Guide to the Rhode Island School of Design Faculty records, 1901-2022

Series I. Faculty Council minutes
Five volumes of Minutes for the monthly meetings of the Faculty, 1901-1934, and the Faculty Council, 1934-1946, comprise the records. The minutes document the development of educational policy including curriculum, entrance and graduation requirements, class schedules, student discipline, and scholarships. In addition, the Faculty, Director, Educational Director, and Executive Vice-President discussed relations with the Executive Committee and changes in the structure and responsibilities of the Faculty and Faculty Council. Minutes may include correspondence from students, parents, and RISD personnel. Volume Five, 1942-1946, documents the activities of the Faculty Council and its the Executive Committee, restructured by the 1942 Faculty Constitution. Minutes are handwritten, 1901-1932, and typed, 1932-1946. A card index to the minutes, 1934-1944, is included.

Materials in this series are arranged chronologically.

Series II. Faculty Council records
Faculty Council records include minutes and correspondence for the Curriculum Committee (1942-1946); minutes, reports, and/or correspondence for the Committee on Granting Degrees (1942), Admissions Committee (1942), Fine Arts Committee (1940), and the Executive Committee (1942); rules and regulations for Faculty (1938); and the 1942 Faculty Constitution with accompanying correspondence.

Materials in this series are arranged alphabetically.

Series III. Faculty Meeting minutes
Agendas, minutes, reports, and memoranda document Faculty meetings held 1958-present. The records document the formation of and changes to the meeting's governance structure; changes in the academic program; faculty committee elections; reports by administrators, faculty, committees, and others; reorganization of faculty committees; the approval of degree candidates; relations with the administration; creation of the faculty union; and special meeting requests.

Established by President John R. Frazier, the meetings are held "to discuss and advise on academic and related college activities" and are governed by the Faculty Contract (1982-present) and bylaws adopted in 1997. Previous governing documents were the constitution (1960-1974) and the Faculty Handbook (1974-1982). The position of chair has been filled by the President (1958-1970), the Vice-President for Academic Affairs (1978-1987), and an elected Faculty member (1970-1978 and 1987-present). The agendas are prepared by the Steering Committee (1980-present).

The minute books are maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs, which is responsible for preparing the minutes and organizing meeting records. Meeting records became digital 2014 September. See Series IV.

Materials in this series are arranged chronologically.

Series VI. Faculty Meeting records
Born digital records including agendas, minutes, reports, and memoranda document Faculty meetings held 2014-2022. The records, a continuation of Series III, became digital 2014 September. Materials in this series are arranged chronologically.