University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Provost records, 1924 - 2004

Format:

Archive

Author/Creator:

University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Provost, creator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Eiseley, Loren C., 1907-1977.

Eiseley, Loren C.

Rhoads, Jonathan E.

Penniman, Josiah Harmar, 1868-1941.

Penniman, Josiah Harmar.

Musser, Paul H. (Paul Howard).

Musser, Paul H.

Williams, Edwin B. (Edwin Bucher), 1891-1975.

Williams, Edwin B.

Goddard, David Rockwell, 1908-1985.

Goddard, David Rockwell.

Reitz, Curtis R.

Stellar, Eliot, 1919-1993.

Stellar, Eliot.

Gregorian, Vartan.

Ehrlich, Thomas, 1934-.

Ehrlich, Thomas.

Aiken, Michael Thomas, 1932-2025.

Aiken, Michael Thomas.

Barchi, Robert L.

Chodorow, Stanley,.

Chodorow, Stanley.

College administrators.

Students--Political activity.

Students.

University of Pennsylvania.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Fine Arts.

University of Pennsylvania Department of History and Sociology of Science.

College students.

College teachers.

Graduate students.

Genre:

administrative records

Penn Provenance:

Records 1929-1994 were transferred to the University Archives in 1960, 1969, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1995, and 1997. Records 1982-2004 were transferred to the University Archives in 2003, 2005, and 2007. Additional accessions were received in 2007 (2007:021), 2013 (2013:008), 2015 (2015029), 2017 (2017:057) and 2019 (2019:004, 2019:016). The Faculty Note Cards were transferred to the University Archives on October 3, 2025 (2025:033).

Physical Description:

152 cubic feet

Arrangement:

The Office of the Provost records are organized into fourteen series based on provost administrations. Each series is arranged alphabetically.

Place of Publication:

1924 - 2004

Biography/History:

The Provost of the University of Pennsylvania is the senior educational officer of the university, responsible for overseeing the various schools and academic program. Prior to 1930, the Provost was responsible for both the academic and administrative activities at the school. The growth and expansion of the University in the early twentieth century led the University Trustees to explore creating the Office of the President as the administrative head, with the Provost overseeing academic activities. The first attempt to split the responsibilities came in 1923 when the Trustees adopted the report of the Special Committee of Five for establishing a president, and asked then Provost Josiah Harmar Penniman to serve as president until a new provost could be found. However, in 1926 the Trustees merged the functions of President back into the Provost. The Trustees would again create the position of President in 1931, selecting Thomas S. Gates as the first to serve in the position, and Penniman continuing as Provost. Since 1931 nineteen individuals have served as Provost: Josiah Harmar Penniman (January 1923-June 1939), Paul Howard Musser (February 1944-June 1951), Edwin Bucher Williams (July 1951-October 1955), Jonathan Evans Rhoads (February 1956-May 1959), Loren Corey Eiseley (October 1959-September 1961), David Rockwell Goddard (October 1961-December 1970), Curtis R. Reitz (January 1971-December 1972), Eliot Stellar (January 1973-December 1978), Vartan Gregorian (January 1979-October 1980), Thomas Ehrlich (September 1981-June 1987), Michael Thomas Aiken (September 1987-June 1993), Stanley A. Chodorow (July 1994-December 1997), Robert L. Barchi (February 1999-July 2004), Ronald J. Daniels (July 2004-February 2009), Vincent Price (July 2009-July 2017), Wendell Prichett (July 2017-July 2021), and John L. Jackson, Jr. (June 2023-). Additionally, six individuals have served as acting or interim provost: Benjamin S. Shen (October 1980-February 1981, Acting Provost), Louis A. Girafalco (February 1981-August 1981, Acting Provost), Marvin S. Lazerson (July 1993-June 1994, Interim Provost), Michael L. Wachter (January 1998-January 1999, Interim Provost), Peter J. Conn (August 2004-June 2005, Interim Provost), and Beth Winkelstein (July 2021-May 2023, Interim Provost). In overseeing the academics programs at Penn, the deans of the schools report to the Provost. Additionally, the Trustees have established various vice, associate, and deputy provost positions to assist in administering the responsibilities of the office as the University has grown. This has included matters related to faculty affairs, University life, research, undergraduate and graduate education, athletics, and the University Library System. At one point the University's Information Systems and Computing fell under the Office of the Provost.

Summary:

The University of Pennsylvania, Office of the Provost records document the functions of the Provost and their staff as the University's senior educational officer advising the University President on educational policy and development from 1924 through 2004. The records reflect the Provost's responsibilities regarding planning and policy-making, and leadership and supervision of the various schools and centers. These records are organized into fourteen series. Each series is made up of records created during the tenure of individual provosts, organized as "administrations." I. Josiah Harmar Penniman administration records (January 1923 - June 1939) II. II. George William McClelland administration records (July 1939 - February 1944) III. Paul Howard Musser administration records (February 1944 - June 1951) IV. Edwin Bucher Williams administration records (July 1951 - October 1955) V. Jonathan Evans Rhoads administration records (February 1956 - May 1959) VI. Loren Corey Eiseley administration records (October 1959 - September 1961) VII. David Rockwell Goddard administration records (October 1961 - December 1970) VIII. Curtis R. Reitz administration records (January 1971 - December 1972) IX. Eliot Stellar administration records (January 1973 - December 1978) X. Vartan Gregorian administration records (January 1979 - October 1980) XI. Thomas Ehrlich administration records (September 1981 - June 1987) XII. Michael Thomas Aiken administration records (September 1987 - June 1993) XIII. Stanley A. Chodorow administration records (July 1994 - December 1997) XIV. Robert L. Barchi administration records (February 1999 - July 2004) During this period there were also four interim or acting provosts: Benjamin S. Shen (October 1980 - February 1981), acting provost; Louis A. Girafalco (February 1981 - August 1981), acting provost; Marvin S. Lazerson (July 1993 - June 1994), interim provost; and Michael L. Wachter (January 1998 - January 1999), interim provost. Records from these acting and interim provosts have been included with the records of the administration that followed the end of their time served in the role. A significant part of these records concerns the Provost Office's routine leadership and supervision of all individual schools, departments, centers, institutes, and programs engaged in academic and educational activities on campus. Included in this category are annual reports from and correspondence with each of the existing twelve schools, files of the two schools that are no longer in existence--the School of Allied Medical Professions (SAMP) and the School of Public and Urban Policy, and the files of such administrative and academic departments and centers as the Admissions Office, Penn Library, Museum, Morris Arboretum, and University Press. Additionally, the records contain budget files and financial files concerning all schools and departments reporting to the Provost Office and a sizable subject file named "Binders," which contains information collected by the office staff of each individual school and department. Finally, files can be found related to various professorships, scholarships and fellowships, faculty appointments and promotions, personnel files, tenure policy and system, faculty extramural activity and retirement, undergraduate grading pattern, student honor and scholarship programs. Material documenting the relationship between the Provost's Office and other major decision-making institutions of the University can be found in files of governing bodies such as the Council of Deans, University Senate, and University Council; as well as committee, budget and planning files. The external relations of the University have been documented in files of relevant departments and commissions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and specific national academic associations and foundations. Researchers interested in student affairs at Penn may refer to files of various student activities such as student protests, sit-ins, ROTC, files of student financial aid, and statistics of student evaluation of individual courses given at each school or academic department. Related to this category is a file of the General Alumni Society recording the activities and interest of the University alumni. These records also document African Americans on campus under such titles as Affirmative Action Study, Black Presence, Black Studies, and Minority Affairs. There are also files related to University life on campus, notably files of fraternities, residential living, student complaints and student conduct cases, University Judicial System and student disputes, and activities related to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Additionally, there are also files on the Curtis Organ and University Chaplain. The final series in these records: XV, Faculty Cards, circa 1930-2007, were transferred to the University Archives in 2025, and are in their original order. Initially the cards were arranged in three groups: Active, Inactive, and Decease. They were used to track faculty members until the implementation of Faculty Information System (FIS) in 2007. As such, these cards are closed until 2082.

OCLC:

1593412964