full member, ex-officio member, or an interested observer. Some committee material exists as information copy for the president, while other files represent his active contributions to the work of campus-wide committees. Of note are the files of the Architectural Review Committee (1986-94), which was formally established during his administration. Likewise, the 1990 survey conducted by the Lesbian, Gay and Bi-sexual Concerns Committee regarding sexual orientation issues at Oberlin College, and the 1983 report of the Retention Committee, outlining student retention trends and influences, are found here. Subseries also contains a variety of student government committee files. Files inherited from previous administrations account for subseries time span. Arrangement is alphabetical by committee name. Records are restricted.
Series 7. Correspondence, 1981-1994 (24.6 l.f.)
Arranged into four subseries: Alphabetical files, chronological files, general correspondence, and recommendation letters written, this series contains the majority of Starr’s official correspondence as president of Oberlin College. Subseries tend to contain correspondence of a like kind; however, file units were maintained as filed and used by the President’s office. The general correspondence consists of those letters which were unfiled or scattered throughout the record group in individual folders prior to the arrangement of these official papers. Accompanying the correspondence are five 3.5” 1.1 MB microfloppy disks (double sided, high density). These disks contain copies of President Starr’s outgoing correspondence (Microsoft Word for Macintosh) from 1992 to 1994. Disks also contain miscellaneous documents on financial aid (1994), objectives (1992), and speeches (1992, 1993). Accompanying the disks are printed directories detailing their contents.
Subseries 1. Alphabetical Files, 1983-1994 (11.0 l.f.)
Often affixed to this incoming correspondence is a copy of Starr’s response. Correspondents include college trustees, faculty, parents, staff, students, and other individuals; and, letters cover such topics as admissions policies, financial aid, the John Frederick Oberlin Society, legal matters facing the college, and Presidential speaking engagements. Presidential staff assigned each letter with a heading, and filed the individual documents in alphabetical order. Document headings used include the names of correspondents, the subjects of letters, and the names of institutions.
Subseries 2. Chronological Files, 1981-1994 (8.75 l.f.)
Starr’s outgoing correspondence includes letters to college trustees, faculty, parents, staff, students, and other individuals. Some letters are directed to representatives of external organizations such as the Great Lakes Colleges Association, Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, Washington D.C., and the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C. Topics cover routine as well as high level college business, including the April 13, 1990 campus incident, grant awards, invitations received, Soviet and Eastern European affairs, and Starr’s work on such special projects as the American Soviet Youth Orchestra and the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble. Letters of appointment and recommendation can also be found here, most of which are restricted. Correspondence of Acting President James Powell is included here, which was retained after the transition. This accounts for the subseries time span. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 3. General Correspondence, 1982-1994 (3.85 l.f.)
Because this general correspondence was largely unfiled and unorganized upon its transfer to the College Archives, related documents in folders were grouped together in order to make this documentation more user friendly. Covering a wide array of topics regarding colleges and universities, fellowships and scholarships, foundations and trusts, and grants, these separate file units vary in quantity and quality. Starr’s eight letters written for the record (1985, 1994) and letters collected in regard to his resignation as president of Oberlin College (1993, 1994) are important. Arrangement is alphabetical by type of correspondence, and chronological thereunder.
Subseries 4. Recommendation Letters Written, 1986-1992 (1.0 l.f.)
Subseries 4 contains letters written for professional colleagues mostly external to Oberlin and for non-college endowment grant applications. Some letters written on behalf of students and college employees can also be found here. Arrangement is alphabetical by name.
Series 8. Miscellaneous Files relating to Campus Demonstrations, 1987-1993 (1.0 l.f.)
Files contain clippings, correspondence, and reports regarding incidents of unrest on the Oberlin College campus relating to the divestment of funds in South Africa (1987), racism (1988, 1993), and the student protests on the lawn of the President’s house, 154 Forest Street, Oberlin, OH, on April 13, 1990. Series is arranged chronologically by demonstration.
**Series 9. Miscellaneous Case Files relating to Grievances and Separations, 1979-1994 (0.2 l.f.)
Correspondence, clippings, and various legal briefs and reports detail alleged discrimination and harassment cases faced by the College administration. Of special importance are the files relate to Dwight Hollins, Director of Multicultural Admissions at Oberlin (1992-94) and Clark Drummond, Director of the Student Union and Student Activities (1994). Arrangement is alphabetical by case name. Files are restricted.
Series 10. Miscellaneous Correspondence with External Organizations, 1977-1994 (5.3 l.f.)
This subgroup represents President Starr’s involvement with professional organizations associated with Oberlin College. Included is correspondence, meeting minutes, membership information, and reports. Subgroup is arranged into three series: National, Regional, and Local.
Subseries 1. National, 1983-1994 (1.6 l.f.)
Records relating to 39 national bodies cover such topics as educational trends, international exchanges, and the impact of government on higher education. Of note are files on the American Council on Education, the Independent College Office, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Arrangement is alphabetical by organization.
Subseries 2. Regional, 1983-1994 (2.9 l.f.)
Files include those of the Great Lakes College Association, the North Central Association, and the Ohio Board of Regents. Topics include Starr’s role as chair of the Board for the Great Lakes College Association (1991-92) and accreditation reviews performed by the North Central Association (1986, 1988). Series is arranged alphabetically.
Subseries 3. Local, 1977-1994 (0.8 l.f.)
Files from Oberlin City and Lorain County based organizations can be found here. Of note are files regarding the lease relationship between Oberlin College and the Oberlin Golf Club (1977-93), as well as negotiations regarding the new location of the Oberlin Public Library (1984-85). Files inherited from previous administrations account for subseries’ time span. Arrangement is alphabetical by organization.
Series 11. Miscellaneous Files relating to Divisions, Departments, and Administrative Units, 1971-1994 (10.4 l.f.)
Organized around the levels of the administrative structure of the College, this series documents Starr’s work with his Senior Staff, academic departments and programs, and campus-wide administrative units. Files include correspondence, memorandum, and reports between the President and college faculty and staff. Series is arranged into three subseries: Files relating to Offices reporting to the President, Files relating to Academic Departments and Programs, and Files relating to Administrative Units.
Subseries 1. Files relating to Offices Reporting to the President, 1980-1994 (2.8 l.f.)
Correspondence, memorandum, and reports between President Starr and his senior staff make up this series. Of interest is the report of the Conservatory of Music Visiting Committee (1990), the study by Provost Sam C. Carrier, “Comparative Perspective on Financial Aid—Ethnicity—Percentage of Aid” (1989), Barnes and Roche’s “Feasibility Study Report” for the Office of Development’s mini-campaigns (1992), and the report prepared by Donna M. Raynsford, A.G. Monaco, and Michael K. Getter on “Improving Operations Effectiveness” (1992). Series also contains files relating to the Affirmative Action Officer, the Chaplain’s office, and the Office of Gender Equity. Inherited files account for subseries time span. Arrangement is alphabetical by office.
Subseries 2. Files relating to Academic Departments and Programs, 1971-1994 (2.0 l.f.)
The fiscal, program development, and staffing issues of academic departments and programs are documented in this series. Of note is material on the discontinuation of the Communication Studies Department (1986), the report of the Oberlin College Natural Science Advisory Committee (1992), and the report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Recruit Student Athletes (1992). Information regarding the financial costs to the College of study abroad programs can also be found here. Some files were inherited by Starr from previous presidential administrations which accounts for this series date span. Series is arranged alphabetically by department.
Subseries 3. Files relating to Administrative Units, 1977-1994 (5.6 l.f.)
Files report on the budgetary issues, staffing, and program performance of administrative offices and units at Oberlin College. Of interest is the consultant’s report of Maguire Associates, Inc., prepared for the Admissions Office on parental and student perceptions of Oberlin (1993), files from the Alumni Association ACTION campaign (1983-85), and the Capital Campaign (1985-91). Arrangement is alphabetical by office. Buildings and grounds files detailing campus wide construction can also be found here. Files inherited from previous administrations account for time span. Arrangement is alphabetical by office.
Series 12. Name Files, 1953-1994 (4.15 l.f.)
Name files of alumni, personnel, trustees, and other individuals primarily contain incoming and outgoing correspondence regarding institutional matters. Of these 134 files, nearly fifty were inherited by Starr from previous presidential administrations, to which was added historical material and correspondence created during his tenure. Key names include: George R. Bent, Geoffrey T. Blodgett, Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Bill Cosby, Erwin N. Griswold, Ellen H. Johnson, Herbert W. Kaatz, Congressman Donald J. Pease, William R. Perlick, and Jessie Philips (d. 1995). Series is arranged into two subseries: General Name Files, and Trustee Name Files, and alphabetically thereunder.
Series 13. Personnel Files, 1950-1994 (9.3 l.f.)
Correspondence, consultant’s reports, memorandum, and search material address specific college employees as well as broader personnel issues at Oberlin. Arrangement is into three subseries: Former Faculty and A&PS Files, Senior Staff Search Files, and Personnel Subject Files.
*Subseries 1. Former Faculty and A&PS Files, c. 1950-1994 (7.5 l.f.)
Included are files on members of the college faculty and A&PS, who concluded their appointment during Starr’s tenure as President. Appointment letters, promotions, salary increases, and resignation letters can be found in this subseries. Some files predate the Starr administration as many of these appointments were made by the College prior to 1983. Subseries is restricted.
*Subseries 2. Senior Staff Search Files, 1982-1993 (0.6 l.f.)
Correspondence, curriculum vitae, interview itineraries, memorandum, and recommendation letters make up the contents of these senior staff search files. Information on the successful candidates is thin, and more substantive data is likely to be found in his or her faculty or staff file. Documentation for the search of the Art Museum director, the Alumni Magazine editor, the college chaplain, and Treasurer are also found with these records. Subseries is arranged alphabetically by search position. Files are restricted.
Subseries 3. Personnel Subject Files, 1982-1993 (1.2 l.f.)
These miscellaneous files consist of transactional documents relating to personnel actions, position allocations, salary reviews, and research status appointments. A variety of consultants reports on benefits, compensation, conditions of employment, job classification, and position descriptions can also be found here. Folders in this subseries are arranged around A&PS files, faculty files, and general files.
Series 14. Publicity Files, 1958-1994, n.d. (0.8 l.f.)
A biographical file, newspaper clippings, press releases, and other miscellaneous publicity material document Starr’s activities on and off of the Oberlin campus. Created and collected by the Office of Communications, as well as by presidential office staff, this series highlight’s Starr’s selection and inauguration as Oberlin College president, his meetings with United States Presidents Ronald W. Reagan (1988) and George Bush (1991), and his publication of Melnikov, Solo Architect in a Mass Society, (Princeton, 1978). Series is arranged by type of material, and chronologically thereunder.
Series 15. Special Initiatives and Project Files, 1981-1994 (4.3 l.f.)
Documentation of Starr’s work with the American Soviet Youth Orchestra (1986-92), Campus Compact (1985-93), Jazz Masterworks Editions (1986-94), Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble (1982-90), the Bandstand competition (1986-89), Public Square Cleveland (1993), and the three year B.A. degree (1990-93) highlights this series. Files include correspondence, clippings, press releases, and financial materials. Arrangement is alphabetical by project.
Series 16. Speeches and Writings Files, 1958-1994, n.d. (1.65 l.f.)
Series is comprised of Starr’s articles, speeches and testimonies, and book reviews. Covering such topics as architecture, higher education in the Unites States, jazz music, provincialism, and Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, these voluminous writings document the continuation of Starr’s scholarly and professional interests while serving as Oberlin’s president. Of note are those articles written under Starr’s pseudonym, Sybil Schwartz. Likewise, his publication “Affectionate Doodles from Trustees Meetings and Diverse Other Meetings at Oberlin, 1983-1994” (bound in loose leaf form) is also found here. Series is arranged by type of publication, and chronologically thereunder.
**Series 17. Subject Files, 1977-1994 (5.0 l.f.)
Arranged alphabetically by subject, topics include the availability of classes (1993), domestic partnership (1992-93), the U.S. Justice Department investigation into elite colleges and universities being engaged in price fixing on tuition (1989-92), the sesquicentennial celebration of Oberlin College (1993), and South African divestment (1985-87). Included also are miscellaneous files relating to endowed chairs and professorships, and student organizations. Files inherited from previous administrations account for series’ date span. Certain files are restricted.
Series 18. Non-textual Records, 1983-1993, n.d. (1.5 l.f.)
Series contains a variety of non-textual records documenting President Starr during his administration. These audio cassettes, photographs, records, reel to reel recordings, and video tapes were produced by the Oberlin College Audio-Visual department, Office of Concert Sound, and by bodies and individuals external to the College. Arrangement is into three series: audio cassettes/reel-to-reel recordings, records, and videotapes.
Subseries 1. Audio Cassettes/Reel-to-Reel Recordings, 1984-1993, n.d. (0.1 l.f.)
Starr’s speeches and interviews cover such topics as the American Soviet Youth Orchestra, higher education in the United States, and Russian/Soviet affairs. Arrangement is chronological.
Subseries 2. Photographs, 1986-1992, n.d. (0.1 l.f.)
Photographs of Starr with Henry Kissinger at the Mazsaysny Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand (November, 1987), and his meeting with President George Bush (July, 1991) highlight this series. Other photographs include head shots of Starr, and a contact sheet from the unveiling of the John Mercer Langston portrait (1986), painted by Ivy Starr, President Starr’s mother.
Subseries 3. Records, 1983-1987, n.d. (0.5 l.f.)
This subseries contains long playing and short playing recordings of the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble. Included is a recording of the performance given at the Inauguration of S. Frederick Starr as President of Oberlin College, September 24, 1983. Subseries is arranged chronologically.
Subseries 4. Videotapes, 1983-1989, n.d. (0.8 l.f.)
Videotapes (VHS and Umatic formats) include programs on the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, the American Soviet Youth Orchestra, and Russian/Soviet affairs. Arrangement is by format, and chronological thereunder.
* Records are restricted for twenty-five years
** Records are restricted indefinitely