George Mason University Board of Visitors records

Access and use

Location of collection:: George Mason University

2400 Fenwick Library

Special Collections Research Center

Fenwick Library MS2FL

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 22030

Contact for questions and access:: POC: Mieko Palazzo

Email: speccoll@gmu.edu

Phone: (703) 993-2220

Fax: (703) 993-2669

Web: scrc.gmu.edu

Restrictions:: Collection is open for research. Series three should be reviewed by SC&A staff before access is provided.
Terms of access:: There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from Board of Visitors records must be obtained from Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Preferred citation:: Board of Visitors, #R0003, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:: 30 Linear Feet (67 boxes)
Creator:: George Mason University. Board of Visitors
Abstract:: The Board of Visitors records include the files and minutes of the George Mason University (GMU) Board of Visitors meetings. The bulk of the collection consists of meeting minutes from the 1960s through 2007. The papers include Meeting Minutes, Amendments to the VA Plan, Committee Rosters, Correspondence, Bylaws, Media Clippings, and the establishment of the House Bill 210 that separated GMU from the University of Virginia.
Language:: English
Preferred citation:: Board of Visitors, #R0003, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The Board of Visitors records include the files and minutes of the GMU Board of Visitors meetings. The bulk of the collection consists of meeting minutes from the 1960s through 2007. The papers include Meeting Minutes, Amendments to the VA Plan, Committee Rosters, Correspondence, Bylaws, Media Clippings, and the establishment of the House Bill 210 that separated GMU from UVA.

Series 1 consists of two subseries: Meeting Minutes and Verbatim Transcripts.

The Meeting Minutes subseries dates from 1960 to 2008. Meeting minutes for the executive committee meetings, annual meetings, special meetings, President's Council Meetings, Academic Programs, Diversity & University Community Committee meetings, and workshops, as well as the general meetings are represented. A group of electronic records documenting events from 2001 to 2002 is also included. This series also includes presidential searches and Board reports.

The second subseries, Verbatim Transcripts, dates from 1995 to 1998 and includes edited and unedited verbatim transcripts of Board meetings, including a Student Affairs Committee meeting, and a full board meeting. The series is ordered chronologically.

Series 2 includes communications and correspondence of the Board of Visitors including inter-office memoranda, a letter to "fellow visitors," events information, and a commencement address given by a Board member. This series dates from 1977 to 2011 and is arranged alphabetically by folder title.

Series 3 consists of depositions from the Dear v. GMU court case and information consulted by the Grievance Committee. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title and dates from 1991 to 1992. These folders should be reviewed by SC&A staff before access is provided.

Series 4 includes the minutes of the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1976 to 1986.

Series 5 contains the minutes of the Faculty and Academic Standards Committee and the Faculty, Staff, and Student Recruitment plans. The series is ordered chronologically and includes documents dating from 1977 to 2002.

Series 6 includes minutes to the Finance and Resource Development Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1987 to 1996.

Series 7 consists of General Information about the Board of Visitors. Included in these files are the Bylaws of the Board, manuals and guidelines, news clippings, organizational information, parking strategies for Arlington campus, documents concerning conferences and retreats, a drug and alcohol policy, program budget, non-academic needs, and status reports. This series is ordered alphabetically and then chronologically with documents dating from 1964 to 2008.

Series 8 consists of the minutes of the Land Use and Facilities Planning Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1986 to 1998.

Series 9 consists of Audio Visual material including cassette tapes, floppy discs, compact discs, and Betacam cassettes. This series consists of four subseries based on material type.

Subseries 9.1 consists of floppy discs of BOV minutes and agendas, Faculty and Academic Standards Committee minutes, and meetings concerning land use and construction. This subseries is arranged chronologically with dates from 1996 to 2004.

Subseries 9.2 consists of compact discs from 2003 to 2011 with University Relations information, BOV committees, and a School of Computational Sciences overview.

Subseries 9.3 consists of cassette tape recordings of meetings dating from 1985 to 2011. This subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries 9.4 includes Betacam cassette tape recordings of Sondra Patrick interviews from 1996.

Series 10 consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, and other files generated by Randolph Church during his time as a board member (1982-1990) and rector (1983-1986) of the George Mason University Board of Visitors. This series is ordered alphabetically by subject.

Series 1 consists of two subseries: Meeting Minutes and Verbatim Transcripts. The Meeting Minutes subseries dates from 1960 to 2008. Meeting minutes for the executive committee meetings, annual meetings, special meetings, President's Council Meetings, Academic Programs, Diversity & University Community Committee meetings, and workshops, as well as the general meetings are represented. This series also includes presidential searches and Board reports. The second subseries, Verbatim Transcripts, dates from 1995 to 1998 and includes edited and unedited verbatim transcripts of Board meetings, including a Student Affairs Committee meeting, and a full board meeting. The series is ordered chronologically.

Subseries 1.1 dates from 1960 to 2008. Meeting minutes for the executive committee meetings, annual meetings, special meetings, President's Council Meetings, Academic Programs, Diversity & University Community Committee meetings, and workshops, as well as the general meetings are represented. A group of electronic records documenting events from 2001 to 2002 is also included. This series also includes presidential searches and Board reports.

These documents contain information on the meetings held by the George Mason University Board of Visitors in 2001 and 2002. Contained in the documents are agendas, minutes, and information on GMU academic programs, faculty, and the budget.

Subseries 1.2 Verbatim Transcripts, dates from 1995 to 1998 and includes edited and unedited verbatim transcripts of Board meetings, including a Student Affairs Committee meeting, and a full board meeting. The series is ordered chronologically.

Letter to "Fellow Visitors"

This folder should be reviewed by SC&A staff before access is provided.

Series 4 includes the minutes of the Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1976 to 1986.

Series 6 includes minutes to the Finance and Resource Development Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1987 to 1996.

Series 8 consists of the minutes of the Land Use and Facilities Planning Committee. The series is ordered chronologically and dates from 1986 to 1998.

Series 9 consists of Audio Visual material including cassette tapes, floppy discs, compact discs, and Betacam cassettes. This series consists of four subseries based on material type.

Subseries 9.2 consists of compact discs with University Relations information, BOV committees, and a School of Computational Sciences overview.

Subseries 9.3 consists of cassette tape recordings of meetings. This subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries 9.4 includes Betacam cassette tape recordings of Sondra Patrick interviews.

Subseries 9.2 consists of compact discs from 2003 to 2011 with University Relations information, BOV committees, and a School of Computational Sciences overview.

Subseries 9.3 consists of cassette tape recordings of meetings dating from 1985 to 2011. This subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries 9.4 includes Betacam cassette tape recordings of Sondra Patrick interviews from 1996.

Biographical / historical:

The Board of Visitors (BOV) of George Mason University was created in April 1972 by an act of the General Assembly when the university became an independent institution. The board is a corporate body serving under the leadership of a rector, vice rector, and secretary. The 16 members of the board are appointed by the governor of Virginia on a rotating basis to serve four-year terms. The Faculty Senate Chair sits on the board as a nonvoting member. Two student representatives (nonvoting members) are appointed by the Board of Visitors each year at the May meeting to serve a one-year term.

Without limiting the generality of its powers, the Board of Visitors exercises its authority principally in policy-making and oversight. With the exception of meetings convened in executive session, meetings of the Board of Visitors and its committees are open to the public. The board recognizes as official observers four faculty representatives that are elected by the faculty at-large. The faculty representatives sit on the Academic Programs Diversity & University Community Committee and the Finance and Land Use Committee. A faculty liaison may be appointed to the Audit Committee.

Acquisition information:

Donated by George Mason University.

Processing information:

Processing completed by Stephanie Washburn on 18 June 2013. EAD markup completed by Stephanie Washburn, Kerry Mitchell, and Greta Kuriger Suiter on September 2013.

Arrangement:

Organized into 10 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Meeting Minutes, 1960-2008 (Boxes 1-26, 44)
Series 2: Communications and Correspondence, 1977-1996 (Box 26)
Series 3: Dear v.GMU, 1991-1992 (Boxes 26-27)
Series 4: Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action, 1976-1986 (Boxes 27-28)
Series 5: Faculty and Academic Standards, 1997-2000 (Boxes 28-33, 67)
Series 6: Finance and Resources, 1987-1996 (Box 33)
Series 7: General Information, 1964-2008 (Boxes 33-40)
Series 8: Land Use and Facilities Planning, 1986-1998 (Boxes 40-42)
Series 9: Audio Visual, 1985-2011, (Boxes 43, 52-67)
Series 10: Randolph Church, 1982-1992 (Boxes 45-51)

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: Universities and colleges
Names:: George Mason University

Collection