These records of the Executive Vice-Chancellor's Office cover the activities of two vice-chancellors, David Henry and Carroll Newsom, and their involvement with educational television between 1952 and 1956. The records comprise a total of approximately 2 linear feet of materials that consist of correspondence, reports, minutes, publications, press releases, newspaper clippings, and accounting statements. Records reflect the interest in and concern for educational television by the two vice-chancellors, both in their official institutional capacities and in their personal capacities as educators. The records also give extensive coverage to the question of educational television legislation, philosophy, and technological developments.

The whole series consists of 54 folders divided by subject. There are 11 folders relating to the Board of Trustees, including an incomplete set of minutes. These document the initial selection of Board members by the Educational Agencies Committee and final appointment to the Board. One folder gives a breakdown of members by educational affiliation, but the bulk of these folders comprises correspondence between the chairman of META (and its predecessor organization) and the Board members. The correspondence is valuable, for it contains detailed reports of the development of META and the problems it confronted. Worthy of note is some correspondence regarding a candidate for membership in April/May 1954. His candidacy was questioned for political reasons, and there was apparent covert pressure from Governor Dewey.

There are three folders relating to the Executive Committee and five folders concerning the Executive Director of META from the years 1955-1956. Minutes contained in the correspondence files of the Executive Committee were removed to the specific folder containing minutes. The correspondence files of this committee cover the Production Cetner and negotiations with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. They also cover an important piece of legislation in New York in 1956 relating to the use of state funds for educational television. The folders entitled "Executive Director" contain correspondence between him and the chairman, and copies of other correspondence sent to the chairman for informational only. Aside from general administrative matters, the correspondence includes sources for funds, possible studio space, UHF/VHF channels, personnel and recruitment, and statements on META's self-image. Of particular concern to the Executive Director was the relationship between state funding and academic freedom.

Folders 32-37 are the general correspondence folders of the Educational Agencies Committee and, after June 1954, META. These five folders document the initial plans for educational television in New York, the establishment of the Educational Agencies Committee, and the later formation of META. All topics are covered: legislation, funding, Board membership, constituent organizations, incorporation and by-laws, UHF/VHF channels, and developments in educational television across the country.

Several committees were formed by META and its predecessor. These included the Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Committee on Personnel, and the Program Advisory Committee. The Educational Agencies Committee established a subcommittee on Organization for which there is a separate folder. The names of the committees are self-explanatory, but since the executive vice-chancellors did not sit in on these committees, their minutes and proceedings are not extensively documented in these records.

There are two folders relating to New York state. These contain correspondence relating primarily to the Temporary State Commission set up by Governor Dewey.

The other major files cover the by-laws of META, its incorporation, fundraising, facilities and equipment, the Production Center, and the UHF/VHF problem.