Faculty Papers Collection Policy

I.  Introduction

Coordinating with Records Management, the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Archives provides a permanent repository for a strategically-selected subset of the non-current administrative and historical records of SIUC, as well as related organizations inside the campus community and the papers of representative faculty.  University Archives also preserves the capstone works of graduate students in the form of all research papers, theses and dissertations approved by the graduate college.

II.  Objectives

The University Archives collects faculty papers to document the teaching, research, and service functions of SIUC faculty

• Within the context of SIUC history
• Within the context of the SIUC campus
• With respect to current and anticipated research of national or international scope and importance
• Who have been exceptional teachers
• Who have engaged in path breaking research in their fields
• Who have held significant positions in or given exemplary service to the university
• Who have had influence beyond the university and local community

III.  Materials of Potential Value

The following is a representative list of potentially valuable materials generally found within faculty papers:

• Correspondence and Subject Files
  • Demonstrating the functions and/or their evolution of the faculty’s academic unit
  • Demonstrating the evolution and development of the academic unit’s curriculum
  • Relating to faculty research, the research question, and the research process (not necessarily including research notes)
  • Relating to the development of courses, programs, and certificates taught at SIUC
  • Relating to faculty involvement with significant projects within the academic unit or respective college
  • Related to faculty involvement with university-wide, statewide, national, international, or local projects, programs, events, and organizations
  • Relating to or demonstrating the evolution of policy at the university, college, or academic unit level
• Committee files
  • Demonstrating committee functions and their interaction with the faculty’s academic unit or college
  • Demonstrating faculty involvement with committees of university-wide, statewide, national, international, or local significance
• Research files
  • Raw data that can be reused in subsequent research
  • Field or laboratory notebooks
  • Grant proposals and reports
  • Correspondence as noted above
• Biographical files
  • Bio-bibliography files
  • Diaries, journals, and day books
  • Vitae
• Copies or drafts of published articles, monographs, manuscripts, books, reviews, and speeches
• Administrative records of department chairs (usually excluding personnel files)
• Photographs and/or drawings
• Lectures or speeches
• Oral histories
• Consulting files
• Course syllabi
• Cassettes, films, videotapes, CDs, and DVDs documenting the career and university service

IV. Materials Generally Not Collected

The following is a representative list of materials generally found within faculty papers that are typically not collected or are weeded from faculty papers during processing:

• Student records including but not limited to class rosters, dissertations, grade books and reports, letters of recommendation, student papers/assignments, advising records
• Duplicative or redundant materials
• Blank forms and letterhead
• Artifacts, objects, and plaques (case-by-case basis)
• Invoices, vouchers, and receipts
• Travel or reimbursement records
• Sabbatical files
• Personal libraries and similar collections
• Patient files or similar case files
• Publications that are not written by the faculty member
• Research files consisting of photocopies of journal articles and related reference material
• Federal records falling under the purview of the National Archives and Records Administration

 V. Appraisal Questions to Consider

1. Do the papers reveal the individual as playing a major role in the history of Southern Illinois University Carbondale?
   1. Emeritus/emerita status
   2. First to teach a subject on campus
   3. Founder of a new department or program on campus
   4. Significant service on campus (department chair, provost, dean)
   5. Participant in, eyewitness to, or commentator on a major historical event
   6. Distinguished teaching, research, or service award recipient
2. Did the faculty have a significant influence or impact outside of the SIUC community and academia?
   1. Appointee to a high level federal government office
   2. Participant in, eyewitness to, or commentator on a major historical event
   3. Appointee to a position of leadership within a significant national or international organization
3. Did the faculty engage in groundbreaking research?
   1. Developer of a new area of research or academic discipline
   2. Recipient of significant research grants
   3. Designation as fellow or recipient of a top honor within a relevant professional society
4. Is the faculty’s work important to the history of southern Illinois?
   1. Appointee to a significant regional/state/county/municipal office or organization
   2. Participant in, eyewitness to, or commentator on a major historical event
5. Are the files complete and in good order?
6. Does the collection contain substantive unpublished research data?
7. Does the collection support, supplement, and strengthen an existing collecting area?
8. Does the collection provide representation for a discipline on campus that is currently under-documented?

VI. Factors Weighing Against Accepting Faculty Papers

1. Identifiable portion of papers will be restricted or closed for an extended period due to privacy laws and restrictions
2. Long-term restrictions set by a faculty member and/or family
3. Portions of papers are held by another repository^[1]

For further information, contact:

[1] This document was influenced by the UC Berkeley Faculty Papers Guidelines, and the University of California UC Faculty Papers: Identification and Appraisal, (accessed December 3, 2018).