Bruce Sundlun Gubernatorial Papers (Mss. Gr. 120)

Bruce Sundlun served as Governor of Rhode Island from January 1, 1991 to December 31,1994. The records, videotapes, and audiotapes described herein document Sundlun's service as Governor of the state. They were transferred from the Capital Records Management Center in Providence to the Special Collections Unit of the University Library in May 1995. Though physically located in the Special Collections Unit, the records remain under the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island State Archives for which the Special Collections Unit is acting as the official repository. The records are in good condition and were in no particular order when received.

The records documenting Sundlun's five campaigns for governor were accessioned at a later date and organized as a separate record group entitled Sundlun Campaign Files, Manuscript Group 120A (MSG#120A)

The records were organized into eleven series as follows:

Series I, Subject Files, (1990 - 1995), documents the broad range of activities undertaken by the Sundlun administration. Topics include the state budget, constituent affairs, ethics in government, bond issues, the Central Falls federal detention facility, executive orders, legislation, the judiciary, the Narragansett Indians' proposed casino, New England Patriots' stadium proposal, the Providence Place Mall, and the Rhode Island Convention Center . Included are correspondence, memos, reports, copies of legislation, legislative briefing books, executive orders, legal briefs, and legal memoranda.

Series II, Correspondence, (1991 - 1995), has been divided into two sub-series: Constituent Correspondence and Government Official Correspondence. Constituent correspondence consists of Sundlun's correspondence with the general public and with such well-known public figures as political activist John Hazen White, controversial minister Wade Demers, and Providence Journal government affairs editor M. Charles Bakst. Government Official Correspondence consists of Sundlun's correspondence with the governors of other states, as well as a variety of federal, state, and local officials regarding issues of concern to Rhode Island.

Series III, Executive Office Staff, (1991 - 1994), contains correspondence with and reports from the governor's executive office staff. Among those represented are the chief of staff, press secretary, legal counsel, and policy director. Topics of discussion include ethics in government, pending and proposed legislation, constituent concerns, and legal matters affecting the state and the governor's office.

Series IV, Departments, (1990 - 1994), documents the interaction between the governor's office and the cabinet level departments of state government and includes correspondence, memos, reports, transcripts, legal documents, and copies of state contracts.

Series V, Banking Crisis, (1990 - 1994), documents the Sundlun administration's reaction to the failure of the Rhode Island Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation (RISDIC) on Sundlun's first day in office in 1991. The failure of RISDIC, a private insurer of financial institutions, resulted in the immediate closure of more than thirty banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and other financial institutions in the state. Included are correspondence, memos, reports, minutes of meetings, financial statements, audit reports, copies of legislation, and legal briefs and memoranda.

Series VI, Reports, (1991 - 1994), consists of reports on a variety of subjects produced by the Sundlun administration. Topics of these reports include the state's tax structure, ethics in government, prison overcrowding, education, health care, pension benefits, and the transition from the Sundlun to the Almond administration.

Series VII, Press Releases, (1991 - 1994), contains copies of press releases from the governor's press office publicizing the activities of the administration.

Series VIII, Chronological Files, (1991 - 1995), contains copies of Sundlun's outgoing letters in chronological order.

Series IX, News Clippings, (1991 - 1994), consists of photocopies of newspaper articles on topics of interest to the Sundlun administration. the overwhelming majority appear to come from the Providence Journal, although other local and regional newspapers are also represented.

Series X, Videotapes, (1986 - 1994), consists of VHS and 3/4" videotapes documenting the activities of the Sundlun administration. Included are press conferences, campaign appearances, inaugural addresses, state-of-the-state addresses, speeches, and other public appearances.

Series XI, Audiotapes, (1990 - 1994), contains audio cassettes of Sundlun's public appearances, including radio interviews, press conferences, speeches, and campaign appearances.