Peter Stanley Papers

Sean Stanley

Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library

800 North Dartmouth Avenue

Claremont, CA 91711

Phone: (909) 607-3977

Email: specialcollections@claremont.edu

URL: https://library.claremont.edu/scl/

Descriptive Summary

Title: Peter Stanley Papers

Dates: 1972-2003

Collection number: PC.0023

Creator: Stanley, Peter W.

Extent: 4.8 Linear Feet (3 record cartons, 2 document boxes, 1 over-sized flat storage box)

Repository: Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library, Claremont, CA 91711.

Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from Pomona College's eighth president, Peter Stanley, as well as materials relating to his presidential inauguration and the Byron Dick Seaver Theatre Complex construction project.

Physical Location: Please consult repository.

Language of Material: Languages represented in collection: English

Administrative Information

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to the Archives.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Peter Stanley Papers (PC-0023). Pomona College Archives, Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library, Claremont, California.

Accruals

Additions to the collection are not anticipated.

Biography / Administrative History

Peter William Stanley was Pomona College's eighth president serving from 1991 to 2003. Stanley was born in 1940 and had a long and varied career prior to joining Pomona College. An Asian Studies scholar, Stanley earned his B.A. and graduate degrees from Harvard University and was a Frank Knox Memorial Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge University. Following his educational career Stanley taught American and American-East Asian History at the University of Illinois, Chicago from 1970 to 1972 before joining the faculty at Harvard as an assistant professor from 1972 to 1978. In 1978, Stanley moved to Carleton College where he was a lecturer in history for a year before serving as dean from 1979 to 1984. In 1984, Stanley joined the Ford Foundation as a program officer in charge of education and culture before becoming the director of the Foundation's education and culture program, a position he held until 1991.

Inaugurated as Pomona College President in 1991, Stanley was, from the outset, sensitive to the role of the physical campus, an awareness that reflected, in part, the concern for heritage and regional identity fundamental to the ongoing nationwide historic preservation movement. In his inaugural address, Stanley noted the need for a campus center and pledged to see this goal realized. Dedicated in 1999, the Smith Campus Center was the most ambitious of the three important new building projects of Stanley's tenure (the others being the Hahn and Andrew buildings) and one whose impact on the daily life of the Pomona community is particularly significant. Equally important, the building has, through its design, recaptured the spirit of Myron Hunt's 1908 campus plan, opening north-south axes across Marston Quadrangle to Mabel Shaw Bridges Hall of Music and Sumner Hall, and creating an east-west corridor from Mason Hall to Rains Center. The period of President Peter Stanley's tenure was remarkable for the significance of the new buildings constructed and, equally, for the number, quality, and extent of renovations of older structures. That Pomona's campus today bears a closer relationship to its historical roots than has been the case for many years is a tribute to the sensitivity with which new buildings have been designed and older ones restored to former glory while, at the same time, being upgraded to meet contemporary needs.

The growth of the campus under Stanley's presidency was closely tied to that of the endowment, which doubled between 1996 and 2002, ultimately exceeding $1 billion. This unprecedented increase was due in great part to The Campaign for Pomona College, endorsed in 1995. When formally launched in 1997, more than a third of the ultimate goal of $150 million was already in hand; by 2002, the campaign concluded 37 percent above its initial goal, having raised over $206 million and significantly met every program objective. A similarly impressive record was set in terms of applications for admission, which had set new highs in each of the five preceding years, as had levels of academic achievement of those admitted.

Following his retirement from Pomona College in 2003, Stanley served as the vice president of executive search firm Isaacson. In 2008, Stanley returned to campus for Pomona College's commencement ceremonies where he was awarded an honorary degree and the Peter W. Stanley Academic Quadrangle was named in his honor.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

This collection includes general correspondence from Peter Stanley from 1991 to 1999, Development correspondence and acknowledgement of gifts from 1992 to 1993, and correspondence and ephemera related to Peter Stanley's inauguration in 1991. In addition to correspondence, the collection includes materials related to the construction of Pomona College's Byron Dick Seaver Theatre Complex from 1972 to 1990. A selection of Peter Stanley's speeches and toasts from 1991 are also featured.

Organization and Arrangement

The collection is organized into the following two series:

Series 1: Correspondence, 1972-2003
Series 2: Oversize Materials, 1985-1991

Folders are arranged alphabetically by file name within each series.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library’s online public access catalog.

Subject Terms

Pomona College (Claremont, Calif.) -- Presidents

College buildings

College presidents

College presidents--Inauguration

Construction projects

Stanley, Peter W.

Theaters

Genre and Form of Materials

Correspondence

Ephemera

Speeches, addresses, etc.

Series 1: Correspondence 1972-2003

Box 1, Folder 1

Authorization to Operate per California Office of Postsecondary Education 1980-1981

Box 1, Folder 2

City Club on Bunker Hill 1989, 1992, 1994

Box 1, Folder 3

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1972-1973, 1975-1976, 1980-1984

Box 1, Folder 4

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1985-1986

Box 1, Folder 5

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1987

Box 1, Folder 6

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1987

Box 1, Folder 7

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1988

Box 1, Folder 8

Construction of Seaver Theatre 1989-1990

Box 1, Folder 9

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1991 July - September

Box 1, Folder 10

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1991 October - December

Box 1, Folder 11

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 January - February

Box 1, Folder 12

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 May - June

Box 1, Folder 13

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 March - April

Box 1, Folder 14

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 July - August

Box 1, Folder 15

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 September - October

Box 1, Folder 16

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1992 November - December

Box 1, Folder 17

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 January - February

Box 1, Folder 18

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 March

Box 1, Folder 19

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 April

Box 1, Folder 20

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 May

Box 1, Folder 21

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 June - August

Box 1, Folder 22

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 September - October

Box 1, Folder 23

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1993 November - December

Box 1, Folder 24

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 January

Box 1, Folder 25

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 February

Box 1, Folder 26

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 March

Box 1, Folder 27

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 April - May

Box 1, Folder 28

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 June - August

Box 2, Folder 1

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 September - October

Box 2, Folder 2

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1994 November - December

Box 2, Folder 3

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 January - February

Box 2, Folder 4

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 March

Box 2, Folder 5

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 April - May

Box 2, Folder 6

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 June - August

Box 2, Folder 7

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 September - October

Box 2, Folder 8

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 November

Box 2, Folder 9

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1995 December

Box 2, Folder 10

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 January

Box 2, Folder 11

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 February - March

Box 2, Folder 12

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 April - May

Box 2, Folder 13

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 June - August

Box 2, Folder 14

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 September

Box 2, Folder 15

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1996 October - December

Box 2, Folder 16

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 January

Box 2, Folder 17

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 February - April

Box 2, Folder 18

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 May - June

Box 2, Folder 19

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 August - September

Box 2, Folder 20

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 October

Box 2, Folder 21

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1997 November - December

Box 2, Folder 22

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1998 January - February

Box 2, Folder 23

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1998 March - June

Box 2, Folder 24

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1998 August - September

Box 2, Folder 25

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1998 October - December

Box 3, Folder 1

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1999 January - February

Box 3, Folder 2

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1999 March - May

Box 3, Folder 3

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1999 June - August

Box 3, Folder 4

Correspondence from Peter Stanley 1999 September - December

Box 3, Folder 5

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1992-1993

Box 3, Folder 6

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1994

Box 3, Folder 7

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1995

Box 3, Folder 8

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1996 January - October

Box 3, Folder 9

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1996 November - December

Box 3, Folder 10

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1997 January - February

Box 3, Folder 11

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1997 March - September

Box 3, Folder 12

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1997 October - December

Box 3, Folder 13

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1998 January - February

Box 3, Folder 14

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1998 May - June

Box 3, Folder 15

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1998 March - April

Box 3, Folder 16

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1998 July - November

Box 3, Folder 17

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1998 December

Box 3, Folder 18

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 January

Box 3, Folder 19

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 February

Box 3, Folder 20

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 March - April

Box 3, Folder 21

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 May - July

Box 3, Folder 22

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 August - November

Box 3, Folder 23

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 1999 December

Box 3, Folder 24

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2000 January - February

Box 3, Folder 25

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2000 March - April

Box 3, Folder 26

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2000 May - July

Box 3, Folder 27

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2000 August - November

Box 4, Folder 1

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2000 December

Box 4, Folder 2

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2001 January

Box 4, Folder 3

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2001 February - March

Box 4, Folder 4

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2001 April - May

Box 4, Folder 5

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2001 June - August

Box 4, Folder 6

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2001 September - December

Box 4, Folder 7

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2002 January

Box 5, Folder 1

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2002 February - April

Box 5, Folder 2

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2002 May - August

Box 5, Folder 3

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2002 September - December

Box 5, Folder 4

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2003 January - February

Box 5, Folder 5

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2003 April - May

Box 5, Folder 6

Development Correspondence & Acknowledgement of Gifts 2003 June

Box 5, Folder 7

Peter W. Stanley Inauguration - correspondence 1991

Box 5, Folder 8

Peter W. Stanley Inauguration - ephemera 1991

Box 5, Folder 9

Peter W. Stanley - speeches and toasts 1991

Series 2: Oversize Materials 1985-1991

Box 6, Folder 1

Theatre Project 1985-1987

Box 6, Folder 2

Greetings and congratulations 1991