The first and largest series is Events (planned for alumni), 1928-2006, undated [bulk 1980-2006] 6 cubic feet (6 boxes). Types of Events are described above. Materials in the series may include photographs, programs, invitations, notes, letters, arrangement information, documentation of attendees, CDs, videos, and other materials. Other series include: Board of CMU Alumni Association Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, and related materials, 1967-2006 (approximately .5 cubic foot); Budget Books for Alumni Events, outings, endowments, scholarships, development, annual reports, honor roll of donors, and goals and objectives, 1975-2010 (approximately .5 cubic foot); Development Board Meeting Minutes, and related materials, 2000-2004 (4 folders), and a Slide presentation “CMU Reflections of the Past, Present and Future”, CMU Library Instructional Resources (some slides stamped as property of the Clarke Historical Library), (20 slides), undated (1 small slide box).
Processing Note: The collection was stored for a long time in an off-campus storage facility. In June 2014, the collection was split between the Clarke Historical Library Archives (informational materials, approximately 80 cubic feet) and the CMU Museum (objects) as much as possible.
A large percentage of the collection in the Clarke was withdrawn during processing. 74.5 cubic feet consisting mostly of massive duplication, blank forms, generic correspondence, miscellaneous financial records such as receipts and pay orders that were all well over seven years old, and miscellaneous notes. Approximately four cubic feet of duplicate books or other copyrighted works created by alumni were returned to the office as per their request. Twenty books and about .5 cubic foot of various types of alumni directories, which were not duplicates, were added to the Clarke collection and individually cataloged. One cubic feet of Chippewa yearbooks was retained by the Clarke to replace its Chippewas when they become worn out from use. One cubic feet of three-dimensional objects such as hats, tote bags, pins, and miniature Warriner Hall buildings, was transferred to the CMU Museum to join the rest of the objects there.
Additionally, initially housed with the collection was the Les O. Carlin Collection, 1940, 2014 (scattered), and undated (2 cubic ft. (in 2 boxes, 2 Ov. V., 1 framed object), which was separately processed and cataloged in the Clarke. Some of the materials in this collection initially went to the Museum and were later transferred to the Archives. For more information on this collection see its catalog record and finding aid.
Related Collections: Besides the collections mentioned above, other related collections in the Clarke include CMU. Development Office videotapes and two CMU. Public Relations and Marketing Posters collections.
Organizational History:
Central Michigan University (CMU) alumni have existed since the first students graduated from CMU after it was established in 1892. The first listing for a formal CMU Alumni Office, listed off-campus, with Donald W. Carr as Secretary of Alumni Relations, is found in the 1958/59 CMU Student-Faculty Directory. Beginning in 1983/84, Alumni Relations was linked with Development. In 2014 Alumni Relations is a subunit of Development and External Relations.
There have been numerous changes in the unit since 1958/59. Major changes in the unit’s title, focus, and reorganization, and in the number of staff, reflect funding changes for the university which occurred over the years. For example, the staff remained at one person for twenty years until 1976, then climbed slowly to ten (1986/87), doubled the next year, fell in the late 1990s, doubled again by 2000/01, and finally grew into the forties (2002/03) where it remains in 2014.
Over the decades, Alumni Relations successfully planned, organized, and led thousands of varied Events for alumni in different donation groups, graduation classes, and other clubs, throughout Michigan and numerous other states. These Events included homecoming Events, various sports Events especially football, basketball, baseball games and tournaments, and golf outings, trips, holiday gathering, reunions, club and special interest gatherings. Alumni Relations created directories and helped developed alumni clubs in locations throughout the United States and abroad. Notably, Alumni Relations helped plan and coordinate the Lem Tucker Speaker Series Events.
Alumni and student volunteers have always assisted with alumni Events. For further information, see the papers of Ardith Westie (CMU, 1942) which are also housed in the Clarke Historical Library. (This information is from the collection, the CMU Directories, and the Charles/Ardith Westie collection.)
Unit name: Alumni Relations, 1958/59-1983/84; Alumni Relations/Development, 1983/84-1986/87; Development and Alumni Relations, 1986/87-1990/91; University Advancement, 1990/91-2011/12; Development and External Relations, 2011/12-present (2014).
Unit location: Off-campus, probably Carr’s home, 1958/59-1970/71; University Center 1970/71-1973/74; Barnard Center, 1973/74-1976/77; Rowe 103, 1976/77-1986/87; Rowe 103 and 105, 1986/87-1990/91; [Carlin] Alumni House, 1990/91-present (2014).
Unit leader and title: Donald W. Carr, Secretary of Alumni Relations, 1958/59- 1976/77; Donald W. Carr, Executive Director, Alumni Relations, 1976/77-1980/81; Ronald E. Dangler, Director of Alumni Relations, 1980/81-1983/84; Ronald E. Dangler, Director of Alumni Relations/Associate Director of Development, 1983/84-1984/85; Carol A. Furrow, Director of Alumni Relations/Associate Director of Development, 1984/85-1990/91; Robert L. Rulong, Associate Vice President of University Advancement, 1990/91-1995/96; Elizabeth Stafford, Associate Vice President of University Advancement, 1995/96-1998/99; Michael Leto, Associate Vice President of University Advancement, 1998/99-2009/10; Edward A. Tolcher, Interim Vice President of University Advancement, 2009/10-2011/12; Kathleen M. Wilbur, Vice President of University Advancement, 2011/12-2012/13; Kathleen M. Wilbur, Vice President of Development and External Relations, 2012/13-present (2014).
