English Department Administrative Records

Description: Boxes 1-9

This series, arranged in nine boxes, spans the years from 1945 through 1982 although the bulk of the records date between the mid-1960s and the late-1970s. The series is divided into four subseries: departmental correspondence; budget records; general files; and assistantship, fellowship, and scholarship files.

The departmental correspondence fills almost two boxes and dates between 1961 and 1982. It is arranged into departmental chairman's and director of graduate studies correspondence. Within these two categories correspondence is arranged chronologically by date. The chairman's correspondence is largely administrative in nature and mainly concerns departmental staffing, salaries, and leaves of absence. Much of the correspondence is between departmental chairmen and the deans of Northwestern's College of Arts and Sciences. The director's correspondence documents a wide range of administrative matters centering on graduate admissions and financial aid, the graduate curriculum, and student research and course work.

The budget records span the period 1962-1970 and are arranged chronologically within seven folders. These records deal almost exclusively with departmental salary and budget planning matters and include salary proposals, payroll rosters, and related correspondence.

The general files form the major portion of the series, filling more than five boxes. They date between 1955 and 1982 and are arranged alphabetically according to topical subject headings. Materials within folders are arranged chronologically by date. The general files concern a wide variety of topics including department curriculum, committees, and policy; sponsored lectures and conferences; and routine administrative matters. The bulk of the files document varied aspects of graduate study such as course offerings and requirements, admissions, enrollment, examinations and grades, student research, teaching requirements, and placement.

The assistantship, fellowship, and scholarship files fill nearly two boxes and span the years between 1945 and 1980. These records include correspondence, memoranda, notes, and application forms documenting requests for and offers of financial aid to graduate students. Student transcripts and candid evaluations of students' research, writing, and critical abilities are scattered throughout the records.