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The Faculty and Staff files contain biographical and background information created and collected by the University of Michigan News and Information Services. News and Information Services is the media relations office of the university. The files represent more than 6,000 individual faculty and staff members. Some files contain photographs.

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.

Consortium of universities created to study tropical environments focusing on Central America and field activities in tropical habitats. The University of Michigan became a founding member of OTS in April 1963. Administrative records chiefly concerning University of Michigan involvement in the Organization for Tropical Studies and related programs. Records include initial planning documents, committee files, meeting minutes, proposals, reports, topical files and curriculum material. Includes correspondence of Norman Hartweg and Stephen Spurr; also records collected by Warren H. Wagner.

The records from the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) measure 10 linear feet, spanning the years from 1948 to 1986. It is comprised of 13 series: Committee Records; Correspondence; Education Program; Establishment Files; Financial Records; Meeting Files; Membership Records; Projects, Proposals, and Reports; Topical Files, Writings, Files from the office of Warren H. Wagner, and Organizing Committee. There is a related collection of OTS material at Duke University as well as related material located as part of the Stephen H. Spurr papers.