Series II: John E. Ivey, Jr.

The records of John E. Ivey Jr. measure approximately 6.3 linear feet. The bulk of the material spans the years 1957-1959, with some files dating back to 1954. This subgroup has been processed into one administrative series containing 17 subseries. Certain files covering student problems, faculty appointments and the selection of Deans are restricted.

The records exhibit many of the changes occurring at NYU during this period, such as the introduction of all university departments, a point of contention between the administration and the Deans (see subseries III & XV), and an increased awareness of international affairs during the height of the Cold War. A subseries on international affairs (XII) contains material on the Center for International Affairs, the Brazilian Institute, Israel and a ground breaking Soviet-U.S. engineering exchange program.

The volume of records pertaining to international affairs is just one example of Ivey's more extraverted approach to NYU's educational mission than that of his predecessors. The files reflect a continuing involvement in educational television (subseries XVIII), while demonstrating the emergence of other technological advances in the field of education, such as the language laboratory and improved computer facilities. In addition, a subseries on special projects (XVI) conveys the sense of a new creative spirit at NYU during the late 1950s and leading into the early 1960s. There are files on various arts groups, an experimental liberal arts program, atomic energy, and many research ventures, programs and proposals. Finally, a file on the American Association of University Professors contains further information on the case of Edwin Berry Burgum, the Professor dismissed for being a member of the Communist Party.