Rutgers University Provost's Cabinet Records

The Provost's Cabinet was established by President Lewis Webster Jones in 1953 as part of a major rearrangment of administrative offices at Rutgers. Jones stated that the university's provost, Mason W. Gross would preside over the cabinet, whose members would consist of the dean of each school, the Dean of Administration, the directors of the Institute of Microbiology, Admissions, and Research, along with the University Librarian. Jones stated that the cabinet would be responsible for "the educational administration of the University," and that the Provost would "take leadership in the preparation of the educational budget in close cooperation with the Deans and Directors and the Coomptroller of the University." (1) In the cabinet's second meeting, Jones stated that he specifically wished the cabinet to focus on appointments and promotions, budget making, and the administration of the colleges that made up Rutgers. (2)

The Provost's Cabinet first met biweekly, and then monthly during the academic year. The meetings continued under Richard Schlatter's tenure as Provost from 1962 to 1971. As new deans and directors were appointed, they became members of the Provost's Cabinet. The minutes indicate that the number of members increased from eighteen in 1953 to twenty-eight in 1971, with some fluctuation in between, reflecting the changes of the administration at Rutgers between those years.

The Provost's Cabinet was discontinued in 1972, at a time when Rutgers was going through a reorganization under a new president, Edward J. Bloustein. The University Provost's position was replaced in March 1972 by provosts for New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden. The New Brunswick Provost continued meeting with the New Brunswick Deans under the name of "Deans Meeting with the New Brunswick Provost," which after four meetings in the fall of 1972 became the "Provost's Council of Deans."

(1) See "University Organization," in Rutgers Faculty News-Letter, Volume IX, No. 4, July 1953, 483. Available from Special Collections and University Archives R-PUBS LD4751.8.R8. (2) See Provost's Cabinet Meeting No. 2, September 21, 1953 in folder "Provost's Cabinet Meetings, July 1953-January 1954." Records of the Rutgers University Provost's Cabinet (RG 15/M2). Available from Special Collections and University Archives.