The Indiana University Presidents' Records document the administrative history of Indiana University during the tenure of each university president. These records were created by the university president and their staff in the Office of the President during each administration. The name of the president is in parentheses after each collection title below to aid in discovery. The University Archives holds the administrative records of many other positions and offices. To search for additional records, please visit Archives Online.

 

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)

William M. Daily collection, 1835-1924 (William Mitchell Daily)

William Daily was a Methodist minister, and served as president of Indiana University, 1853-1859. The collection includes correspondence, speeches, financial records, administrative records relating to his presidency at Indiana University; most prominent are records relating to charges brought against Daily during his presidency. (1 box)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1857-1875 (Cyrus Nutt)

Cyrus Nutt served as the fifth president of Indiana University from 1860-1875. Nutt died on August 23, 1875, a month after being dismissed by the Board of Trustees. The collection consists of administrative files, correspondence, and writings and addresses. (1 box)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1880-1884 (Lemuel Moss)

Lemuel Moss served as president of Indiana University from 1875-1884. This collection consists of records from his tenure and is organized into a single series, Administrative files. (2 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1884-1891 (David Starr Jordan)

David Starr Jordan joined the IU faculty in 1879 as a professor of natural history. In 1885 at the age of 34, Jordan was appointed President of Indiana University. He served in that position until 1891 when he left IU to become the first president of the newly established Stanford University. The records of his presidency consist primarily of administrative files alphabetically arranged. The records also contain a few of Jordan's writings and addresses. (2 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1891-1893 (John Coulter)

Records dating from the tenure of Indiana University President John Coulter. Organized into two series, the collection primarily consists of incoming correspondence during Coulter's tenure. (1 box)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1893-1902 (Joseph Swain)

Records of Indiana University president. Organized in two series, the collection primarily consists of incoming correspondence during Swain's tenure. Included are several prominent IU professors such as William Lowe Bryan, David Starr Jordan, and Carl H. Eigenmann as well as a number of well-known public figures. (50 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office correspondence, 1913-1937 (William Lowe Bryan)

William Lowe Bryan served as president of Indiana University 1902-1937. This collection consists almost entirely of incoming correspondence from the years 1913-1937. The files are arranged alphabetically, most often by the correspondent’s surname, but also by subject or by name of the institution or department. The majority of the correspondence is addressed to Bryan but much of it is also addressed to other high ranking IU administrators such as Registrar John W. Cravens or University Secretary Ulysses Howe Smith. (295 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1937-1962 (Herman B Wells)

The first president of what was then Indiana College was elected by the Board of Trustees in 1829. 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. (617 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1962-1968 (Elvis J. Stahr)

The first president of what was then Indiana College was elected by the Board of Trustees in 1829. Elvis J. Stahr, Jr. served as president of Indiana University from 1962-1968. Collection consists of records created or collected by the Indiana University Office of the President during Elvis Stahr's tenure, and includes correspondence, studies, and reports documenting the various administrative processes, committees, events and university departments and schools during this period. (185 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1967-1969 (Herman B Wells)

The first president of what was then Indiana College was elected by the Board of Trustees in 1829. After President Elvis Stahr resigned in 1968, the Board of Trustees asked University Chancellor and former president Herman B Wells to serve as the interim president. He served in this role from September 1, 1968 through November 30, 1968. Collection consists of records created or collected during Wells' tenure as interim Indiana University president. (5 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1964-1974 (Joseph Sutton)

The first president of what was then Indiana College was elected by the Board of Trustees in 1829. Joseph L. Sutton came to IU as an instructor in the Dept. of Political Science in 1955 and continued to advance until he came to serve as the thirteenth president of Indiana University from 1968-1971. The collection consists of records created or collected during Sutton's tenure as Indiana University president. (50 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1963-1990 (John W. Ryan)

John W. Ryan served as Indiana University's president for 16 years. This collection includes correspondence files, and administrative records related to the management of various offices and departments on campus and of the regional campuses. (314 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1976-1995 (Thomas Ehrlich)

Thomas Ehrlich served as the 15th president of Indiana University, from 1987 to 1994. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, serving in several legal and academic posts before his appointment as IU president. The collection consists of administrative files and correspondence related to the performance of duties as IU president. (166 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1987-2003 (Myles Brand)

Myles Brand served as the sixteenth president of Indiana University from 1994 to 2002. Collection consists of records from his tenure and includes administrative files and correspondence related to his role as Indiana University President. (86 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1996-2003 (Gerald L. Bepko)

The first president of what was then Indiana College was elected by the Board of Trustees in 1829. Gerald L. Bepko served as interim president of Indiana University January through July 2003. Collection consists of one series, Subject files, and is comprised of records collected and created by Bepko and his office during his six month tenure as interim president of Indiana University. A wide range of topics are covered in the records, including IU athletics, the regional campuses, and Bepko's files on the I-69 controversy. (13 boxes)

Indiana University President's Office records, 1999-2007 (Adam Herbert)

Adam Herbert served as the seventeenth president of Indiana University from 2003-2007. In November 2005, he received a vote of "no confidence" from an unofficial faculty vote and decided, in January 2006, not to renew his contract after it expired in 2008. After a new president was selected, Herbert resigned on June 30, 2007. The collection consists of records, correspondence, and administrative files from Herbert’s tenure as Indiana University president. (65 boxes)

 

Presidents' Speeches

President Herman B Wells speeches, 1937-1962

Herman B Wells served as President of Indiana University 1938-1962. Consists of speeches given by Herman B Wells during his term as President of Indiana University, including 1937, when he served as interim President. (22 boxes)

President William Lowe Bryan speeches, 1903-1937

Consists of speeches given by William Lowe Bryan during his tenure as president of Indiana University. (1 box)

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)

President John W. Ryan speeches, 1971-1987

Dr. John W. Ryan was the fourteenth president of Indiana University, serving from 1971 until 1987. This collection is comprised of his speeches. (14 boxes)

President Thomas Ehrlich speeches, 1987-1994

Collection consists of speeches given by Thomas Ehrlich during his tenure as president of Indiana University, 1987-1994. (4 boxes)

President Myles Brand speeches, 1994-2001

Myles Brand served as president of Indiana University 1994-2002. Collection consists of speeches given by Brand during his tenure as President of Indiana University. (3 boxes)

President Adam Herbert speeches, 2003-2008

Adam W. Herbert served as President of Indiana University 2003-2007. Collection consists of speeches given by President Herbert during his tenure at Indiana University as well as a few speeches he delivered as President Emeritus. (3 boxes)