Guide to the Rhode Island College. Presidential Committees and Task Forces. Committee on Human Relations records, circa 1987-2010


Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title: Rhode Island College. Presidential Committees and Task Forces. Committee on Human Relations records
Date range: circa 1987-2010
Creator: Rhode Island College. Presidential Committees and Task Forces. Committee on Human Relations
Extent: 0.20 cubic feet
Abstract: Records of a former Rhode Island College Presidential Committee whose charge was to advise the president on matters related to the creation, enhancement and maintenance of positive, collegial human relations among members of the College community.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Collection number: CA-0006

Scope & content

The collection contains the initial charge and bylaw documents for the Committee on Human Relations, as well as subsequent changes, member lists and meeting minutes for various years, reports, event information, and policy documents. The collection is not comprehensive.

Access Points

Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Document Types

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in rough chronological order.

Biographical/Historical Note

After a series of race-based incidents occurred on campus during the first half of 1987 and after an ad hoc committee convened to review the implications of these incidents, Rhode Island College President Carol J. Guardo appointed a new presidential committee, the Committee on Human Relations. This committee superseded the Committee on Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. John S. Foley, Vice President for College Advancement and Support, served as the first chair of the Committee. The Committee on Human Relations had three subcommittees: the Subcommittee on Racial Understanding, the Subcommittee on Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, and the Subcommittee on Gender Relations. The charge of the committee was to “advise the president on matters related to the creation, enhancement and maintenance of positive, collegial human relations among members of the College community.” The Committee could “recommend policies, procedures, and activities which would establish, facilitate, and maintain an environment conducive to good relations and prohibitive of discrimination toward, or mistreatment of, any member of the College community.” They helped write and update the Illegal Harassment Policy and the Complaint Resolution Policy. The Committee on Human Relations ceased around 2018 and some of its functions were replaced by the already established Dialogue on Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: The collection is open for research.
Use of the materials: Rhode Island College Special Collections holds copyright to materials in the collection. Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection.
Alternate form: The collection has not been digitized.
Preferred citation: Rhode Island College. Presidential Committees and Task Forces. Committee on Human Relations records, CA-0006, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
Contact information: Special Collections, James P. Adams Library.
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: The collection is arranged in rough chronological order.
Processing information: The collection was arranged and described by Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian in 2023. Further material was added and the finding aid updated by Denison in 2025.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Veronica L. Denison.
Encoding: This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2023.
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material: Rhode Island College Special Collections also holds the Rhode Island College. Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan records, CA-0002.
Separated material: Some of the materials in this collection were housed with the Rhode Island College. Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan records, however they were removed and made into their own collection.
Location/Existence of copies: The collection has not been digitized.
Other information:
    Works used in preparation of inventory: Administrative history taken from information in the collection.

Inventory

Box 1, Folder 1 Bylaws/Charge: Includes draft edits; Letter establishing Committee; Brochure; Providence Sunday Journal article on social unrest at RIC and URI
 undated, 1987
Box 1, Folder 2 Draft of updates to Committee bylaws and structure
 1987, 2009
Box 1, Folder 3 Meeting minutes
 1987 October 26
Box 1, Folder 4 Event information for “Racism: Its Impact on the College Classroom,” a lecture by Dr. Jacqueline Fleming, 1987; Flyer for “Beyond the Dream: A Celebration of Black History” event at RIC, 1989
 1987, 1989
Box 1, Folder 5 Summary report on Student Affairs Division Staff Development Program on “ISMS”
 1988
Box 1, Folder 6 “Executive Summary of Action Item Recommendations from the 1987-88 Committee on Human Relations”
 1988
Box 1, Folder 7 1988-1990 letters announcing Committee members; 1988 letter asking to fil out campus survey
 1988-1989
Box 1, Folder 8 Sexual Harassment Policies and Procedures
 1989, 1993
Box 1, Folder 9 The Positive Behavioral Change bulletin, Positive Behavioral Support University Affiliate Program, Rhode Island College
 1997 September
Box 1, Folder 10 Committee on Human Relations, 1998-99 information, includes Committee membership list and complaint procedures
 1998
Box 1, Folder 11 November 29, 1998 meeting information
 1998
Box 1, Folder 12 Complaint Resolution Procedure
 1998
Box 1, Folder 13 “A Report on Ethnic/Racial Understanding and Relations in Rhode Island College” prepared for the President and the Committee on Human Relations by the Subcommittee on Racial Understanding
 2000 May
Box 1, Folder 14 Meeting and committee information, reports (not comprehensive)
 1999-2004
Box 1, Folder 15 Select printouts from other institutions' handbooks, research
 undated, 2001-2002
Box 1, Folder 16 Report from Committee to Study College’s Complaint Resolution Process and Related Issues
 2005
Box 1, Folder 17 Human Relations Committee member list for 2005-2006, 2006-2007
 2005-2006
Box 1, Folder 18 Recommendations from Human Relations Committee
 2005-2006
Box 1, Folder 19 RIC’s New Policy on Complaint Resolution
 2006
Box 1, Folder 20 Campus Climate Survey [Note: Not completed, may be a draft]
 undated
Box 1, Folder 21 Meeting agendas for 2007
 2007
Box 1, Folder 22 Analysis of SHPT attendance
 undated
Box 1, Folder 23 Illegal Harassment Policy; Complaint Resolution Policy
 2007
Box 1, Folder 24 Committee on Multicultural Understanding mission statement [Note: Changed name from Committee on Racial Understanding which once was a subcommittee of Committee on Human Relations]
 undated