Guide to the Westminster College Board of Trustees. Building and Grounds Committee records

Table of Contents

Collection Overview

Collection Inventory+/-

Biographical Note/Historical Note

Content Description

Collection Use

Administrative Information

Subjects

Collection Overview +/-

Title: Westminster College Board of Trustees. Building and Grounds Committee records
Dates: 1980-1984 (inclusive)
Collection Number: ACC-174
Summary: This collection consists of the records dating 1980-1984 of the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Repository: Westminster College, Giovale Library
Address:
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84105
Phone: (801) 832-2250

Collection Inventory +/-

box 1, folder 1: Accomplishments 1983/1984
box 1, folder 2: Budget data
box 1, folder 3: Capital improvement needs
box 1, folder 4: Deferred maintenance
box 1, folder 5: Job descriptions
box 1, folder 6: Organization and functions
box 1, folder 7: Plant operations agenda, memorandum, and plan
box 1, folder 8: Policies and procedures
box 1, folder 9: Preventive maintenance
box 1, folder 10: Tool rental

Biographical Note/Historical Note +/-

Sheldon Jackson College and Westminster College:

In late March, 1892, the Presbytery of Utah, in planning for a possible college in Utah, elected a Board of Trustees for the proposed college, consisting of five ministers (Rev. S.E. Wishard of Ogden, Rev. G.W. Martin of Manti, Rev. Josiah McClain of Nephi, Rev. C.M. Shepherd of Springville, and Rev. R.G. McNiece of Salt Lake City) and four laymen (Col. W.M. Ferry of Park City, F.E. Gregg and Frank E. Pierce of Salt Lake City, and W.I. Brown of Nephi). Robert G. McNiece was named President (Chairman) of the Board, Rev. McClain, Secretary, and Gill S. Peyton was appointed Treasurer. A committee was formed to begin drafting by-laws and a constitution for the proposed college.

In August, 1892 the Board proposed the name "Salt Lake College". In April and May, 1893, the Board examined four locations proposed for the campus; Ogden was considered especially attractive, but further study returned the Board to its original resolution to locate in Salt Lake City, and this was confirmed.

By August, 1896, with support from Sheldon Jackson, the college was named "Sheldon Jackson College" and the Board of Trustees under this name held its first meeting in Salt Lake City. The first order of business was to elect a President, and General John Eaton of Washington City was chosen.

In a letter dated May 1898 to Mrs. Jeanette H. Ferry, Robert G. McNiece mentions the plan to consolidate Sheldon Jackson College and the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute and informs Ferry that both Dr. Eaton and Dr. Jackson have given their approval

In 1902, William Montague Ferry (1824-1905), a trustee of Westminster College, would step in and provide the college with the funding it desperately needed, buying the property that the campus currently occupies.

Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah (1902- ): Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah came into official existence as an educational institution when the Board of Trustees approved a name change on Feb. 6, 1902 from the earlier name, Sheldon Jackson College. For a few years, the letterhead on Westminster College stationery included the notation "formerly Sheldon Jackson College". College classes were suspended 1909-1913 but resumed in 1914. Westminster College as a legal entity was closed June 30, 1983 and reopened the next day on July 1, 1983 as "Westminster College of Salt Lake City", technically a new institution. The name was changed back to Westminster College in 1998.

Westminster College Boards of Trustees: Trustees come from all areas of the college and community. Many Westminster presidents attend Board meetings, probably in an advisory non-voting role since the president reports to the Board of Trustees, which has the power to hire or fire a president. A few were either members before becoming president (such as B.C.J. Wheatlake), or went on to become members of the board as Presidents Emeritus. The trustees also include major donors, businessmen, community leaders, and ministers. Beginning in the 1970s, the names of some faculty, alumni, and students begin to appear in the list of trustees.

George W. Martin, a Presbyterian missionary, was an early trustee of Westminster College.

The early Treasurers of Westminster College were officers of the Board of Trustees; Parke M. Pontz held this office from 1921-1954, followed by Ralph S. Gunn.

Source:

  • Westminster College of Salt Lake City : from Presbyterian mission school to independent college / R. Douglas Brackenridge. Logan Utah : Utah State University Press, 1998, p. 3-4 and 74.

Content Description +/-

This collection consists of the records dating 1980-1984 of the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. The materials include agenda, budget information, instructions, lists, memoranda, plans, policies and procedures. The materials were used by committee members to assist in performing their duties and to document their activities.

The two presidents of the college serving while this committee met were C. David Cornell (12th president from 1979-1982) and James E. "Pete" Petersen (13th president from 1982-1985). In 1984, Oren Nelson was the Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee.

Topics of the records in the collection include targetted capital improvement projects:

  • Renovation, restoration, and repairs of older buildings, such as Ferry Hall, Foster Hall, and Converse Hall)
  • New construction (computer center, science laboratories, sports center)
  • Expansion projects (library)
  • Deferred and preventative maintenance
There are also job descriptions for the Director of Plant and Facilities Operations, plus others for support staff in that office.

During the period this committee met, Ginger Giovale (Class of 1965) was the Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees. In January 2006, the year Giovale stepped down as Chairwoman, Westminster College announced that she was donating $10 million toward a new science building, the largest gift in the institution's history.

Collection Use +/-

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 Board of Trustees. Building and Grounds Committee records, 1980-1984, ACC-174, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Administrative Information +/-

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by subject category

Processing Note:

Processed December 2008 by Rebekah Sappington.

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). Board of Trustees

Westminster College of Salt Lake City. Board of Trustees

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

0.5 linear feet

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written December 2008 by Rebekah Sappington; expanded May 2014 by Sarah Shaw.

EAD Creation Date:

2014 May 13 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Archives

Related Material:

Related collections and photographs in Giovale Library Archives:

Related photograph of Ginger Giovale held by the Salt Lake Tribune:

Related photograph from the University of Utah College of Architecture:

Subjects +/-

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--History--Sources
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). Board of Trustees--Archives
Westminster College of Salt Lake City--History--Sources
Westminster College of Salt Lake City. Board of Trustees--Archives

Subject Terms:

Campus planning
College trustees--Utah--Salt Lake City
School grounds--Maintenance--Utah--Salt Lake City

Form or Genre Terms:

Agendas (administrative records)
Budgets
Lists (document genres)
Memorandums
Plans (reports)
Procedures

Personal Names:

Cornell, C. David
Giovale, Virginia Gore
Nelson, Oren
Petersen, James E., 1918-1996

Geographical Names:

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