Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Records

Collection

Identifier: UA 0004.0001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the official records of the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They reflect the dean's duties and responsibilities as the senior administrative officer of the College of Arts and Sciences, which is under the Division of Academic Affairs and is responsible for academic programs for undergraduate students.

These records contain material related to affirmative action, annual reports, college goals, councils, curriculum, faculty personnel matters, staff meetings, and student affairs. In addition, there is correspondence to and from the dean to various academic units including the provost. There is also considerable material related to the committees of the faculty and individual academic departments. Formats include correspondence, memorandums, minutes, notes, publications, and reports.

Dates

1947 - 2021

Creator

Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences began in 1921 when the North Carolina College for Women reorganized its administrative structure. William C. Smith, who was a professor in the English Department, was appointed as the first dean. College President Julius Foust was the creator of the new structure and he envisioned the College to be the foundation and center of the learning programs at the school. By 1928, 70 percent of the students were candidates for an A.B. degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

In 1932, the North Carolina College for Women became one of the three charter institutions of the Consolidated University of North Carolina and changed its name to Woman's College of the University of North Carolina. As a result of consolidation, the school again reorganized its administrative structure in 1935, eliminating the Office of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Another university organizational structure change came in 1966, and, in 1968, a new College of Arts and Sciences composed of fifteen liberal arts departments was established. Robert L. Miller, a chemistry professor from the University of Illinois-Chicago, was appointed as the dean. He stepped down as dean in 1985 and was replaced by Joanne Creighton of Wayne State University. She left the school in 1990 and was followed by the then head of the Department of English, Walter Beale. He would serve as dean for the next thirteen years. In 2003 Timothy D. Johnston, a professor of Psychology, was appointed as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In February 2015, Johnston announced that he will step down from the deanship at the conclusion of the 2015-2016 academic year. Dr. John Z. Kiss was appointed dean in July 2016.

Extent

65.25 Linear Feet (46 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences was first established in 1921 under the title of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Disbanded in 1935, it was reestablished in 1966 under its current name and structure. It is responsible for providing the curricula leading to most baccalaureate degree for undergraduate students.

This collection consists of correspondence, memorandums, minutes, notes, publications, and reports related to committees, councils, curriculum, faculty personnel matters, student affairs and other topics which document the activities and duties of the office from 1953-2009.

Arrangement Note

The arrangement scheme for this collection was imposed during processing in the absence of a useable original order. This collection is organized into eight series with series 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 arranged alphabetically while series 5, 6, and 8 arranged chronologically. Some of the documents within each folder have been arranged in chronological order. Series 1: General Files, 1964-2015 Series 2: Departmental Files, 1959-2002 Series 3: Committees, 1953-2006 Series 4: Correspondence, 1968-2005 Series 5: Administrative Council, 1969-2005 Series 6: College Council, 1971-2005 Series 7: Graduate School, 1969-1997 Series 8: Annual Reports, 1970-2003 The collection also contains additions, which have not yet been processed.

Method of Acquisition

Periodically transferred from the Office of the Dean of College of Arts and Sciences.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.