Skip to main content

Rice University James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy records

 Collection
Identifier: UA 114
Finding aid note: Stored offsite at the Library Service Center and require 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information. Box 9 stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Scope and Contents

Records dating from the groundbreaking, founding, and development of Baker Hall and the Institute for Public Policy. Formats include informational booklets, groundbreaking materials, press releases, invitations to events, videotapes of events, development records, conference materials, and correspondence.

Dates

  • Creation: 1993 - 2014

Creator

Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

Stored offsite at the Library Service Center and require 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information.

Box 9 stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish from the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy records, 1993-2014, must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

The Woodson Research Center use policy is that researchers assume sole responsibility for any infringement of privacy, literary rights, copyrights, or other rights arising from their use of the archival materials. In addition to any restrictions placed by donors, certain kinds of archival materials are restricted for the life of the creator plus 50 years. These materials include, but are not limited to, student grades, transcripts, and any job applications or recommendations.

Biographical / Historical

On June 2, 1992, Dr. Richard J. Stoll, Director for the Center for the Study of Institutions and Values, as well as a professor of Political Science, sent a memo to then Rice President George Rupp. In this memo, Stoll suggested that Rice approach then Secretary of State James A. Baker III for the beginnings of a "James Baker Institute". Rupp responded favorably to Stoll's memo and thus the Baker Institute was born.

On March 31, 1993, Secretary Baker gave a speech accepting Rice's offer of an Institute in his honor. While at Rice where he laid down his ideas on the Baker Institute. In this speech, entitled "Ideas Into Action", in which he charged the Baker Institute to "draw together statesmen, scholars and students...and...build a bridge between the world of ideas and the world of action..." These founding words were later used as the building stones for the external architecture of the building.

Between 1993 and 1994, the Baker Institute was coordinated by John Rogers, former undersecretary for management at the Department of State. In August 1994, Rice appointed a Founding Director for the Institute, distinguished diplomat Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian. Ambassador Djerejian served in this post until June 2022 and was replaced by David M. Satterfield.

On October 20, 1994 ground was broken on the Baker Hall building site. Four U.S. Presidents participated in the ceremony (Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush), setting the bipartisan tone that James A. Baker III had madated from the Institute's beginning. More information on the Institute's groundbreaking ceremony can be found in the Inagural Baker Institute report. This was a major step forward for the Institute. As the Founding Director noted: "...the building itself symbolizes, in both form and function, the integrative nature of the Baker Institute. Within its walls the faculty and students of Rice University will interact with visiting scholars and practitioners to address the major issues our nation faces in the future."

The First Associate Director for Academic Programs was selected in 1995 - Dr. Richard Stoll. In January 2001, Dr. Stoll resigned from that position to take on more responsibility as the Associate Dean of Social Sciences at Rice. The current Associate Director is Dr. Allen Matusow.

On October 17, 2003 the Baker Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala on Jamail Plaza. The gala featured Vice President Richard Cheney as the guest of honor. More than 700 people turned out to raise their glasses in tribute to the occasion.

Largely excerpted from the Baker Institute website, http://bakerinstitute.org/BakerIns/hist_index.htm (accessed on Jan. 9, 2006).

Extent

38.10 Linear Feet (43 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection includes records dating from the groundbreaking, founding, and development including but not limited to booklets, correspondence, financial documents, and news clippings of Baker Hall and the Institute for Public Policy.

Acquisition Information

These records were gathered by WRC staff in some cases and transferred from the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy in other cases.

Related Material

For further information on James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, please contact the Institute directly. https://bakerinstitute.org/

Title
Guide to the Rice University James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy records, 1993-2014
Status
Completed
Author
Amanda Focke, Sylvia Podwika
Date
2006, 2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA
713-348-2586