The University Archives is the official repository documenting the creation, development, priorities and activities of every IU administrative unit and academic school, department or research center. Below are examples of the types of records in the collection. To search for additional records, please visit Archives Online. For more information about managing or transferring university records see IU Records Management.
President's Office records and speeches:
Indiana University President's Office records, 1820-1851 (Andrew Wylie)
Andrew Wylie assumed the position as the first president of Indiana College in 1829. He died on 11 November 1851 of pneumonia, which he developed after accidentally cutting his leg while chopping wood. The collection is comprised of correspondence files, speeches, and administrative files from Wylie's presidential tenure. (1 box)
Indiana University President's Office records, 1937-1962 (Herman B Wells)
Herman B Wells was named interim president in 1937 and president in 1938, a position he held until 1962. Collection consists primarily of correspondence, reports, and publications. A particularly rich collection, correspondence is to and from Wells and other high ranking university administrators. The files are arranged alphabetically.
Speeches of President Elvis J. Stahr, 1962-1968
Consists of speeches given by Elvis J. Stahr during his term as President of Indiana University. (6 boxes)
Administrative Units:
Indiana University Athletics Committee records, 1939-1965
The "Big Ten" Intercollegiate Faculty Athletics Committee was formed on January 11, 1895. Indiana University became a member of the Committee in 1899. The general purpose of the Committee was to exert more faculty control over athletics. The records of the Athletics Committee comprise 2.6 cubic feet and span 1940-1964. The majority of the records date to John F. Mee's tenure as chairman, 1951-1962, but there are also records from William R. Breneman's tenure, 1943-1951.
Indiana University Dean of Women's Office records, 1876-1951
The Dean of Women's Office at Indiana University was created in 1901 and existed until 1946. Duties of the office covered all aspects of coed's lives, from the classroom to a social environment. The collection consists of administrative files created by the Dean of Women's office from 1917-1945.
Indiana University Office of African American Affairs records, 1950-1998
The Office of Afro-American Affairs was established in the spring of 1968. Its purpose was to organize some of the social and academic activities of African American students at Indiana University. The collection is comprised of two series, Administrative and Information. The Administrative series spans 1950-1998 and is further organized in eight subseries, including Correspondence, Faculty and Student Information, and Proposals. The Information series spans 1972-1997 and is arranged chronologically. This series consists of information not initially generated by the Office of African American Affairs such as newspaper clippings and IU News Releases.
Indiana University Vice President and Chancellor's records, 1963-1976
Byrum E. Carter was appointed Chancellor of Indiana University in 1969, after serving over two decades as an IU faculty member. Carter also played an important role in the political dynamics on campus during the heat of the Vietnam War. This collection is comprised of correspondence, reports, and administrative files dating primarily from Carter's years as Chancellor and Vice President of Indiana University's Bloomington campus, between July 1969 and June 1975.
Academic Units:
Indiana University African Studies Program Directors' records, 1957-1995
The collection consists of the administrative records and correspondence of directors J. Gus Liebenow and Patrick O'Meara related to the development of the African Studies Program.
Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee records, 1937-1996
The Indiana University College and Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee was established in 1937 to handle course adjustments within the College's curriculum as well as the creation or changes of academic programs within the College. The collection consists primarily of minutes, exhibits, and a card index of curriculum changes spanning the period from its inception in 1937 to 1996.
Indiana University Department of Astronomy records, 1904-2018
This collection largely reflects the results of research conducted by the Indiana University Department of Astronomy at the Goethe Link Observatory and the Daniel Kirkwood Observatory. The collection discusses equipment and instruments relevant to their work, topics related to the observatories, papers related to the Conference on Red Giant Stars/Cool Star Conference, publications, record books containing collected data, and files about select faculty.
Indiana University Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance records, 1925-2015
The Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance originated in the Department of Speech beginning in 1945. The Department offers courses and degrees in theatre, drama, and contemporary dance. This collection contains administrative records from before and after the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance had split from the Department of Speech. It also contains records and production materials from the University Theatre, Brown County Playhouse, Indiana Theatre Company, and IU Theatre Circle.
United States Naval Training School records, 1940-1987
On July 15, 1942 Indiana University welcomed 200 Navy yeomen to campus to participate in the Naval Training School. In October of 1942 WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) arrived on campus for navy storekeepers training. By May 1944 the Naval Training School had trained 5008 Navy yeomen and storekeepers. The school would be closed one month later. This collection consists of manuals, syllabi, student information, naval school publications, administrative materials, and the correspondences of the education director of the Navy training school Elvin S. Eyster and Robert T. Ittner, assistant to President Herman B Wells.
Research and Cultural Centers:
Indiana University Hilltop Garden and Nature Center records, 1935-2007
Founded in 1948, the Hilltop Garden and Nature Center was designed to promote community gardening at Indiana University. From the beginning, Hilltop was jointly sponsored by IU, the city of Bloomington's Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Bloomington Garden Club. Collection includes correspondence, photographs, architectural drawings, scrapbooks, minutes, reports, and publications and records relating to the Hilltop Educational Foundation and Hilltop Garden Council.
Indiana University Latino Cultural Center records, 1935-2018
The Latino Cultural Center was established at Indiana University in 1973. It is more affectionately known as La Casa. Its purpose was, and continues to be, to achieve through educational and social programs, a greater historical, political and cultural awareness regarding the latine community. The collection consists of records created by the Latino Cultural Center while under the direction of the Office of Latino Affairs, documents from student organizations, such as Latinos Unidos at Indiana University (LUIU), and other documents related to the history and interests of the Latino Cultural Center including correspondence, publications, events, annual reports, and subject files.
Indiana University LGBTQ+ Culture Center records, 1970-2019
The mission of the Indiana University LGBTQ+ Culture Center, formerly named GLBT Student Support Services, is to provide information, support, mentoring, and counseling to members of the IU campus and the larger community. The IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center seeks to fulfill their mission through networks, collaboration, education, and outreach in an attempt to create a climate where all members of the community are encouraged to promote and defend diversity. The collection consists of records relating to campus programming, speakers and events, conferences, groups, and office administration. There are also scrapbooks documenting GLBT issues on campus and the LGBTQ+ Culture Center.
Indiana University Russian and East European Institute records, 1947-2009
The Russian and East European Institute, comprised of several departments at Indiana University, was established in 1958 and is one of the leading area studies centers in the country. The collection consists of funding applications, projects, programs and administrative files related to the institute and it departments.
Self-governance:
Bloomington Faculty Council records, 1969-2019
The origins of the Bloomington Faculty Council can be traced back to a University reorganization begun by university president Elvis J. Stahr. In 1969 the Bloomington Faculty began their own council for policy and academic decisions, as the University Faculty Council became a legislative body for all faculty in the Indiana University system. This collection consists of the agendas, minutes, circulars and supporting documents of the Bloomington Faculty Council, the governing body of the university faculty on the Indiana University -Bloomington campus. The collection is organized into six series: Agendas, Minutes, Circulars, Supporting documents, Committee Files, and Subject Files.
Communications Workers of America Local 4730 records, 1988-2013
Since 1993, the Communications Workers of America has represented Indiana University's clerical and technical workers. The collection consists of newsletters, brochures, fliers, memos, press releases and newspaper clippings.
Indiana University Staff Council records, 1951-1993
The Indiana University Bloomington Staff Council was officially formed in November 1951, following authorization by the Board of Trustees. The Staff Council consisted of a body of representatives elected by and from the university employee staff. It provided University staff members with organized representation and a medium of exchange with University administration by which to advocate for staff rights and benefits. The collection consists of correspondence, agendas, minutes, policy materials, and financial information.