New York University

The Class Collection documents selected student and alumni activities of New York University graduating classes from 1843-1966. Formal and informal gatherings were common, and were documented in detail by the participants.

New York University (formerly, University of the City of New York), is an academic institution and, as such, its faculty produces articles and books in their respective fields. This collection is an assortment of writings created by various people from multiple fields, indicating the extensive academic work completed by scholars throughout NYU's history. Maintaining these writings fulfills the mission statement of the University Archives in two ways: first, by providing a final repository for NYU-related records, and second, by documenting the intellectual history of the University through the physical preservation of materials.

The New York University Self-Study was proposed in 1952 by Dr. Henry T. Heald, then Chancellor of NYU, in a conversation with Mr. Charles Dollard, President of the Carnegie Corporation. A letter from Dr. Heald requesting a $250,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation to fund the study explains the impetus behind such an undertaking. He writes:

The surveys in this collection were conducted from 1930 through 1972 by the University administration or hired consultants under the direction and authorization of the University Council or the Chancellor's Office. Some of the survey materials originated in Chancellor Harry Woodburn Chase's office, while others were administered by Harold O. Voorhis' office or requested by non-university agencies. The surveys contain statistical and descriptive data regarding the following subjects: the cost of higher education; student enrollment; geographic origin of students; divisional and course enrollment and descriptions; faculty background and compensation; non-academic compensation; staff relationships with administration; comparisons of academic and non-academic compensation; the occupations and professions that attracted University graduates; finances, including income, tuition, expenses and cost of buildings and facilities; use of space; and the development of NYU's public relations program. The reports in this collection reflect the development of NYU's self-image and goals as an institution of higher education in an urban setting. The surveys confront major issues in higher education, such as the tension between the value of a classical education as opposed to vocational or pre-professional training. The reports trace innovations in the humanities, science and technical coursework, in the development of medical, dental, and nursing education and in the developmental relationship of the humanities to technical fields as a supportive intellectual area over a forty-one year period. The University surveys also contain data related to the development of the technical and medical professions, and the professionalization of technical and medical occupations. There is also material related to the education of women, the history of non-industrial labor relations, and the comparative status of academic and non-academic occupations.

This collection contains videorecordings produced by the Office of Media Production from 1983-2000.

Publications and yearbooks that make up the collection include: The Violet, The Commerce Violet, The Album, The Torch, New York University Bulletin, University Bibliography, and commencement programs.

New York University

Students

Periodicals.

local

This collection contains videotapes produced by the Office of Media Production from 1983-2007.

The Office of Media Production was established to "create digital communication strategies to advance recruitment, development and public relations." It consults on, conceives and produces video content for departments and schools for a variety of purposes. The office began in an informal capacity when Elisa Guarino began producing video works for the Office of the Vice President of External Affairs in the early 1980s. It became an official University operation around 1987 and remained under External Affairs until NYU President John Sexton later brought that department under the auspices of the Office of University Relations and Public Affairs, which "is responsible for ensuring that NYU's message, agenda, and image are effectively and creatively projected to both external and internal audiences."

Guarino continues to run the department. Based on the project titles in the online finding aid, the collection contains promotional productions, University commencement ceremonies, lectures, panel discussions, and other events as well as B-roll footage of the NYU campus, study abroad sites and other New York City locations.

The New York University Self-Study was proposed in 1952 by Dr. Henry T. Heald, then Chancellor of NYU, in a conversation with Mr. Charles Dollard, President of the Carnegie Corporation. A letter from Dr. Heald requesting a $250,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation to fund the study explains the impetus behind such an undertaking. He writes:

"New York University is the largest privately supported institution of higher education in the country. The way in which it solves its problems will have meaning for higher education throughout the country and perhaps in other parts of the world. How best to meet the higher educational needs of Americans of the second half of the twentieth century in the large cities where most of the people now live and in large universities, to which most of our college students now go, is of fundamental significance to the future of America."

The study was administered by the Office of Institutional Research and Educational Planning (OIREP), established June 14, 1953, and the Directing Committee of the Self-Study. Faculty and administrators were asked to evaluate their departments. The study also incorporated evaluation of University-community relations and solicited evaluations by alumni. On September 27, 1955, the Self-Study Committee issued an Interim Report, which outlined many of the subjects covered by the Final Report. The Self-Study is significant in that it was the first time a large university, like NYU, undertook such a comprehensive self-evaluation.

This collection contains the background material for the self-study, including individual departmental reports, a series of working files, documents relating to the organization of OIREP, as well as conference reports and proceedings.

Sources:

Edwin Berry Burgum (1894 - 1979) was born in Concord, New Hampshire. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Dartmouth College (1915), a Master's from Harvard (1917), and his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois (1924). In 1924 Burgum began his career as an Associate Professor of English at New York University. In March 1927 he married Mildred Rabinowich.

His accomplishments included the publication of many books and articles in the field of literary criticism such as The Literary Career of Edward Bulwer Lord Lytton (1926), The New Criticism (1930), Ulysses and the Impasse of Individualism, (1941) and The Novel and the World's Dilemma, (1947). From 1936 to 1938 Burgum was an active contributor and editor of the Marxist quarterly Science and Society. Burgum served as president of the College Teachers' Union of New York City.

During the McCarthy era Burgum was one of five collegiate faculty members subpoenaed by the McCarran sub-committee of the Senate, organized to investigate communism in American schools. At a hearing in October 1952 Burgum invoked the first and fifth amendments in response to Senate questions concerning his political beliefs. Arguing that his refusal to answer was a matter of principle, he was subsequently suspended from his teaching post. In April 1953, following his request for a hearing before the NYU Faculty Committee hearing, he was dismissed.

Over the next several years, the Committee for the Reinstatement of Professor Burgum, made up of lawyers, teachers and unions, continued to advocate on his behalf. The publication, Academic Freedom and New York University: the Case of Professor Edwin Berry Burgum, resulted from their efforts. Despite NYU's refusal to reinstate Burgum, he continued to publish and pursue his former interests. However, the outcome of his trial took a tragic toll on his family and led to a new career as a lay analyst and psychotherapist. In July of 1979 Burgum died after a long illness.

The following are excerpts from Senate Council minutes and provide a chronology of events:

Oct 27, 1952, p. 4

Associate Professor Edwin Berry Burgum has been suspended from University duty because of failure to answer questions concerning affiliation with the Communist Party put by a duly constituted committee of the U.S. Senate. He is entitled to faculty and Council hearings and is expected to request same.

Nov 10, 1952, p. 4

Report that Prof. Burgum had requested review of his case by a standing committee of faculty of Wash. Sq. College, but Senate had recommended to Council that a committee of professorial members of Senate be agency of review. Further report later.

Jan 24, 1952, p. 4

Voted to refer Burgum's case to a committee consisting of the professorial members of the University Senate for review and report prior to final action by the Council. Report from the Chancellor on recommendations of the Senate and of the faculty comm. of Washington Square College re. designation of a reviewing agency, and letter from Dean Pollock recommending dismissal of Burgum, included in the minutes. Burgum has appealed the decision to have the elected professorial members of the Senate constitute the committee to review his case. Appeal denied. First session of hearing to take place Jan. 19, 1953.

Jan 26, 1953, p. 2

University Senate Committee hearing in Burgum case has been postponed to Feb. 18 at Prof. Burgum's request, but every effort will be made to prevent further delay and resolve the issue.

Mar 9, 1953, p. 7

Faculty committee of Senate has devoted two weeks to hearing Prof. Burgum1s case and after another two weeks of study will present a report for Council review.

Apr 15, 1953, p. 5

A motion to ratify and confirm the suspension of Prof. Burgum and dismiss him from the faculty referred to Council for consideration. Resolution adopted re. the notification of Prof. Burgum and arrangement of a hearing.

Apr 21, 1953, p. 1

Hearing of Burgum case; stenotype record attached to file copy of minutes. Final action held over to later meeting

Apr 30, 1953, p. 1-3

Resolutions adopted stating the conclusions of the. Council re. the facts of the Burgum case, and re-solving : (1) that the existing suspension of Edwin Berry Burgum and his deprivation of privileges and duties as a member of the faculty and associate professor in Washington Square College be and the same hereby are ratified and confirmed ; and (2) that Edwin Berry Burgum be and he hereby is removed and dismissed from the faculty of New York University without salary for any period after the date of the adoption of these resolutions."

Apr 23, 1956, p. 3

Reported that American Association of University Professors has decided to investigate the cases of Bradley and Burgum at NYU. Chanc. stated that NYU will cooperated fully, although it believes the cases were handled fairly here.

Oct 28, 1957, p. 2

Reported that committee of the American Association of University Professors had rendered report on cases of two dismissed NYU professors in which they recommended procedural changes for such cases, but that Pres. Newsom had declined to support the proposals and regards the issues as closed.

Apr 28, 1958, p. 1

Reported that final AAUP comm. report on dismissal cases reflected slight shift favorable to University administration but was still critical at points and left the University open to censure by Association at large. Recommendations of report receiving consideration.

Sep 22, 1958, p. 3

Reported that AAUP had continued threat of censorship of NYU unless actions in Bradley and Burgum cases were amended, including payment of year's quittance salary to each. AAUP proposals had been referred to comm. of professorial members of University Senate for advice. Board members who had been party to original actions spoke against amending them.

Mar 23, 1959, p. 3

President spoke on criticisms by AAUP and their review by a comm. of University Senate with results ending to support the University's position. The Chairman expressed his conviction that University action in the two criticized cases were justifiable.

Apr 27, 1959, p. 1-2

Reported that AAUP had censured NYU for reasons arising from dismissals of Burgum and Bradley. Chairman characterized the action as unwarranted and demands for salary redress as untenable. President stated he anticipated no occasion for amending University action in either case.

Apr 24, 1961, p. 2

Reported AAUP had lifted its censure of NYU due to exemplary revision of University rules of tenure and regardless of the University's refusal to meet salary claims of two dismissed professors. Excerpts from the minutes of the Senate Council. Original in Box 6, folder 1.

In 1964, the Ford Foundation awarded New York University a challenge grant of $25 million to accelerate the University's development as a leader in private urban higher education. The grant was unrestricted as to use and carried a 3-1 matching requirement, within the matching $75 million to be raised within five years from non-governmental resources.

The grant was part of the Ford Foundation's Special Program in Education, under which grants had been made to nine other universities since 1960 to advance their development as regional and national centers of excellence. Selection was based upon geographical location, excellence of leadership, strength of constituency, strategic importance to other universities of the same type and other universities in the same region, a tradition of scholarship or clear evidence of a desire and an ability to achieve it, and plans to move toward greater scholarly accomplishment.

NYU used the grant to strengthen the entire university, with particular attention to improved library, classroom, and laboratory facilities; increased scholarship and fellowship aid; and improved working and living conditions for the faculty.

The bulk of this collection contains photographic and print images of Washington Square Park and the surrounding area. Buildings that are part of New York University's Washington Square campus, extant as well as demolished are included in this collection.

There is a separate series for the the University Building, New York University's first permanent home. It was constructed on the northeast corner of the park between Washington Place and Waverly Place in 1833-34. Architects Ithiel Town, Alexander Jackson Davis, and James Dakin as well as NYU engineering professor David B. Douglass designed the university’s first building in the Gothic Revival-style. This type of architectural style was meant to evoke the medieval buildings of Oxford and Cambridge and link the more modern and practical American curriculum the university was founded on to the long, rich tradition of English education.

Initially, the building was too large for the student body to fill so residential rooms, studios, and laboratories were rented out to a variety of artists and inventors including Winslow Homer and Samuel F.B. Morse. In the late 19th century as the university expanded, the undergraduate college moved to the more spacious University Heights campus in the Bronx initially leading to the decline of the Washington Square campus and in 1894 the University Building was demolished. It was replaced by Main Building (now the Silver Center).

Sources:

"The University Building." The University Quarterly 17 (May 1894): 116-123. "University Building." New York University Education Quarterly (Spring 1981): 20.

The surveys in this collection were conducted from 1930 through 1972 by the University administration or hired consultants under the direction and authorization of the University Council or the Chancellor's Office. Some of the survey materials originated in Chancellor Harry Woodburn Chase's office, while others were administered by Harold O. Voorhis' office or requested by non-university agencies.

The surveys contain statistical and descriptive data regarding the following subjects: the cost of higher education; student enrollment; geographic origin of students; divisional and course enrollment; course descriptions; faculty background and compensation; non-academic compensation; staff relationships with administration; comparisons of academic and non-academic compensation; the occupations and professions that attracted University graduates; finances, tuition, expenses and cost of buildings and facilities; use of space; and the development of NYU's public relations program.

The reports in this collection reflect the development of NYU's projected public image. The surveys confront major issues in higher education, such as the tension between the value of a classical education as opposed to vocational or pre-professional training. The reports trace innovations in the humanities, science and technical coursework, in the development of medical, dental, and nursing education and in the developmental relationship of the humanities to technical fields as a supportive intellectual area over a forty-one year period.

The University surveys also contain data related to the development of the technical and medical professions, and the professionalization of technical and medical occupations. There is also material related to the education of women, the history of non-industrial labor relations, and the comparative status of academic and non-academic occupations.

NYU TV and Media Services, part of the Division of Libraries, was founded in the early 1990s to provide cable and video production services to the university. Since its inception, it has grown to include three separate departments: NYU-TV, the Television Center, and Campus Cable. NYU-TV comprises the university’s closed-circuit channels used for information, education, and entertainment purposes and is broadcast in campus buildings and residence halls. The TV Center is home to NYU-TV and serves as the NYU community's resource for video production. Campus Cable is the multi-channel television system serving the NYU residence halls and is made up of traditional cable as well as NYU-TV channels.

Source:

NYU-TV and Media Services. "About Us." NYU TV and Media Services. http://www.nyu.edu/tv.media/about.us/.