May 6, 1996
To: Dr. Ruth Patrick
University Librarian
From: Terry Eastwood
Chair, University Archives & Records Management Advisory Committee
On behalf of the University Archives and Records Management Advisory Committee, I am pleased to forward for your consideration the following recommendation to establish a new reporting structure for the University Archives within the Library.
That, in light of the significant, campus-wide administrative responsibilities now assigned to the University Archivist, we strongly recommend that the University Librarian establish the University Archives as a separate unit within the Library and that the University Archivist report directly to the University Librarian.
The Advisory Committee has, for some time, felt the Archives' reporting structure to be a critical factor in developing and implementing an effective institutional archival and records management program. In fact, this topic provided one of the earliest issues for discussion by the Advisory Committee over five years ago. During the intervening years the Committee has focused its efforts on securing additional staff for the Archives and also worked toward the development of "enabling" policies that would provide the necessary institutional support for the University Archives program. With the Board's approval of the last of these initiatives (University Archives Policy) occurring only in late March of this year, the Committee has now turned its attention back to the matter of the reporting relationship.
While recognizing the financial constraints within your organization, it is the Advisory Committee's hope that this important change in the University Archives' reporting relationship will be possible. We view this as a critical step in what will undoubtedly become an even more significant role for the University Archives in the management of the institution's recorded information.
When the University Archives Committee first met in 1991, the most significant problems confronting the University Archives were identified as: the absence of a formal institutional mandate/policy to support an institutional archival program; inadequate staff and funding to operate the Archives; and problems arising from the administrative placement of the University Archives within the Library structure.
From the beginning, the Advisory Committee has envisaged the development of an effective University Archives program within a broader framework of the overall management of the University's recorded information. As a consequence the Committee has set for itself and the University Archives an ambitious agenda with comprehensive responsibilities for the development and maintenance of an institutional archival and records management program.
Although the Committee has enjoyed considerable success in achieving most of its objectives, the administrative placement of the University Archives in the Library remains unresolved. In 1992, the Committee recommended that the "administrative reporting structure of the University Archives in the Library be improved to reflect its campus-wide operations" and that "the University Archivist report directly to the University Librarian." Unfortunately, for various reasons, the changes necessary to improve the administrative placement in the Library have not been made. This is not, however, to be critical of the Library or of Library attitudes toward the Archives. The Committee has always recognized and appreciated the support provided by the Library to the University Archives program.
The need to act on this recommendation has become more critical in light of developments affecting the operation of the University Archives. Two new positions have been created for the Archives, a full set of administrative records schedules have been developed and now await implementation across campus, a University Records Disposition Committee has been established, and the Board has approved the Policy on University Archives. This policy in conjunction with two others (records management and records retention and disposition) developed by the Advisory Committee assign the University Archivist responsibility for: identifying, managing, preserving and making accessible the institution's permanently valuable records; coordinating a University-wide records management program; and, monitoring the application of records schedules approved by the University. In light of these significant developments it is imperative that the status of the Archivist become commensurate with the level of administrative responsibilities s/he is expected to assume.
The Committee foresees that even as an independent unit within the Library the University Archives would continue to work very closely with Special Collections. These units will continue to share various affinities including physical storage space. It is expected that existing personnel arrangements (as, for example, the provision of five hours of clerical support by Archives Assistant to Special Collections) would continue.
If the Archives is to remain in the Library then we feel very strongly that the position of University Archivist should be upgraded to an administrative position reporting directly to the University Librarian. Without such a change, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the University Archivist to implement effectively archives and records management programs on a university-wide basis. Reporting directly to the University Librarian will improve not only the University Archivist's status and authority, but will also raise their visibility and facilitate communication between the University Archives and the broader university community.
Back to the UARMAC Minutes of 10 October 1996