Guide to the Westminster College President's Office. Presidents' annual reports

Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah was chartered in 1895 under the name Sheldon Jackson College. General John Eaton was the first and only person to serve as the president of Sheldon Jackson College (from 1895-1901). The college opened in 1897 on the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute campus and held one commencement under that name on June 4, 1901. The Trustees approved a name change to "Westminster College" in February 6, 1902. Dr. Rev. George Bailey, a Presbyterian minister, became the 2nd president later in 1902, and lived in Washington D.C. to fundraise for the new college. The 3rd president, Robert M. Stevenson, was also a Presbyterian minister and served from 1906-1912.

The 4th president, Herbert Ware Reherd served 20 years in office (1913-1939). Both he, and his successor, 5th president Robert Denham Steele, were Presbyterian ministers; Steele was also Reherd's son-in-law. Burton C.J. Wheatlake, a successful businessman from Salt Lake City, graduate of Westminster College, and long-time trustee, agreed to be an interim president for 4 months in 1952 while a presidential search was taking place. J. Richard Palmer, 7th president (1953-1956), broke the tradition of hiring Presybterian ministers; Palmer came to the college from Denver, Colorado, where he was serving as a Methodist minister. Frank E. Duddy, Jr. the 7th president (1956-1963) was the school’s first non-ministerial president.

W. Fred Arbogast, president from 1963-1968 was a Westminster alumnus and the former principal of East High and Highland High School in Salt Lake City. He held graduate degrees from the University of Denver and University of Utah. His term included the addition of the first free-standing library on campus, Nightingale Hall. He died in July, 1984

Manford Shaw, president from 1968-1976, was a Westminster graduate and earned degrees from Yale and the University of Utah. He was also a college trustee. His term saw a much needed Union Building and Malouf Hall added to campus.

Helmut P. Hofmann, president from 1976-1979, had a Ph.D. from Heidelberg University, Germany and had been the Academic vice president at both Weber State in Ogden, Utah and at Westminster College before being chosen as Westminster president in 1976.

James E. ("Pete") Petersen, Kennecott Copper Company's industrial relations manager served the college twice, once for 8 months as Interim President in 1979 and again from 1982-1985 (as President). A businessman with no college degree, he saw the college through the brink of bankruptcy and a reorganization that put it on the road to its current success.

C. David Cornell, president from 1979-1982, had previously served as vice president of colleges in New York, Ohio and North Carolina.

Charles H. Dick (14th college president (1985-1995) was an educator, administrator, and fundraiser. Previous to serving at Westminster College, he had been president of Centenary College in New Jersey and vice president at Cornell University Medical Center.

Peggy Stock (15th President, 1995-2002) was Westminster College's (and Utah's) first female college president. Before coming to Westminster College, Dr. Stock was Senior Vice-President for Administration and Professor at the University of Hartford, Assistant Dean of Students at Montana State University, and 6th President of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire.

Michael S. Bassis (16th President, 2002-2012), before coming to Westminster College, served as the chief academic and administrative officer of New College of Florida, president of Olivet College in Michigan from 1993 to 1998, and executive vice president and university provost at Antioch University.

Brian L. Levin-Stankevich (17th President, 2012- ) before coming to Westminster College served as chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The following is a chronological list of the Westminster College presidents:

1895-1902 John Eaton (1st President, under the name Sheldon Jackson College)

1902-1906 George Bailey (2nd President)

1906-1912 Robert M. Stevenson (3rd President)

1913-1939 Herbert Ware Reherd (4th President)

1939-1952 Robert Denham Steele (5th President)

1952 Burton C.J. Wheatlake (6th (Interim) President)

1953-1956 J. Richard Palmer (7th President)

1956-1963 Frank E. Duddy, Jr. (8th President)

1963-1968 W. Fred Arbogast (9th President)

1968-1976 Manford A. Shaw (10th President)

1976-1979 Helmut P. Hofmann (11th President)

1979 James E. Petersen (Interim President)

1979-1982 C. David Cornell (12th President)

1982-1985 James E. Petersen (13th President)

1985-1995 Charles H. Dick (14th President)

1995-2002 Peggy A. Stock (15th President)

2002-2012 Michael S. Bassis (16th President)

2012- Brian Levin-Stankevich (17th President)

This collection consists of annual reports on campus development, college finances, and innovation practices from presidents of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. The reports date from 1946 onward. The President is required to annually submit a report to the College's Board of Trustees.

The format of the reports vary from typed sheets with handwritten notes to published versions ranging from short brochures to illustrated pamphlets. Most of the reports included in this collection are published reports.

Presidential reports represented in this collection includes those from Presidents Steele, Wheatlake, Duddy, Arbogast, Petersen, Dick, Stock, and Bassis.

Gaps in the collection: 1950, 1953-1956, 1959, 1967-1985, 1988-2003

Restrictions on Access:

Open to public research.

Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Twenty-four hours advance notice is encouraged.

Restrictions on Use:

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material must be obtained from the director of the Giovale Library.

Preferred Citation:

Westminster College President's Office. Presidents' annual reports, 1946-2011, ACC-123, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by year.

Processing Note:

Processed in January 2008 by Tera Mayo. From the founding of Westminster College, these reports have been required to be written and submitted to the Board of Trustees. Most of the reports are included in the Board of Trustees records (ACC-016B). From 1988-1997, a version of these reports appeared in the winter issue (Annual Report Issue) of the Westminster College Review (ACC-110).

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). President's Office

Westminster College of Salt Lake City. President's Office

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- ). Office of the President

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

0.2 linear feet

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written January 2008 by Tera Mayo; expanded with a list of related materials and a biographical/historical note written October 2013 by Sarah J. Shaw.

EAD Creation Date:

2013 October 29 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections and photographs in Giovale Library Archives:

• Westminster College Board of Trustees records, 1913-1979, 1988-1990 (ACC-016B)
• Westminster College President's Office strategic planning records, 1977-2005 (ACC-045)
• President's bulletin and President's newsletter, 1977-1980 (ACC-048)
• Westminster College Registrar's Office subject files, 1980-1996 (ACC-087)
• Westminster review and Westminster College review, 1988-2013 (ACC-110)
• Photograph of Robert D. Steele
• Photograph of Burton C.J. Wheatlake
• Photograph of Frank E. Duddy
• Photograph of W. Fred Arbogast
• Photograph of James E. Petersen
• Photograph of Charles H. Dick, 1985
• Photograph of Peggy A. Stock, 1995
• Photograph of Michael S. Bassis

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Administration
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). President's Office--Archives
Westminster College of Salt Lake City--Administration
Westminster College of Salt Lake City. President's Office--Archives
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- )--Administration
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- ). President's Office--Archives

Subject Terms:

Universities and colleges-Utah--Salt Lake City--Administration

Form or Genre Terms:

Annual reports
Reports (documents)

Personal Names:

Arbogast, W. Fred (William Fredrick), 1906-1984
Bassis, Michael S.
Dick, Charles H. (Charles Howard)
Duddy, Frank E. (Frank Edward), 1917-1986
Petersen, James E., 1918-1996
Steele, Robert D. (Robert Denham), 1901-1972
Stock, Peggy A.
Wheatlake, Burton Cyrenius Job

Geographical Names:

Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources