Dean of Students Office Records, 1943-1999

Series 1 includes records pertaining to Greek life at OSU along with over thirty specific fraternities and sororities. Many of the fraternities and sororities are no longer active at OSU, so much of the material on individual groups concerns their dissolution. Also included are conduct violations and their efforts to redeem themselves.

The series also includes rush lists, Panhellenic Council minutes, copies of the Greek Columns newspaper, Interfraternity Council officer lists, records from Student Affairs Task Force on Greek Life, correspondence, financials, and grade averages.

Of special note, this series has material that describes the initiation of Eugene Okino (1947-), a third-generation Japanese American, into OSU’s Beta Pi chapter of Sigma Chi in 1966. The OSU community supported the initiation of Okino, however a single Californian alumnae of Sigma Chi found Okino “personally unacceptable” and denied his initiation, an action supported the fraternity’s national constitution. Due to Oregon’s State Board of Higher Education and OSU’s non-discrimination policy, rejecting Okino would have made Beta Pi ineligible to continue as an organization at OSU. Ultimately, Sigma Chi’s national constitution was changed and Okino was initiated.

Series 2 contains information regarding different housing options in and around the OSU community. Broadly there are three areas in this series: resident halls, cooperatives (both privately owned and university owned), and off campus housing. Named housing residences included: Co-Resident Women’s Housing, Orchard Court, Campus Court, Beaver Lodge, The College Inn, and Varsity Housing. The records include policies, correspondence, committee notes. There is also instruction for unique roles such as the housemother and dorm resident assistants (RAs).

Series 3 includes papers related to “older than average” (OTA) students (over 25) and commuter students. During the 1970s and 1980s, OSU paid close attention to these students and their needs. OSU held special events for the OTA students, such as networking events, as well as conducted surveys to try and determine their unique interests and needs. Groups, such as the Chrysalis Society, were created as a support group for OTA students. Commuter students also got special attention, as a group with special needs. Much of the material on commuter students relates to the logistics of commuting, such as parking.

Series 4 is primarily general correspondence related to the running of and administration of the Dean of Students Office. The bulk of this correspondence spans from 1970 to 1975. Additionally, there are complaint letters and responses, correspondence regarding staff meetings, staff directories, and memoranda. The restricted correspondence are letters from students or prospective students with questions and concerns regarding their enrollment, personal matters, or academic issues. These letters document the types of concerns of incoming students during this time. Dr. Jo Anne Trow and Dan Poling are two of the primary people represented. They served as the last Dean of Women and Dean of Men, respectfully, before being named Associate Deans of Students in 1969, when their offices assumed responsibility for all the university’s students.

For more information about access to restricted materials, please see our Guide to the Special Collections and Archives Research Center.

Series 5, Administrative, includes budgets, annual reports, and staff meeting minutes. The bulk of the series dates from 1970 to 1975.

Series 6 contains information about withdrawals and retention. The Dean of Students Office paid attention to student withdrawal rates, with an eye towards understanding why students withdrew in hopes of preventing withdrawals in the future. Withdrawal reports document the variety of reasons students choose to leave the university, what they found to be good and bad about their student experience, and some basic data about them. There is also research on university withdrawal and attrition.

Series 7, Student Conduct, includes rules and regulations relating to student conduct including judicial committee bylaws, student conduct committee notes, and reports. The Student Conduct Committee was created in 1956.

Series 8 contains information on student deaths as well as the procedures for when a student dies, this includes instructions to contact next of kin, incident reports, financial considerations (fees owed/refunds) and coordinating next of kin’s wishes for arrangements.

Content warning: Some of the material in Series 8, Student Deaths, refer to cases of murder and suicide.

Series 9 contains many variations of newsletters and brochures related to the activity of the Student Services Office. It also has publications for older than average students, resident advisers, and staff. Publications include: Student Services Staff newsletter, The Peril of Pauline in Apartmentland, Oregon, RA Newsletter, Student Services Brochure, Tracks, Vintage Viewpoint, Vintage Wine, Chrysalis Society Newsletter, and the Student Services Newspaper.

Series 10 consists of files organized by topic that were collected for reference and informational purposes. Subjects include the Office of Educational Opportunity, community college visitation, alcohol policies, Title IX compliance, college student services administration, the Persian Gulf War, minority students, orientation, non-traditional students, and honors societies. The honors societies include Talons, Thanes, and Blue Key.