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Rice University President's Office Records: Kenneth Pitzer

 Collection
Identifier: UA 083
Finding aid note: Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Scope and Contents

These records reflect the daily business of the Rice University President's Office under Kenneth Pitzer, and include correspondence, memos, notes, drafts, memos related to on and off campus departments and groups, rannging in date from 1961-1968. Subjects include federal funding at Rice, racial integration, establishment of space science program, biochemistry department, and more.

Dates

  • 1961 - 1968

Conditions Governing Access

Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from Pitzer records must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Biographical Note

Pitzer was named Rice's third president in 1961, after serving as dean of the College of Chemistry at the University of California-Berkeley. He became known for his vision which not only maintained Rice's rigorous undergraduate education but also made it a research university of national standing.

Some of Pitzer's accomplishments include bringing in federal funding for research projects, creating the nation's first space science program, doubling the size of the Fondren Library, opening the university to students of all races, starting the Continuing Studies Program, creating a bio-chemistry department, expanding the social sciences school and more than doubling the number of graduate students and faculty.

Pitzer left Rice in 1968 to become president of Stanford University. He later returned to teaching and research in chemistry at Berkeley, where he retired. He won numerous awards for his contributions to the field of theoretical and physical chemistry, including the Welch Prize in Chemistry, the American Chemical Society's Award in Pure Chemistry and a membership in the National Academy of Sciences. He died in 1998 at age 83. A fellowship in his name, the Kenneth S. Pitzer / Schlumberger Endowed Chair was established in 2003, with Rice chemist Dr. Robert Curl being the first to hold the chair.

Excerpted from Rice News article, Jan. 16, 2003.

Extent

26 Linear Feet (52 linear feet)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

These records reflect the daily business of the Rice University President's Office under Kenneth Pitzer, and include correspondence, memos, notes, drafts, memos related to on and off campus departments and groups, rannging in date from 1961-1968. Subjects include federal funding at Rice, racial integration, establishment of space science program, biochemistry department, and more.

Arrangement

These papers follow the typical order of President's Office Records:

Missing Title

  1. Series I: On Campus - Departments, 1961-1968
  2. Series II: On Campus - General, 1961-1968
  3. Series III: Off Campus - General, 1961-1968

Acquisition Information

Transferred to the Woodson Research Center.

Related Material

Missing Title

  1. Pitzer / Trial Records, Rice Univ. Archive files
  2. Pitzer / Inaugural Testimonials, Rice Univ. Archive files
  3. Oral History Project / Pitzer, Rice Univ. Archive files
  4. Scrapbooks

Subjects

Record Groups

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Rice University President's Office Records: Kenneth Pitzer, 1961-1968
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Repository Details

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

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892