Board of Regents records
Abstract
The Board of Regents is the highest-level governing body of the University of Maryland system. The Regents' records document overall administration of the university. They contain correspondence; statements; proposals; reports; and files from specific committees, boards, and commissions, in particular the Committee on the Presidency, the Agricultural Advisory Board, and the Maryland Agricultural Commission. The University of Maryland also holds a significant unprocessed addendum to the Regents' records which includes correspondence, publications, audiotapes, minutes of meetings, budgets, and reports. A preliminary inventory of these unprocessed materials has been prepared; requests to examine these records will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
This collection is open for research.
Board of Regents records, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
The University of Maryland Board of Regents is the governing body of the university. The original predecessor or the board was the board of regents of the College of Medicine of Maryland which was incorporated in 1807. The immediate predecessor of the board was the Maryland Agricultural College Trustees. By the Act of 1916 the college became the Maryland State College of Agriculture and the trustees became the State Board of Agriculture. In addition, in 1920, the board of agriculture became the regents of the newly-formed University of Maryland; the new university was established when the University of Maryland in Baltimore and the Maryland State College merged.
The Board of Regents is comprised of Maryland citizens who volunteer their time and energy to govern the University of Maryland. The Act of 1916 gives the board responsibility for selecting the executive head of the university, department heads, professors, teachers, instructors and other officials and for determining their salaries. With the advice of the president of the university, the board may also make rules, by-laws, and orders determining and regulating instruction, provided they do not conflict with the constitution and laws of the State.
Originally established to have 9 members, by 1988 there were 14 members on the board. In 1974, two students with voting privileges were added to the board after the College Park Student Government Association persuaded the General Assembly of the need for student representation on the board. Executive officers and the chairmen of the board (for the period covered by these records) are listed below.
In addition to the members' role as the University of Maryland Board of Regents, they also had responsibilities as the State Board of Agriculture. The Agricultural Advisory Board of Maryland was established in 1962 with the goal of identifying agricultural problems in Maryland and bringing them to the attention of the State Board of Agriculture. The Advisory Board also made suggestions and initiated programs which would lead to the improvement of agriculture. The board was composed of members representing all sections of the state, in addition to at-large members. The chairman from 1961-1963 was John B. Foard III followed by Stephen M. Kahoe, Jr. from 1964-1965. The final chairperson of the board was Lawrence E. Downey, 1966-1968. In September of 1968 the Agricultural Advisory Board was replaced by the Maryland Agricultural Commission, chaired by Mr. Y. D. Hance. The State Board of Agriculture was abolished on January 1, 1973, when the Department of Agriculture assumed the board's responsibilities.
On April 4, 1988 the Maryland General Assembly, with the support of the Board of Regents, passed a bill which established a new Board of Regents for the University of Maryland System. The board is responsible for the eleven campuses and four research and service components of the University of Maryland System.
Exeutive Officers of the Board of Regents:
- Dr. Albert Fred Woods (1920-1926)
- Dr. Raymond A. Pearson (1926-1935)
- Dr. Harry C. Byrd (1935-1954)
- Dr. Wilson H. Elkins (1954-1978)
- Dr. John S. Toll (1978-1988)
- Dr. James A. Norton (Acting) (1989- )
The Chairmen of the Board of Regents:
- Mr. Samuel M. Shoemaker (1920-1933)
- Mr. George M. Shriver (1934-1935)
- Dr. W. W. Skinner (1935-1941)
- Mr. Henry Holzapfel, Jr. (1941-1943)
- Judge Rowland K. Adams (1943-1944)
- Judge William P. Cole (1944-1956)
- Mr. Charles P. McCormick (1956-1970)
- Dr. Louis L. Kaplan (1970-1975)
- Dr. B. Herbert Brown (1975-1979)
- Mr. Peter F. O'Malley (1979-1982)
- The Honorable Joseph D. Tydings (1982-1984)
- Mr. Allen L. Schwait (1984-1988)
- Mr. Peter F. O'Malley (1988-1989)
- Mr. George M. McGowan (Acting) (1989)
- Mr. George M. McGowan (1989- )
Presidents of the University of Maryland
- Albert F. Woods, 1920-1926
- Raymond A. Pearson, 1926-1935
- Harry Clifton Byrd, 1935-1954
- Thomas B. Symons, Acting, 1954
- Wilson H. Elkins, 1954-1970
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The records of the Board of Regents cover the years 1933-1971. The bulk of the records date from 1949-1968. The collection includes administrative papers of the Board of Regents, the records from the Committee on the Presidency (1953-1954), the records of the Agricultural Advisory Board (1961-1968), various materials pertaining to the Maryland Agricultural Commission (1969-1971), and bound meeting minutes from 1916 to 1990.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The records of the Board of Regents were transferred to the University of Maryland at College Park Libraries in the 1970s. Additional materials were transferred to the Libraries by the Office of the Chancellor, University of Maryland System, in 1993.
Processing Information
Sonja Nowack, November 1989. Addendum incorporated and guide revised by Malissa Ruffner and Anne Turkos, February 2009.
The collection has been placed into acid-free folders in acid-free boxes. Photographs have been transferred to the Photographic Collection and blueprints have been flattened and moved to oversize storage. Publications of the Board were transferred to the University Publications Collection. Bound volumes of minutes, accessioned as part of Acc. 93-90 were incorporated as Series IV.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Jennie A. Levine. Edited by Malissa Ruffner, February 24, 2009.
Arrangement of Collection
The collection has been divided into four series:
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Administrative Files, 1933-1969 (.75 linear feet)
This series contains the correspondence of William P. Cole, Charles P. McCormick, Harry C. Byrd, Wilson H. Elkins, members of the board, and others. It also includes proposals on the School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, and the School of Psychiatry. These papers are arranged first chronologically and then by document type, such as correspondence, committees, statements and proposals, or clippings.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correspondence and Reports, 1933 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Correspondence, 1939 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Committees, 1944 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Correspondence, 1944 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Correspondence, 1948 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Clippings, 1949 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Correspondence, 1949 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Correspondence, 1949 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Statements and Proposals, 1949 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Correspondence, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Correspondence, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Correspondence, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Statements and Proposals, 1950 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| Reference, 1951 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| Committees, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Correspondence, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Correspondence, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Correspondence, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| School of Medicine, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Reference, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| Miscellaneous, 1953 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
| Building File, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| By-laws and Contracts, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Committees and Boards, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Committees and Boards, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Correspondence, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Correspondence, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Statements and Proposals, 1954 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Statements and Proposals, 1955 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Correspondence, 1956 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Nuclear Reactor Report, 1956 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
| Correspondence, 1957 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| Correspondence, 1958-1959 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| Correspondence, 1961-1962, 1964 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| Minutes excerpts, 1952-1963 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| Proposal, 1969 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| Miscellaneous, undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
Series 2: Committee on the Presidency, 1953-1954 (1.00 linear foot)
These materials are divided into three parts. The first section is Charles P. McCormick's personal papers on the search for the president, which are arranged in reverse chronological order as Mr. McCormick had arranged them. Many of these materials concern Wilson Elkins.
The second grouping of papers documents each of the candidates for president and is arranged alphabetically by the candidate's name.
The final set of papers consists of the committee's administrative papers. These have been retained in the order in which Judge Cole, chair of the committee, had kept them. These include statistics on salaries at other universities, lists of candidates, letters concerning the rumor that Harry S Truman was a candidate for the university president and Judge Cole's general correspondence on the search.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| C.P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| C.P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| C.P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| C.P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| C. P. McCormick's Files, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Candidates, A-Ca, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| Candidates, Ch-Co, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Candidates, D, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Candidates, E-H, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 5 | |
| Candidates, I, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 6 | |
| Candidates, J-L, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 7 | |
| Candidates, M, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 8 | |
| Candidates, N-R, 1954 | series 2 | box 3 | folder 9 | |
| Candidates, S-Z, 1953-1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| President Elkins, 1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Working Lists-Who's Who excerpts, undated | series 2 | box 4 | folder 3 | |
| Miscellaneous Name File, 1953-1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 4 | |
| Statistics on Colleges and Universities, undated | series 2 | box 4 | folder 5 | |
| Lists of Candidates and Minutes, 1953-1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 6 | |
| Letters on Truman, 1953 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 7 | |
| Correspondence (Judge Cole), 1953-1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 8 | |
| Clippings, 1953-1954 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 9 | |
Series 3: Agricultural Advisory Board, 1962-1971 (1.25 linear feet)
The records of the Agricultural Advisory Board consist of the correspondence of the board and minutes of meetings, in addition to materials which were presented at the meetings. Some of the major topics addressed in the papers of the board include fertilizers, apples, eggs, sod, and tobacco. The records of the advisory board are arranged chronologically, with the exception of the annual reports which are in a separate file and arranged chronologically within that file.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reports, 1962-1968 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1961-1962 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1961-1962 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 3 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1961-1962 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 4 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 1 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 2 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 3 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 4 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 5 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 6 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 7 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 8 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1962-1966 | series 3 | box 5 | folder 9 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1966 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 1 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1966 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 2 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1966 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 3 | |
| Clippings, 1966 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 4 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1967 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 5 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1967 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 6 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1967 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 7 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1967 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 8 | |
| Clippings, 1967 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 9 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1968 | series 3 | box 6 | folder 10 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1968 | series 3 | box 7 | folder 1 | |
| Minutes and Correspondence, 1968 | series 3 | box 7 | folder 2 | |
| Membership Files, 1965-1967 | series 3 | box 7 | folder 3 | |
| Agricultural Advisory Commission, 1968-1971 | series 3 | box 7 | folder 4 | |
Series 4: Minutes of Meetings, 1916-1990 (9.50 linear feet)
null| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 (1-194), June 23, 1916 to March 20, 1925 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Voume 2 (201-393), May 22, 1925 to May 27, 1932 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 3 (401-597), September 9, 1952 to January 17, 1936 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Volume 4 (601-787), February 21, 1936 to September 22, 1938 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 5 (801-990), October 21, 1938 to June 21, 1940 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 6 (1001-1192), index in the back of volume, September 20, 1940 to February 19, 1943 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Volume 7 (1201-1496), index in the back of volume, March 19, 1943 to Sepetember 28, 1945 | series 4 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 8 (1501-1790), October 26, 1945 to March 26- 1948 | series 4 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 9 (1801-2095) Prange Collection Information, April 29, 1948 to June 1, 1950 | series 4 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Volume 10 (2101-2396), June 7, 1950 to March 16, 1953 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 11 (2401-2688), April 17, 1953 to September 1, 1954 | series 4 | box 4 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 12 (2701-3000), through Item 20 (October 28), September 24, 1954 to October 28, 1955 | series 4 | box 5 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 13 (3001-3300), from Item 21(October 28) through Item 18 (January 25), October 28, 1955 to January 25, 1957 | series 4 | box 5 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 14 (3301-3600), from Item 19 (January 25) through Item 5D (September 26), January 25, 1957 to September 26, 1958 | series 4 | box 6 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 15 (1-15--300-15), from Item 5D, cont'd (September 26), September 26, 1958 to November 19, 1959 | series 4 | box 6 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 16 (1-16--300-16), January 29, 1960 to February 3, 1961 | series 4 | box 7 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 17 (1-17--300-17), February 3, 1961 (partially) to March 16, 1962 (partially) | series 4 | box 7 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 18 (1-18--300-18), March 16, 1962 (partially) to March 15, 1963 (partially) | series 4 | box 8 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 19 (1-19--300-19), March 15, 1963 (partially) to May 1, 1962 (partially) | series 4 | box 8 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 20 (1-20--300-20), May 1, 1964 (partially) to June 18, 1965 (partially) | series 4 | box 9 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 21 (1-21--300-21), June 18, 1965 (partially) to September 30, 1966 (partially) | series 4 | box 9 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 22 (1-22--300-22), September 30, 1966 (partially) through November 17, 1967 | series 4 | box 10 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 23 (1-23--300-23), December 15, 1967 to June 20, 1969 (partially) | series 4 | box 10 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 24 (1-24--300-24), June 20, 1969 (partially) to January 22, 1971 (partially) | series 4 | box 11 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 25 (1-25--300-25), January 22, 1971 (partially) to May 12, 1972 | series 4 | box 11 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 26 (1-26--300-26), June 23, 1972 to September 21, 1973 (partially) | series 4 | box 12 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 27 (1-27--300-27), September 21, 1973 (partially) to January 24, 1975 (partially) | series 4 | box 12 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 28 (1-28--300-28), January 24, 1975 (partially) to May 14, 1976 (partially) | series 4 | box 13 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 29 (1-29--300-29), May 14, 1976 (partially) to June 29, 1977 (partially) | series 4 | box 13 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 30 (1-30--300-30), June 28, 1977 (partially) to June 23, 1978 (partially) | series 4 | box 14 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 31 (1-31--300-31), June 23, 1978 (partially) to June 15, 1979 (partially) | series 4 | box 14 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 32 (1-32--300-32), June 15, 1979 (partially) to June 20, 1980 (partially) | series 4 | box 15 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 33 (1-32--300-33), June 20, 1980 (partially) to June 19, 1981 (partially) | series 4 | box 15 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 34, June 19, 1981 (partially) to August 20, 1982 (partially) | series 4 | box 16 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 35, August 20, 1982 (partially) to June 7, 1983 | series 4 | box 16 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 36, August 19, 1983 to August 28, 1984 (partially) | series 4 | box 17 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 37, August 28, 1984 (partially) to December 13, 1985 (partially) | series 4 | box 17 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 38, December 13, 1985 (partially) to February 6, 1987 (partially) | series 4 | box 17 | folder 3 | |
| Volume 39, February 6, 1987 (partially) through March 17, 1988 (partially) | series 4 | box 18 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 40, New Board of Regents of University of Maryland System from July 27, 1988 forward, March 17, 1988 (partially) to March 1, 1989 (partially) | series 4 | box 18 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 41, March 1, 1989 (partially) to August 17, 1989 (partially) | series 4 | box 18 | folder 3 | |
| Volume 42, August 17, 1989 (partially) to September 28, 1989 (partially) | series 4 | box 19 | folder 1 | |
| Volume 43, September 28, 1989 (partially) to April 26, 1990 (partially) | series 4 | box 19 | folder 2 | |
| Volume 44, April 26, 1990 (partially) to May 31, 1990 | series 4 | box 19 | folder 3 | |
Related Material
Large unprocessed accessions of the Records of the Board of Regents exist. Two preliminary inventories are available online: Acc. 93-90 and Acc. 93-17, the records of the student representative to the Board of Regents. Materials concerning the Board of Regents can be found in the Office of the President, University of Maryland (processed and unprocessed portions.)
Related materials can also be found within the University Publications collection in the Archives and Manuscript Department; the call number is UPUB R4.
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.
Selected Search Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the University of Maryland Libraries' Catalog. Researchers desiring related materials about these topics, names, or places may search the Catalog using these headings.
Subjects
- Agriculture and state -- Maryland -- Sources
- Maryland. Agricultural Commission -- Archives
- University of Maryland, College Park -- Archives
- University of Maryland, College Park -- Presidents -- History -- Sources
Names (Added Entries)
- Byrd, Harry Clifton, 1889-1970.
- Cole, William Purrington, b. 1889.
- Elkins, Wilson H.
- Maryland. Agricultural Commission.
- McCormick, Charles Perry, 1896-1970.
- University of Maryland, College Park. Board of Regents.
- University of Maryland, College Park. Board of Regents. Committee on the Presidency.