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A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Philip C. Bantin

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Indiana University. Athletics Committee.

Extent
3 cubic feet (3 boxes)

Language
Materials are in English unless otherwise indicated.

Title
Indiana University Athletics Committee records, 1939-1965 

Collection No.
C102

Abstract
The "Big Ten" Intercollegiate Faculty Athletics Committee was formed on January 11, 1895. Indiana University became a member of the Committee in 1899. The general purpose of the Committee was to exert more faculty control over athletics. The records of the Athletics Committee comprise 2.6 cubic feet and span 1940-1964. The majority of the records date to John F. Mee's tenure as chairman, 1951-1962, but there are also records from William R. Breneman's tenure, 1943-1951.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

Administrative History

The “Big Ten” Intercollegiate Faculty Athletics Committee was formed on January 11, 1895. Indiana University became a member of the Committee in 1899. The Indiana University Athletics Committee is made up of faculty, alumni, and more recently students. The committee has varied in size over the years but one constant has been that faculty make up a majority of the membership and a faculty member who is not employed by the Athletic Department serves as chairman. This allows Indiana University to comply with the Intercollegiate Conference (“Big Ten”) requirements that demands that members maintain “faculty control” over athletics. Faculty members of the Athletics Committee are voted on by the faculty. The chairman is appointed by the President of the University and serves both as the chairman of the Athletics Committee and faculty representative to the Intercollegiate Conference.

The responsibilities of the Indiana University Athletics Committee fall into seven broad categories: 1) eligibility rules, 2) student requirements, 3) practice session rules, 4) recruitment rules, 5) ethics, 6) post-season competition and 7) televised sports. Further delineation of duties include: recommending policy concerning the conduct of intercollegiate athletics; voting on conference and NCAA legislation; enforcing conference eligibility rules through the athletic director, coaches and other members of the Athletic Department administration; approving the annual budget of the Athletic Department; approving television and radio contracts recommended by the athletic director; advising (with the athletic director and the University architect) on facilities expansion; determining awards policy (varsity letters, etc.); approving what sports will be part of the intercollegiate athletic program; and controlling ticket pricing, policy, sales, promotion and seating allocations.

The Indiana University Athletics Committee answers to the faculty while its chairman, in the role of faculty representative to the Intercollegiate Conference, answers directly to the president of the University. The Committee also works with the athletic director. The athletic director is responsible for running the athletic program and policy issues are the main concern of the Athletics Committee. The Committee meets with student senate representatives concerning student interests, and with the athletic director regarding policy. The Committee also receives reports from the faculty representative to the Intercollegiate Conference concerning relations with the Conference and makes reports to the faculty senate.

The Faculty Representative to the Intercollegiate Conference meets with other conference representatives at regular meetings (usually held the first week of December, the first week of March, and the last week of May) and special meetings throughout the year. These meetings of the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives are often held in conjunction with meetings of the conference of athletic directors, and occasionally with the Council of Ten (which consists of presidents of the various member institutions).

Arrangement

Arranged in three series: Minutes, Correspondence, and Subject files.

Scope and Content Note

The Indiana University Athletics Committee records focus mainly of John F. Mee’s years as Chair of the Committee (1952-1963). However, some of the records do date back to the chair who preceded Prof. Mee, William R. Breneman.

The first series, Minutes, spans from 1941 to 1962 and contains the minutes and some correspondence regarding certain meetings of the Athletics Committee. Big Ten, Joint, and NCAA meetings are represented.

The second series, Correspondence, spans from 1942 to 1965 and is further divided into Subject and Chronological sub-series. The Subject sub-series contains a variety of topical correspondence including memos from the NCAA, letters from various Big Ten offices, and correspondence with the IU Athletic Director. The Chronological sub-series contains the correspondence of the Athletics Committee divided by years.

The third and final series, Subject files, spans from 1940 to 1963. It contains files on miscellaneous subjects such as Budget Materials and Conference Reprimands. Prominent subjects include the Rose Bowl, the I.U. athletic probation of 1960, and eligibility of athletes.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University. Athletics Committee --Archives
  • Indiana University. Athletics Committee --Records and correspondence
  • Indiana University --Sports --History --20th century --Sources
  • Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives --History --20th century --Sources
  • Breneman, W. R. (William Raymond), 1907- --Archives
  • Breneman, W. R. (William Raymond), 1907- --Correspondence
  • Mee, John Franklin, 1908- --Archives
  • Mee, John Franklin, 1908- --Correspondence
  • Breneman, W. R. (William Raymond), 1907- Correspondence. Selections.
  • Mee, John Franklin, 1908- Correspondence. Selections.
• • Topics
  • College sports --Indiana --Bloomington --Management

Administrative Information

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