Father William Shipley taught in the Philosophy Department at the University of San Diego for 45 years. His papers document the merger of the College for Women and College for Men particularly as it affected the Philosophy Departments. Additionally, Shipley's papers include meeting minutes, notes and memoranda from the various committees on which Shipley served as well as records from the Immaculate Heart Seminary and the St. Francis Seminary.

Father William L. Shipley attended the Immaculate Heart Seminary in San Diego from 1948 to 1954. He then earned his Ph.L in 1957 and Ph.D in 1958 from the Angelicum University in Rome, Italy. In the fall of 1958, Shipley began teaching in the College for Men Philosophy Department. He became Professor of Philosophy in 1964, a role which he held until his retirement in 2003. In 1960, he became the chairman of the Philosophy Department, which he held until the College for Women and College for Men merged into the University of San Diego. Shipley was preeminent in constructing how the newly combined Philosophy department would function. The department was slow to merge because of the difference in teaching philosophies between Shipley and the College for Women philosophy department chairman, Dr. Richard George. Dr. George believed student should be taught only the perennial philosophy of Aristotle and Aquinas. Father Shipley felt the program should have a historical survey of philosophers and allow students to learn diverse philosophical systems. Shipley was ultimately voted in as the chairman of the newly merged philosophy department in April 1970. While discussion of the role of the Philosophy department continued, Shipley's view were more readily incorporated. During his 45 year tenure at USD, Shipley taught 342 courses and 9273 students.

The majority of these records are open for research. Box 9, containing Father Shipley's Philosophy Department records are restricted.