Minutes of Faculty Meetings, 1911-1986

Scope and content:

Minutes of the Faculty of Trinity College, 1911-1923

Issues that pervaded the recorded minutes include standing committees, scheduling, funding, student petitions (to drop or substitute classes, for example), examinations, commencement, debates over graduation attire, fraternity regulations, scholarship regulations, extension work, academic requirements, committee appointments, new courses, grading, degree candidates, publications, graduate instruction and research.

The committees that the faculty served on include courses of instruction, admission, athletics, debating, executive, health and boarding halls, library, publications, public lectures and musical organizations, schedule, social organizations, and student life.

Other topics include absences or "cuts" from class, literary societies, memorial statements for recently deceased professors, the establishment of Phi Beta Kappa, concerns for Freshman and Sophomores (e.g., grades, distribution of work, etc.), the Glee Club, and lectures from visiting professors from universities such as the University of Chicago, Yale, and Johns Hopkins. The college catalogue, compulsory chapel exercises, cheating, honors, awards (the Wiley Grey and Braxton Craven Medals), the North Carolina Teachers Assembly, Watts Hospital, delegates sent to North Carolina Forestry Association in Raleigh, composition requirements, honorary degrees, student advisors, the Chanticleer, graduate students and athletics, summer school, and alumni reunions make-up additional topics.

Still others are the abolishment of the valedictory, delegates for the Association of Colleges and Schools of Southern States and the National Collegiate Association, the North Carolina Conference, military drills, accommodations for students leaving for World War I, salary increases, new courses, thesis requirements for Masters degrees, R.O.T.C. courses, and the Durham homecoming celebration for soldiers. The North Carolina Academy of Science, the Roosevelt Memorial Fund, admission of students from junior colleges, tutors for freshman, the grading system, Social Hygiene meetings, curriculum considerations, the National Convention in International Disarmament, representatives for National Conference on Standards of Colleges and Prep Schools, requirements for graduation, entrance requirements, sabbaticals, holidays, Board of Trustees, and committee on moving pictures compose further topics that faculty grappled with during their many meetings, over which President Few presided.

The few items in the two folders containing loose materials include reports, letters from students and collegiate organizations, and in-house notes that pertain to some of the same subjects listed above.

Minutes of the Faculty, Trinity College and Duke University, 1923-1943

Many of the same issues, including student petitions, grades, and various committee business engaged faculty members during these years. Additional concerns of the faculty during this period involve opening Duke University, better training of high school teachers, protocol for commencement, Saturday courses for teachers, adoption of mid-term examinations, a study revealing that women were behind in Math, honor system violations, certification of teachers, new programs, budget, a speech about Benjamin Duke, and cap and gowns. The Robert E. Lee Prize, Duke Memorial Fund, grade uniformity, Bible and Math requirements, parking, reorganization of faculties, combined arts-law degree, the Dean's list, undergraduate guidance department, University Chest Drive, dedication to President Few, and death of President Few are topics that prevailed during this time period. President Few presided.

Minutes of the General Faculty, 1944-1952

The volumes in this category contain the same kinds of minutes, correspondence, and reports as in the other categories. The Minutes of the General Faculty also contain documents about the same subjects as found in the Minutes of the Faculty and Faculty Council. Other issues include the relationship between faculty and trustees, American Association of University Professors, retirement annuities, suspension of classes for events, and faculty reorganization reports. President Flowers presided.

Minutes of the University Faculty, 1952-1955

This series of documents contains the same types of material and subject matter as the other series on University Faculty minutes. Additional issues of relevance here involve the structure of the University Council, academic salaries, and a report of the University Council to the University Faculty. Other topics worthy of note include the secret ballot for an honorary degree for Richard M. Nixon; elections for University Council; president's reports (housekeeping, buildings, finances, enrollment, etc.); off campus centers such as Highland Hospital in Asheville and Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort; President Edens' wish to improve cooperation with neighboring universities (NCSU, UNC, and the Woman's College of UNC) via library cooperation; desegregation (President Edens advocated making a small gesture towards desegregation in 1954 after Brown vs. Board of Education); and medical insurance for the faculty. President Edens presided.

Minutes of the University Faculty, 1955-1969

Again, the types of materials and subject matter of the correspondence, minutes, and reports in this series overlap with that of the other records. Additional topics include reports of the president on issues such as the need to revamp Duke's policy on segregation, cooperation with southeastern liberal arts colleges via the 3-2 program, the new golf course, new faculty housing, enrollment problems, Faculty Handbook, new degree proposals, graduate school enrollment, college visitation program-traveling faculty members, national recognition (ranking), training inter-national students, faculty involvement in international organizations, international research, religious preferences, long range planning reports, and university expansion. Additional subjects include tuition awards for children of faculty, promotion of Duke University, improvement of public relations, varying views of different presidents on goals of university, awarding Richard M. Nixon Doctor of Laws, tenure, need of facilities, Bylaws, academic freedom, regrouping of departments into divisions, applicants admitted to Duke regardless of race, creed, or national origin in 1962, Academic Council, faculty benefits, Faculty Club, 1968 student vigil and strike by employees in Operations Hall and Dining Halls foments awareness of need for appreciation among faculty, the advancement program, and committee on University Employee relationships to support non-academic employees. In 1969 there was an African American student sit-in in the Central Records Office (Allen Building) that incited much debate among faculty during a meeting. Presidents Edens, Hart, and Knight presided.

University Faculty Minutes, 1969-1986

Reports, minutes, agendas, and correspondence make-up the bulk of the documents housed in these folders. Topics include degree candidates, programs, the Faculty Handbook, committee appointments, faculty elections, memorials, the Academic Council, a presidential address, and faculty newsletters

Faculty Meetings, 1932-1978

Correspondence, agendas, meeting minutes, memos, newspaper clippings, and reports are housed in these folders. Participants in faculty meetings reported to the General Faculty. The General Faculty appointed faculty to committees, such as the committee of undergraduate curriculum. The University Faculty determines degree candidates, honorary degrees, curriculum, etc.

Contents

Using These Materials