Seattle University Office of the President: William J. Sullivan, SJ Records

Seattle University Office of the President: William J. Sullivan, SJ Records, 1976-2009

Overview of the Collection

Title: Seattle University Office of the President: William J. Sullivan, SJ Records
Dates: 1976-2009 (inclusive)
19762009
Quantity: 21.5 linear feet, (23 boxes, 3 oversize boxes, and 61 artifacts)
Collection Number: RG 005.06 (collection)
Summary: William J. Sullivan, SJ served as the 20th President of Seattle University from 1976-1996, and also as Chancellor from 1996-2009. Fr. Sullivan was one of the most successful administrators in Seattle University history, stabilizing finances, establishing an endowment, inaugurating new academic and professional programs (most notably the Law School), while transforming the physical campus. This collection contains records from his time as President (1976-1996) and Chancellor (1996-2009).
Repository: Seattle University, Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons, Special Collections
Special Collections
Lemieux Library & McGoldrick Learning Commons
Seattle University
901 12th Avenue
Seattle, WA
98122-1090
Telephone: 2062966209
Fax: 2062966224
speccoll@seattleu.edu
Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for preparing the finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

William J. Sullivan, SJ served as the 20th President of Seattle University from 1976-1996. A member of the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Sullivan was only the second university president not from the Oregon Province Jesuits. Fr. Sullivan was the first Roman Catholic priest admitted to the religious studies program at Yale Divinity School, receiving his doctorate in 1971. Fr. Sullivan was serving as Dean of the St. Louis Divinity School when he was appointed Provost of Seattle University in 1975. Fr. Sullivan was appointed President in 1976 following the departure of Edmund Ryan, SJ. Fr. Sullivan was one of the most successful administrators in university history. Under his presidency finances were stabilized, an endowment was established, new academic and professional programs were launched (most notably the Law School), and the physical campus was transformed with ecological green landscaping and new and renovated buildings, including the Casey Building, the Chapel of St. Ignatius, the George Tsutakawa fountain, Sullivan Hall and the Garrand building.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains presidential subject files (1976-1996), speeches and talks (1976-1999), documentation and planning for the Seattle University Centennial Celebration (1991), personal papers, Trustees, Regents and Cabinet records (1981-1987), Chancellor records (1996-2009), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Board records (1998-2003), homilies and sermons for Sundays, Feast Days, funerals and weddings (1990-2008), awards, trophies, plaques, photographs, course development notes for the Matteo Ricci College humanities and political science class titled Leadership: Theory and Practice (2001-2003), course development for Alumni seminars, such as Great Jesuit Thinkers (featuring Teilhard de Chardin), Fr. Sullivan's doctoral dissertation, and an oral history recording (2008) highlighting the challenges and milestones of his presidency.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Seattle University Office of the President: William J. Sullivan, SJ Records, Special Collections, Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons, Seattle University.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Records arranged by Mary Linden Sepulveda

Separated Materials

117 monographs and booklets received with these records are cataloged and available in the library's main book collection.

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents