Records of the University of Florida Social Sciences Division

The Social Sciences Division was an administrative unit in the College headed by a Director who reported to the Dean. Membership consisted of the chairs of the departments of Anthropology, Geography, Speech, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology. The Division's purpose was to submit recommendations to the Dean on matters of interest to the social sciences within the College. The Director served on the College Advisory Council, voted on all tenure and promotion of College faculty members, presided over bi-weekly meetings of College division heads, and performed other coordinating duties.

The Social Sciences Council was a joint creation of the College and the University College. The Council chair and vice-chair were appointed by the Deans of both Colleges. Members of the Council, in addition to the six department chairs mentioned above, included chairs of the University College's Social Sciences and Behavioral Sciences departments, the chair of the History Department, directors of the Communications Sciences Laboratory, the Latin American Center, the Center for African Studies. Liaison members included chair of the Department of Economics and a member of the Department of Statistics' faculty. The Council was established in 1964 when the Regan Report recommended councils be established which cut across departmental lines. On July 6, 1964, Robert B. Mautz, Vice President for Academic Affairs called a meeting to explore the possibility of establishing such a council for the social sciences. Attendees included, among others, Lyle McAlister, Manning Dauer, Charles Fairbanks, and Herbert Doherty.

The Social Sciences Institute comprised the same membership as the Council. The Institute's primary goal was to facilitate research and publication for younger faculty. Between 1965 and 1974, 77 faculty members received monies for summer salary stipends, graduate assistants, supplies, travel, publication and computer-related costs. Faculty in the Departments of Anthropology, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Speech, Economics, History, and the Social Sciences Department of the University College were eligible. The Institute received a half-time director in 1975 funded through the Division of Sponsored Research. The Institute was patterned on the Institute of Social Research at the University of North Carolina.

In July, 1975, Merle Meyer, Chair of the Department of Psychology became the Social Sciences Division Director. Victor A. Thompson began a two year term (1975-77) as chair of the Political Science Department. Manning Dauer returned to research and teaching full-time. The series ends at this time.