UA 002H - Office of the President (Paul J. Olscamp) Records, 1965-1999
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| Title | UA 002H - Office of the President (Paul J. Olscamp) Records, 1965-1999 |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paul J. Olscamp served as Bowling Green State University's eighth president from 1982-1995. Dr. Olscamp's appointment as president on March 15, 1982 was the result of an eleven month search following the death of Dr. Hollis Moore. Due to the public perception that the Board of Trustees was not willing to share adequate information about the search, his transition to office did not go smoothly. Despite his rocky beginning as president, Dr. Olscamp strove to embody the slogan, “An Environment of Excellence.” Over the course of Dr. Olscamp's twelve year term, academics at BGSU improved significantly. Graduate student enrollment increased by 23 percent during this time, with five new doctoral programs created. In addition, the number of scholarships for academic excellence increased greatly. Dr. Olscamp was also instrumental in the development of the Center for Photochemical Sciences. The number of holdings at the library increased to over 4 million volumes under his leadership. Dr. Olscamp also played an active role in improving BGSU’s financial situation. The university's endowment increased from $1.9 million to over $47.4 million during his presidency. As a result, he created the first endowed professorships at BGSU. During this time, the faculty was given a role in developing the annual budget and shared authority with the president in interpreting the academic charter. He also held periodic forums with students where they could voice their concerns about campus issues. Due to statewide budget cuts, the Board of Trustees asked Dr. Olscamp to stay on as president beyond his anticipated retirement in 1994, which he did for an additional year, ending his presidency in 1995. Duplication of materials in this collection is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. As described in the Visiting Researcher Application Form, researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright. Materials found in this collection may be duplicated in other University Archives collections including overlaps between this collection and the collections of President Moore and President Ribeau. |
| Biographical Sketch | Paul J. Olscamp was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on August 29, 1937, and received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Western Ontario in 1958 and 1960, respectively. Olscamp went on to receive his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Rochester in 1962, the first such degree awarded there. His continuing love of the subject was evident during his time at BGSU, where he taught a philosophy course almost every semester while simultaneously managing all his duties as president. Dr. Olscamp began his administrative career in 1969 as an associate dean of the College of Humanities at Ohio State University after serving on the philosophy faculty for seven years. He then was vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculties at Roosevelt University from 1970-72. In 1972 he joined Syracuse University as a professor of philosophy and executive assistant to the chancellor and president. He was also a vice chancellor for student programs at Syracuse. Immediately before coming to BGSU, Dr. Olscamp served as president of Western Washington University for seven years. While president of BGSU, Dr. Olscamp held a position on the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He was appointed to the National Council on the Humanities by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. In 1989 he was elected as the Mid-American Conference representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Presidents' Commission. Following his retirement from BGSU in 1995, Dr. Olscamp served as interim president of the University of South Dakota and then went on to hold the same position at Mayville State University in North Dakota. Dr. Olscamp died in October 2014. He was survived by his wife Ruth and two children. |
| Scope and Content | The collection consists of subject files on a variety of topics, arranged in alphabetical order. Collection size: 133 letter sized manuscript boxes (44.3 cubic feet). |
| Inventory | Box 1: 1. Academic Affairs, Vice President for, 1982 Box 2: 1. Academic Affairs, Vice President for, July - December 1987 Box 3: 1. Academic Affairs, Vice President for, January-December 1993 Box 4: 1. Academic Charter Revision, 1983-1984 Box 5: 1. Accreditation – North Central Report, 1980-1982 Box 6: 1. Administration – Salaries (BGSU Historical) Part 1, 1950-1976 (scattered) Box 7: 1. Administrative Efficiency Study – Part 3, 1988-1989 (scattered) Box 8: 1. Administrative Retreats, April-May 1983 (scattered) Box 9: 1. Administrative/Trustee Retreats, November 1986-April 1987 Box 10: 1. Admissions, 1981-1984 Box 11: 1. Admissions, 1992-1993 Box12: 1. Affirmative Action, 1985-1986 Box 13: 1. Affirmative Action, 1994 Box 14: 1. Alumni, 1992-1994 Box 15: 1. American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU), 1986 1. American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU), 1991-1992 Box 17: 1. American Cultural Studies, 1979-1987 Box 18: 1. Athletics, May-December 1982 Box 19: 1. Athletics, January-June 1987 Box 20: 1. Athletics, January-July 1991 Box 21: 1. Athletics, 1994 (scattered) Box 22: 1. Barber, Les, 1992 Box 23: 1. Bowling Green, City of, 1976-1988 Box 24: 1. Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce – Misc. , 1982-1988 (scattered) Box 25: 1. Budget-Biennial (Telecom), 1987-1989 Box 26: 1. Calderon Proposal Vol. II, 1980 Box 27: 1. Canadian Studies, 1987-1988 Box 28: 1. Capital Planning, 1989 Box 29: 1. Chemistry, 1991 Box 30: 1. Childcare Feasibility Committee, 1988-1989 Box 31: 1. Collective Bargaining (Part 1 of 2), 1983 Box 32: 1. Collective Bargaining, 1992, 1994-1995 Box 33: 1. Commencement-May 1983, November 1982-June 1983 Box 34: 1. Commencement-August 1989, February-August 1989 Box 35: 1. Committee of One Hundred, 1987-1988
Box 36: 1. Confidence Resolution, 1990 Box 37: 1. Continuing Education Program, 1993-1994 Box 38: 1. Convocation Center, 1986-1987 Box 39: 1. Correspondence-General, July 1987 Box 40: 1. Correspondence-General, May 1989 Box 41: Box 42: 1. Defeasance Financing, 1983-1985 Box 43: 1. Development, January-June 1991 Box 44: 1. Development, January-February 1995 Box 45: 1. Divestment, 1986-1988 Box 46: 1. Edison Industrial Systems Center, 1989-1990 Box 47: 1. Education and Allied Professions, College of, 1992-1994 Box 48: 1. English Department, 1983-1985, n.d. Box 49: 1. Equine Program, 1985-1988 Box 50: 1. Faculty Salaries – BGSU (Historical Data) (part 2 of 3), 1950-1974 Box 51: 1. Faculty Senate, 1982-1983 Box 52: 1. Faculty Senate, August-September 1987 1. Faculty Senate, January-May 1990 Box 54: 1. Faculty Senate, 1994 Box 55: 1. Faculty Senate-Financial Exigency, 1982-1983, n.d. Box 56: 1. Financial Reports, 1986 Box 57: 1. Firelands College, 1988-1991 Box 58: 1. Foundation, BGSU, 1989-1994 Box 59: 1. Geography, Department of, 1981-1990 Box 60: 1. Graduate College, 1982 Box 61: 1. Graduate College, 1990 Box 62: 1. Guest House – Schedule, 1990-1994 Box 63: 1. Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, 1982-1987 Box 63A: 1. Honorary Degrees,1984-1989 Box 64: 1. Honorary Degree-Miscellaneous, 1966-1984, n.d. Box 65: 1. Housing-New Faculty, 1988-1991 Box 66: 1. Inauguration Invitations, 1992 Box 67: 1. Institutional Studies, 1988-1991 Box 68: 1. International Capital Goods Trade Fair, 1985 Box 69: 1. International Programs, 1986-1987 Box 70: 1. IUC-Agency Rules, 1975-1978 Box 71: 1. IUC-Budget, 1986-May 1987 Box 72: 1. IUC-Budget Information, 1991-1992 Box 73: 1. IUC-Minutes, Annotated, 1979-1983 Box 74: 1. IUC-Miscellaneous, 1988-1996 Box 75: 1. Journalism, School of, 1987-1988 Box 76: 1. Latino Concerns-Task Force Report, 1980 Box 77: 1. Legislation, National, 1983-1987 Box 78: 1. Legislation, State, 1992 Box 79: 1. Levis Regional Computer Center, 1982-1983 Box 80: 1. Library, 1990-1992 Box 81: 1. Mason, Phil, 1982-1985 Box 82: 1. Microwave-Telecom Tower, 1983 Box 83: 1. Mid-American National Bank and Trust, Co., 1989-1994 Box 84: 1. Minority Affairs, 1987-1988 Box 85: 1. Musical Arts, College of, 1992-1993 Box 86: 1. National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), 1970-1982 Box 87: 1. National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), 1987 Box 88: 1. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), 1989 Box 89: 1. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Convention, 1992-1993 Box 90: 1. National Science Foundation, 1982-1987 Box 91: 1. Network BG Program Outreach Data, April-July 1983 Box 92: 1. North Central Association, 1987-1989 Box 93: 1. Ohio Center for Governmental Research and Public Service (Ohio Rural Universities), 1990 Box 94: 1. Ohio Rural Universities, 1985-1988 Box 95: 1. Olscamp Speeches, 1988-1994 Box 96: 1. Operations, Vice President for, January-May 1989 Box 97: 1. Operations, Vice President for, 1994 Box 98: 1. Personnel Services, 1985-1989 Box 99: Box 100: 1. Philosophy, Department of, 1985-1987 Box 101: 1. Planning and Budgeting, Vice President for, June-December 1989 Box 102: 1. Plant Operations and Maintenance, 1982-1995 Box 103: 1. President’s Letters to Faculty/Staff, July-December 1985 Box 104: 1. President’s Letters to Faculty/Staff, 1989 Box 105: 1. President’s Personal Information, 1977-1995 Box 106: 1. Psychology, Department of, 1988-1989 Box 107: 1. Public Safety, Department of, 1983-1985 Box 108: 1. Questionnaires, 1993-1994 Box 109: 1. Registration and Records, 1988-1995 Box 110: 1. Research Enterprise Park, April-May 1989 Box 111: 1. Research Enterprise Park-Hotel, 1990-1991 Box 112: 1. Role and Mission Statement Committee, January-March 1984 Box 113: 1. Salary Increments-President’s Ad Hoc Committee, 984-1986 Box 114: 1. Scholarship-Ohio Academic, 1978-1982 Box 115: 1. Scholarship-Trustees, 1978-1983 Box 116: 1. 75th Anniversary, 1985 Box 117: 1. Smoking Regulations on Campus, September-December 1989 Box 118: 1. Speech Communications Association, 1996 Box 119: 1. Student Affairs – Pre-Registration, 1987-1990 Box 120: 1. Student Affairs, Vice President for, 1987 Box 121: 1. Student Affairs, Vice President for, 1994 Box 122: 1. Student Code Revisions, 1984 Box 123: 1. Student Financial Aid and Employment, 1988 Box 124: 1. Student Publications, 1979-1985 Box 125: 1. Sunshine Law, 1975-1979 Box 126: 1. Technology, College of, 1984-1989 Box 127: 1. Three-o-nine (309) Committee, 1988 Box 128: 1. Toledo, University of, 1982-1986 Box 129: 1. Treasurer, 1985-1988 Box 130: 1. Undergraduate Student Government-Compensation, 1986 Box 131: 1. University of California, Los Angeles-Faculty Study, 1990 1. University Relations, Vice President for, 1992 Box 133: 1. WBGU, 1985-1988 |