Records of the President, Frank Newman (Rec. Gr. 1.13)

The records contained in this group are the administrative files of the office of the president of the University of Rhode Island during the tenure of Frank Newman, the university's eighth president. The records were transferred from the Carlotti Administration Building to the Special Collections Department of the University Library in several installments in 1984 and 1985. When received the records were in good physical condition and in an order consistent with those of Newman's predecessors in office.

Though Newman served as president from August 1, 1974 to July 31, 1983, the records both pre-date and post-dates his tenure in office. These records were kept with Newman's papers for reasons of continuity, either to document the antecedents of issues or events which came to fruition during this administration or to document the conclusion of issues or events which began in the Newman years.

The records from the years 1974 through the summer of 1979 are comprehensive and provide a detailed history of the first five years of the Newman presidency. Records for the last four years of Newman's tenure, however, are incomplete and, on some subjects, non-existent. For example, there are no files in the collection relating to the faculty strike of 1979 or to the women's equity suit, both major issues during the Newman presidency. Records relating to other significant events and issues of the administration, though present, are incomplete after 1979. It is hoped that many of these gaps can be filled when the records of Newman's successor Edward D. Eddy, are transferred to the Special Collections Department.