The Faculty and Staff Files (145 linear feet; 1944-2005) are arranged alphabetically by surname and contain academic and biographical information on nearly 6000 faculty and staff, including many who are inactive, retired or deceased. The files were maintained by the University of Michigan News and Information Service. Early on the files were working files holding ready reference biographical information and copies of press releases. Eventually the files came to include collected information such as copies of local and national newspaper articles where faculty or staff members were mentioned.
The amount of information per individual varies considerably, ranging from a single item to multiple folders. Files dating from around 1960-1995 tend to have more documentation than dates outside of this range, though there are some exceptions. Specific types of information include copies of news releases where the individual is mentioned, pages from Regents' meetings detailing appointments (resignations, faculty appointments, promotions, reassignments, sabbaticals, adoption of memoirs for retirements and deaths, etc.), newspaper clippings, magazine articles, preprints or reprints of publications, curricula vitae or other biographical summaries, and obituaries. In addition, some of the files contain photographs and negatives. (Photograph Series D of the News and Information Services records contains more than 4,000 faculty and staff portraits. A separate finding aid is available for that series.)
Files of University of Michigan presidents such as Alexander Ruthven and Harlan Hatcher are within the collection, as are files of various members of the Board of Regents. Distinguished alumni of the University of Michigan, including Nobel Prize winners Stanley Cohen and Raoul Wallenberg, also have files. The collection is of interest to researchers who desire a greater understanding of the professional interests and activities of faculty members in particular.
The University of Michigan News and Information Services is responsible for preparing press releases about university activities, providing photographs and film of university functions and scholarly announcements to the various news media, and publishing and distributing the University Record and Michigan Today.
News and Information Services has undergone several name and organizational changes throughout its history. Beginning in 1897, the university had a department of information services that performed many of the functions of a press office. In 1930, following the installation of President Alexander G. Ruthven, the university created a News Dissemination Service (often called the University of Michigan News Service). Over the ensuing decades the name of the organization has changed from News Service to Information Services, and finally to News and Information Services. The organizational home of the unit has also changed as it moved from an independent unit to part of the Bureau of Alumni Relations, and later part of the Office of University Relations. It currently is part of the office of Vice President for Communications.
