New University collection

Collection – Box: 1

Identifier: MS-1123

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

Correspondence, documents, clippings, and printed material documenting the formation of BGSU's New University program in May 1970.

Dates

Creation: 1967-1970

Extent

0.2 Cubic Feet (1 half-size letter size archive box)

Creator

Bowling Green State University. New University (Organization)

Scope and Contents

The New University records document the events surrounding the establishment of the New University program at BGSU during May of 1970. The collection includes numerous memos and correspondence from BGSU administration officials to faculty explaining their role in the New University and statements from the BGSU administration as well as from two other universities explaining the purpose and necessity for the New University program.

Printed materials in the collection include BGSU student protest flyers, a flyer from Columbus, one issue of The Militant, four issues of The Sentinel Tribune, and two issues of the BG News, all from 1969-1970.

Rounding out the collection are several reprints of contemporary essays about student rights and activism, a brief chronology of events occurring at Kent State around the shootings, and several drafts of blank questionnaires for students and faculty concerning the Kent State incident and the New University program. Also included are results to a survey conducted by the Bowling Green Peace Archive Committee concerning the moratorium-strike week of May 4-9, 1970, which was apparently part of the New University offerings.

Although rather small in size and limited to a very specific time frame, this collection provides insight into alternative strategies for colleges and universities when dealing with crises. Researchers concerned with the response of higher education institutions to the incident at Kent State and student unrest will find this collection useful.

Biographical / Historical

The New University program at Bowling Green State University was initiated as a response to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, but had been in development prior to the event due to numerous student protests and class boycotts occurring on BGSU’s campus. Many universities in Ohio temporarily closed following the Kent State shootings, but BGSU’s President William T. Jerome chose to follow a different path and kept the university open for classes.

The New University, which started in May 1970, consisted of numerous seminars designed to discuss the crises occurring in the United States as well as throughout the rest of the world. These seminars had a larger purpose, however, than simply discussing these issues, as students were expected to come up with realistic solutions to these problems and try to put them into practice. Students who chose to participate in the New University program could opt to take all or some of their classes as pass/fail instead of for a letter grade for the remainder of the quarter. It is unclear if the program continued after the spring of 1970.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Additional Description

Related Materials

More information about the New University program and events following the shootings at Kent State can be found in the records of the Office of the President during President Jerome's tenure.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This material was found in the University Archive and was processed as a separate collection in 2009.

Processing Information

This material was found in the University Archive and was processed as a separate collection by Jason Skock, Student Archival Assistant, in July 2009.