Some boxes contain student information and other potentially sensitive
information and must be screened by the University Archives staff before public
use. These files are marked RESTRICTED. Otherwise there are no known
restrictions on use.
Preferred Citation
William M. Anderson, Jr. Records, 1974-2006, Special Collections and University
Archives, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.
Acquisition Information
These materials were transferred from the University President’s Office to the
University Archives.
William M. Anderson, Jr.
President, 1983-2006
Mary Washington College (1983-2004)
University of Mary Washington (2004-2006)
Dr. William M. Anderson, Jr. was born January 15, 1942 in South Boston. As a young
man, besides politics, his main interests were music and sports. He earned a
Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, a master's degree
in public administration from West Virginia University College of Graduate Studies,
and a doctorate in higher education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University. While studying at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, he
became acquainted with Prince Woodward, a life-long mentor and eventual President of
Mary Washington College, and he also met his future wife, Jane Neale, with whom he
had three children. His entire professional career was devoted to higher education,
beginning in 1967 when he worked as coordinator of academic programs and enrollment
research for the Virginia State Council of Higher Education. Then for four years he
served as director of research and planning for the West Virginia Board of Regents.
In 1976 he was named Executive Vice President at Mary Washington College before
becoming President in 1983.
When Dr. Anderson was appointed president of Mary Washington College in 1983, he was
the youngest president of any of Virginia's four-year colleges and universities.
Twenty-three years later in 2006, he retired as the longest-serving president of any
public institution in Virginia. Among his major achievements at Mary Washington was
the creation of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies in Stafford County,
which prompted the institution's attainment of university status and an ensuing name
change to the University of Mary Washington in 2004.
During his tenure, more than $120 million of capital improvements were made to the
University's two campuses, including the addition of a new library, a $14 million
science center, a student center, an alumni center, an art gallery, an enclosed
campus walk, four new residence halls, and an apartment complex. New cultural
offerings for the University and the surrounding community were added during Dr.
Anderson's tenure, including programs such as the Fredericksburg Forum, the Great
Lives lecture series, and the University of Mary Washington-Community Symphony
Orchestra's Celebrity Series. Under Dr. Anderson's administration, the University
completed the installation of a campus-wide fiber-optic telecommunications network
that brought state-of-the-art data, telephone, and cable service to every classroom,
office, and residence hall on campus. Also the intercollegiate athletic program was
expanded and a Community Outreach and Resources program was created to promote
student volunteerism.
Particularly noteworthy in terms of outreach were Dr. Anderson's efforts to create
beneficial ties to the local business community. He was an active member of the
Chamber of Commerce, serving at its president, and at his suggestion the University
started sponsoring a Business Leaders Breakfast with a visiting Executive in
Residence. In addition, during his tenure the University created a Small Business
Development Center to support economic development in the area by generating
innovative business ideas.
During Dr. Anderson's tenure, and largely because of his energy and efforts, Mary
Washington's endowment increased substantially from $1.3 million to $24.5 million,
thus contributing not only to enhanced physical facilities, but also to expanded
opportunities for faculty development. The result of his work was a significant
elevation of Mary Washington's stature to the point of national recognition as a
liberal arts and sciences college of outstanding quality, which ranked within the
top ten percent nationally in terms of admissions selectivity.
On the occasion of his retirement, numerous individuals and organizations expressed
their sincere appreciation for Dr. Anderson's record of achievement at the
University of Mary Washington. The Celebrity Concert series at Mary Washington was
renamed the William M. Anderson, Jr., Celebrity Concert Series in honor of the
support that Dr. Anderson gave to the orchestra. In addition, the General Assembly
of Virginia honored Dr. Anderson with a resolution recognizing him "for his long and
exceptional service to the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of
Mary Washington and, moreover, to the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.” The
University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors unanimously approved a resolution
naming the school's planned extension to the athletic building the Anderson
Convocation Center. During his last commencement ceremony as president, Dr. Anderson
was awarded the status of president emeritus and an honorary Doctorate of Humane
Letters degree. Also he was presented with the Washington Medallion, which
recognizes extraordinary service to the University.
This collection is arranged into twenty-four main series, in thirty-eight record
storage boxes for a total of about 16 linear feet. The first series is senior staff
papers from the President's Office during Dr. Anderson's administration. Other
series cover commencement records, honor convocation lists, campus buildings and
grounds records, annual reports, state of Virginia papers, national educational
papers, various university program documents, Southern educational materials,
financial records and documents, student affairs materials, special events
materials, inauguration papers, Board of Visitors materials, presidential
correspondence, various academic committee papers, community relations documents,
faculty affairs materials, papers on conferences and workshops, the President's Book
Club materials, Dr. Anderson's speeches, and the last series is reserved for
miscellaneous materials.
Dr. Anderson and his office compiled or retained this collection, which encompasses
various papers, documents and correspondence from throughout his tenure at Mary
Washington, mostly as president. The bulk of the items in the collection were
gathered from the 1980s to the 1990s. A few of the papers go back as early as 1974,
to the years before Dr. Anderson's presidency at Mary Washington. Two folders date
to 1969. Among the documents and records are various memos, plans, notes, programs,
design sketches, presidential remarks, speeches, invitations, publications, a few
cassette tapes, a CD-ROM and some photographs, as well as letters and reports.
The boxes and folders in the collection are arranged by series and further arranged mostly chronologically or alphabetically
within the series. There was some original order to the documents, which was followed whenever possible. The provenance
of the collection was respected in arranging and describing materials, and the arrangement mostly follows the inventory of
materials as they were received: Senior Staff Papers, Recommendations, Commencement Records, Honor Convocation Records, Campus
Buildings and Grounds, Annual Reports, State Papers, National Papers, University Papers, Southern Regional Education Records,
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Financial Affairs, Student Affairs, Events Records, Inauguration, Board of Visitors,
President’s Correspondence, Committees, Community Relations, Faculty Affairs, Conferences and Workshops, President’s Book
Club, Speeches, and finally Miscellaneous. Documents without apparent order were rearranged according to the inventory by
logical series and types of materials.
There was usually some order to the materials, as they were received. All of the
folders in the collection were individually arranged within series, based on the
inventory list provided, either chronologically or alphabetically. Notebooks and overly large folders
were broken down into smaller folders and arranged chronologically, when possible.
Each folder was sorted into categories based on the following schema:
Arrangement (Series)
Series 1: Senior Staff Records
Series 2: Recommendations
Series 3: Commencement
Series 4: Honors Convocation
Series 5: Campus Buildings and Grounds
Series 6: Annual Reports
Series 7: State of Virginia Records
Series 8: National Educational Records
Series 9: University Records
Series 10: Southern Regional Education Records
Series 11: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
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