The university opened its firstinfirmary in 1858. Beginning in 1890, members of the medical faculty wereresponsible for treating students there. The infirmary, however, had no full-timephysician until 1919, when the first university physician was appointed. The nameinfirmary continued to be used informally to designate the building; but as early as1938, the university physician's annual report referred to the entity as theUniversity Health Service. By the late 1940s, that name had changed to StudentHealth Service. Originally, the university physician reported to the president, thenlater to the chancellor, of the university. With the creation of the Division ofStudent Affairs in 1954, the university physician began reporting to the head ofthat division, the dean of student affairs (later vice chancellor for studentaffairs). In 1959, the university physician's title was changed to director of theStudent Health Service. Records include correspondence to and from the Directors ofthe Student Health Service, as well as numerous reports and committee and staffmeeting minutes. Files pertain to administrative matters, including space and budgetneeds, and to various health concerns and issues faced by the Student HealthService. Of particular interest are files from the 1940s relating to sanitaryconditions on campus, files from the 1970s relating to women's health, and files onthe planning and implementation of medical reimbursement insurance for students.Student Health Service directors who figure prominently in these records includeEdward M. Hedgpeth, James A. Taylor, and Judith R. Cowan.
