Guide to the Brown University Corporation Papers, 1764-2018

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI, 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2024

Collection Overview

Title:	Brown University Corporation Papers.
Date range:	1764-2018
Creator:	Brown University. Corporation
Extent:	69.75 linear feet
Abstract:	This collection consists of material generated by the Brown University Corporation. It contains meeting minutes of the corporation as a whole, of the Board of Trustees, and of the Board of Fellows, reports, correspondence, biographies of members, honorary degree citations,
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	OF.1B.1

Scope & content

This collection contains material generated by the Brown University Corporation, including meeting minutes, reports, committee material, and correspondence. The collection is organized into the following twelve series:

Series 1. Corporation Records. This series is comprised of the meeting minutes of the governing bodies of the corporation and is organized into three subseries; Subseries A are handwritten originals; Subseries B are negative photostats of the handwriteen originals; Subseries C are typed originals of the handwritten originals. Subseries C also contains reports to the corporation by the president, provost, librarian, facilities management, etc.

Series 2. The Advisory and Executive Committee. This series is organized into three subseries: Meetings, the Executive Board, and the Executive Committee.

Series 3. Board of Fellows. This series has five subseries: Meetings, Retreats, Correspondence, Honorary Degrees, and Reports.

Series 4. Committees (Standing). This series is comprised of committees of long-standing. It contains meeting minutes, reports, correspondence, memos, and ancillary material.

Series 5. Committees (Ad Hoc). This series contains meeting minutes, reports, and ancillary material generated by various corporation committees.

Series 6. General Files. This series contains the files of the corporation office, and includes activity plans for corporation members, President's reports and speeches, and correspondence.

Series 7. Correspondence. This series contains correspondence of corporation members, mostly in regard to appointments and acceptances.

Series 8. Deceased Emeriti/Members of the Corporation. This series contains correspondence, indemnity agreements, dual conflict of interest forms, photographs, biographical information (including resumes, newspaper and magazine articles) of corporation members.

Series 9. Manuals and Reports. This series is comprised of manuals and reports for the corporation, generated by offices other than the corporation, to help assess the impact of certain initiatives that the university has taken. These offices include the Provost's office, the Office of Institutional Research, and the Committee on Slavery and Justice.

Series 10. Index Cards. This is an index to the Corporation Meeting Minutes. These cards have been entered into a spreadsheet.

Series 11. Membership lists. These are small booklets that list members for the academic year.

Series 12. Microfilm. These are microfilms of the corporation meeting minutes.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Bowen, Jabez, 1739-1815
• Bowen, Pardon, 1757-1826
• Brown, John, 1736-1803
• Brown, Nicholas, 1729-1791
• Brown, Nicholas, 1769-1841
• Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013
• Dorr, Sullivan, 1778-1858
• Drowne, Solomon, 1753-1834
• D'Wolf, John, 1786-1862
• Eddy, Samuel, 1769-1839
• Flint, Abel, 1765-1825
• Going, Jonathan, 1786-1844
• Howell, David, 1747-1824
• Ingalls, William, 1769-1851
• Kingsbury, John, 1801-1874
• Maxcy, Jonathan, 1768-1820
• Park, Edwards Amasa, 1808-1900
• Pitman, John, 1785-1864
• Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013
• Keeney, Barnaby C. (Barnaby Conrad), 1914-1980
• Smith, Hezekiah, 1737-1805
• Wayland, Francis, 1796-1865
• Woods, Alva, 1794-1887

Subject Organizations

• Brown University. Board of Fellows
• Brown University. Corporation
• Brown University. Graduate School
• Brown University. Library Committee
• Brown University. Medical School
• Brown University-Tougaloo College Partnership
• Brown University papers
• John Carter Brown Library.
• Brown University. Students.
• Pembroke College (Brown University)
• Brown University. Third World Center
• Brown University. Finance
• Brown University--Student housing
• Brown University--History.
• Brown University Agricultural College
• Brown University. Pembroke College

Arrangement

• Series 1. Corporation Records
  • Subseries A. Handwritten Originals
  • Subseries B. Negative Photostats (Bound)
  • Subseries C. Typed Originals (Bound)
  • Subseries . Typed Originals (Not Bound)
• Series 2. Advisory and Executive Committee
  • Subseries A. Meetings
  • Subseries B. Executive Board
  • Subseries C. Executive Committee Reports
  • Subseries D. Executive Committee Reports and Correspondence
  • Subseries E. Journal
• Series 3. Board of Fellows
  • Subseries A. Meetings
  • Subseries B. Retreats
  • Subseries C. Correspondence
  • Subseries D. Honorary Degrees
  • Subseries E. Reports
• Series 4. Committees (Standing)
• Series 5. Committees (Ad Hoc)
  • Subseries A. Advisory Committee of Pembroke College
  • Subseries B. Executive Committee of Pembroke College
  • Subseries C. Visiting Committee on Diversity
  • Subseries D. Committee on the Status of Women
  • Subseries E. Pembroke Study Committee
  • Subseries F. Survey Committee
  • Subseries G. Tougaloo
• Series 6. General Files
• Series 7. Correspondence
• Series 8. Deceased Emeriti/Members of the Corporation
• Series 9. Manuals and Reports
• Series 10. Membership Lists
• Series 11. Index Cards
• Series 12. Microfilm

Biographical/Historical Note

The Brown University Corporation is the governing body of the university and is comprised of three parts; the Board of Fellows and the Board of Trustees, both parts of which vote separately and together, and the Corporation, which is comprised of the Board of Fellows and the Board of Trustees. The Advisory and Executive Committee, consisting of the President, Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Secretary, Treasurer, and nine other members of the Corporation, meets as a minor quorum during the academic year in the months when there is no Corporation meeting.The ongoing functions of the Corporation are providing for the continuity of the University through its membership, providing financial support and control, reviewing major policies, advising the administration and the University community, providing formal approval to matters reserved to the Corporation, electing a president who is responsible to the Corporation, and providing for the Corporation’s own succession.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	Minutes of business meetings held prior to July 1, 2009 shall remain closed to researchers for a period of fifty (50) years from the date of the record’s creation. This includes all ancillary material, such as committee reports, correspondence, etc. Minutes of business meetings held subsequent to July 1, 2009 shall remain closed to researchers for a period of twenty-five (25) years from the date of the record’s creation.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them
Preferred citation:	Brown University Corporation Papers, OF.1B.1, Brown University Archives.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI, 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Raymond Butti
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the RIAMCO EAD spreadsheet, 2024 September 6
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

Several corporation members kept their own papers, and donated them to the Archives. They are Thomas D. Anderson, OF.1B.A1, Sophie Blistein, OF.1B.B1, Nancy Buc, OF.1B.B2, Michael H. Trotter, OF.1B.T1, and Ruth Harris Wolf, OF.1B.W1.

Inventory

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