Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Administrative Files (boxes 1-53; 55-67; 124-125; 131; 157; and 168) includes correspondence (boxes 1-67; and 168) spans the period from 1897-1999 when the various alumni and professional societies were combined into the Alumni Association. The basic arrangement of the correspondence is in chronological periods and thereunder in a basic alphabetical sequence. The bulk of the correspondence is that of the Alumni Association General Secretary (later Executive Director) although correspondence of field secretaries and other alumni officers is also present. Subject access to the correspondence is largely non-existent. In order to make use of these records some familiarity with key individuals or events in the history of the university is required. Much of the correspondence is routine in nature, pertaining to more mundane matters like payment of dues, subscriptions to the Michigan Alumnus and requests for football tickets. Interspersed among the mundane letters, however, are news items and reminiscences from alumni, information on various class memorials and responses to various Alumni Association requests such as names of alumni who fought in the Civil War, Spanish American War and later wars. Information on films and recordings detailing the work of the university which were made available to alumni groups is also interspersed among the correspondence.

Of particular note is correspondence surrounding the building of Alumni Memorial Hall (now the Art Museum). Built during 1908-1910, the planning, design, and intended use of the building was frequently discussed during the years from 1903 to 1912. Much of this discussion and fundraising took place at the same time a similar campaign was underway for the Michigan Union. Conflict between the two proposals as well as confusion among alumni solicited for funds by both campaigns is evident in the correspondence covering this period. Issues of the Michigan Alumnus during this period also help to frame the issues surrounding this controversy. Additional documentation on building projects is available in the Special Projects and Subjects series. Other key eras such as World War II are reflected in extensive correspondence with alumni in the armed services. Other materials within this series include alumni directories (including Black, Hispanic, Mexican, and Puerto Rican alumni), a list of directors and officers of the Alumni Association, meeting minutes, and retreat documemtation.

The Administrative Files series documents the decisions of high level administrators and committees regarding the planning and management of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. A large portion of the series consists of material from the Board of Directors, including a complete run of minutes from the mid to late 1980s, as well as minutes from their retreats and special meetings. Also included are annual, financial, and strategic planning meeting reports.

An area of note within the series includes records of past presidents and organization officers. Material related to Chad Audi can be found in the Chad Audi series.

Material from COO Barbara Willis document the DRMMs work with external organizations and development efforts. The series includes one file of material noting the recognition recieved by Donald DeVos for his work with the organization during the 1990s.

The Administrative Files (18.5 linear feet) has a heavy emphasis on documenting the annual conventions, executive committee meetings, and the activities of organization presidents. Other administrative functions are documented as well. Note: while most of the years have their own folders or dividers, some have been left in binders with the year clearly visible and were not placed in folders.

The Administrative Files, 1929-2001 is a scattering of topical files including information on departmental governance, departmental reviews, and material on the Interdisciplinary Program in Classical Art and Archaeology (IPCAA).

The Administrative File series contains materials related to the history, organization, and administration of the Michigan Natural Areas Council.

The series has been divided into six subseries: the Background/Historical subseries, the Chronological subseries, the Committees subseries, the Executive Committees subseries, the Organizational Affiliations subseries and the Website subseries.

The Administrative Files have three subseries: General (1945-1981), Lectures, Conferences and Workshops (1928-1979) and Department Research (1950-1964).

The Administrative Files series (1947-1991, 2.5 linear feet) consists of minutes of the center's executive committee meetings, staff meeting notes, and meetings and reports evaluating the center's programs. The executive committee minutes cover a wide variety of topics, including funding, appointments, and research. The staff meeting files often concern future plans for the center.

Administrative Files, 1964-1997 contain the correspondence of five directors pertaining to Executive Committee matters. Also included in the series is a nearly complete set of Executive Committee minutes. The Evaluations subseries provides both an inside and an outside view of the program through documentation from 1) departmental reviews conducted by the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, and 2) an interesting critique of the program written by a former faculty member. Three folders of flyers from department-sponsored lectures and brown-bag talks illustrate the gradual change in program philosophy from the early 1970 emphasis on a single American experience to the later emphasis on the experiences of many different races, ethnicities, and socio-economic classes.

The Administrative Files series (8 linear feet) consists of materials, 1970-1988, that directly relate to the coordination of substance abuse prevention and treatment programs. Included are annual reports, correspondence, plans, contracts, budgets, directories of agencies, proposals, and reports.

The researcher can get a basic introduction to the complex state substance abuse network by starting with the "History - Substance Abuse Coordination" folder in box one. An overview of how SACA operates can be discerned by reviewing the Comprehensive Plans and Annual Action Plans. The Comprehensive Plans, which end in 1978, document the early operations of the coordinating agency and contain budget summaries, definitions and provider agency information broken down by the type of service provided: prevention, casefinding or treatment. The Annual Action Plans follow chronologically after the Comprehensive Plans and, with the exception of fiscal year 1985/86, there is a complete run of these documents through 1987. Information in the annual plans is organized by agency names and gives an excellent overview of budgets, funding priorities and funded agencies.

The most important function of the coordinating agency is its role in the funding process. The "funding" folders contain reports, proposals, correspondence, minutes, personal notes and statistics. These materials illustrate funding patterns and guidelines, as well as the actual process of making funding decisions.

The researcher can investigate attempts to develop effective management techniques used in coordinating activities by examining the Integrated Substance Abuse Management Information System (ISAMIS), Management Information System (MIS), and Data Compact materials. ISAMIS was the first attempt by OSAS to develop a standardized statewide information system. Due to deficiencies perceived in the ISAMIS system, a Coordinating Agency Consortium was formed in 1977 to develop a more efficient system. This group eventually evolved into the Southeastern Michigan Data Compact, which became the basis for a statewide substance abuse database. The folders labeled "Documentation Flow Charts and Forms" in the MIS materials provide the researcher with insight into the nature of client documentation at various agencies. This information was used in a MIS revision and includes the types of data collected, how the paperwork flows through the pertinent organizations and time estimates for the various processes.

The credentialing of substance abuse professionals in Michigan can be studied by referring to the "credentialing" folders. Materials relate to the development of the Apprentice Counselor Credential of the OSAS which began in December 1982 and the merging of this system with the existent Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Specialists system in 1984. The goals of credentialing are to assure minimum levels of knowledge among direct service staff and to recognize high levels of competency among counselors so that they can compete professionally with "degreed" individuals.

The PA 339 materials illustrate the response of the substance abuse network to a piece of high impact legislation, in this case the Substance Abuse Assistance Act (Decriminalization of Public Intoxication). The researcher can trace the history of the committees which were formed and the procedures developed to effect a smooth transition to the new system.

The complex issues involved in determining the degree of success treatment has achieved can be investigated in the Treatment Outcome Project folders, which contain reports, memos, correspondence, surveys, minutes, and a dissertation on factors in successful treatment. The focus of the project shifted away from determining client satisfaction to outcome assessment. Demand for data on the effectiveness of programs has arisen from consumer groups, legislators, insurance companies, and other funding sources. Resulting information has been used to monitor client outcome, assess program effectiveness, and as an aid in program planning.

The Administrative Files (0.75 linear feet) series is comprised of papers related to the establishment and continued development of the program. It includes accreditation reports, correspondence, department development plans, executive committee meeting minutes, papers of the committees on residency and research programs, and department review reports from 1983.