MS 1123 - New University

The New University consists of one quarter linear feet of correspondence, literary productions, clippings, and printed material documenting the formation of BGSU’s New University program during May of 1970.

No restrictions exist on the research use of this collection. This material was found in the University Archive and was processed as a separate collection by Jason Skock, Student Archival Assistant, in July, 2009.

The New University program at BGSU was initiated as a response to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970, but had been in development prior to the event due to numerous student protests and class boycotts occurring on BGSU’s campus. Many universities in Ohio temporarily closed following the Kent State shootings, but BGSU’s President Jerome chose to follow a different path and kept the university open for classes.

The New University, which started in May 1970, consisted of numerous seminars designed to discuss the crises occurring in the United States as well as throughout the rest of the world. These seminars had a larger purpose, however, than simply discussing these issues, as students were expected to come up with realistic solutions to these problems and try to put them into practice. Students who chose to participate in the New University program could opt to take all or some of their classes as pass/fail instead of for a letter grade for the remainder of the quarter. It is unclear if the program continued after the spring of 1970.

The New University records document the events surrounding the establishment of the New University program at BGSU during May of 1970. The collection includes numerous memos and correspondence from BGSU administration officials to faculty explaining their role in the New University and statements from the BGSU administration as well as from two other universities explaining the purpose and necessity for the New University program.

Rounding out the collection are several reprints of contemporary essays about student rights and activism, a brief chronology of events occurring at Kent State around the shootings, and several drafts of blank questionnaires for students and faculty concerning the Kent State incident and the New University program. Also included are results to a survey conducted by the Bowling Green Peace Archive Committee concerning the moratorium-strike week of May 4-9, 1970, which was apparently part of the New University offerings.

Comprising the printed materials in the collection are BGSU student protest flyers, a flyer from Columbus, one issue of The Militant, four issues of The Sentinel Tribune, and two issues of the BG News, all from 1969-1970.
Although rather small in size and limited to a very specific time frame, this collection provides insight into alternative strategies for colleges and universities when dealing with crises. Researchers concerned with the response of higher education institutions to the incident at Kent State and student unrest will find this collection useful.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
2 Folders
May, 1970
Arranged Chronologically
Includes memos to faculty about their role in the New University program and statements from Oberlin and Rutgers University about the Kent State shooting crisis and possible solutions.

REPORTS

REPORTS
1 Folder
May 4-11, 1970
Typewritten chronology of events occurring at Kent State.

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS

LITERARY PRODUCTIONS
6 Folders
[1967], 1970
Arranged by type of material
Includes three statements by the BGSU administration about the purpose and necessity for the New University, blank questionnaires for BGSU faculty and staff about the New University and the Kent State shootings, and the questionnaire and results of a survey conducted by the Bowling Green Peace Archive Committee. Also includes reprints of essays concerning the current state and future of student rights and student activism.

PRINTED MATERIALS

PRINTED MATERIALS
4 Folders
1969-1970
Arranged by type of material
Includes BGSU student protest flyers about student rights, the ROTC program, etc.; a student protest flyer from Columbus, the May 19,1970 issue of the national student anti-war paper, The Militant, four issues of The Sentinel Tribune, two issues of the BG News, and an assortment of newspaper clippings.

Box 1

1. Memos and Correspondence, May 1970
2. Black Student Union memos, May 1970
3. Correspondence from other Universities about New University, May 5,12, 1970
4. Chronology of Events at Kent State, May 4-11, 1970
5. Chronology of events at BGSU following events at Kent State, May 1970
6. Report on Bowling Green after Kent State, undated
7. Administration Statements about New University, [1970?]
8. Moratorium-Strike Week Questionnaire (blank) and survey results, [May 4-9, 1970]
9. Kent State Questionnaire (blank), May 1970
10. New University Questionnaires (blank), [1970?]
11. Dellinger, Dave. On the New Nonviolence, [c. 1967?]
12. Farber, Jerry. The Student as Nigger, [1967]
13. Unknown. Epilogue: On Reason and Radicalism, [1970?]
14. Newspapers and clippings, May 4-19, 1970
15. Student Protest Flyers – Bowling Green, [1969-1970?]
16. Student Protest Flyer – Columbus, May 19, 1970
17. The Militant anti-war newspaper, May 19, 1970