Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

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.

Biographical Information

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.

Scope and Content

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.

Arrangement

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

Series 12: Financial Affairs

Series 13: Student Affairs

Series 14: Events Records

Series 15: Inauguration

Series 16: Board of Visitors

Series 17: President's Correspondence

Series 18: Committees

Series 19: Community Relations

Series 20: Faculty Affairs

Series 21: Conferences and Workshops

Series 22: President's Book Club

Series 23: Speeches

Series 24: Miscellaneous

Index Terms

Persons:

• Anderson, William M., Jr., 1942-

Corporate Names:

• Mary Washington College-Fredericksburg (Virginia)
• University of Mary Washington
• University of Mary Washington--History--20th century
• University of Mary Washington. Office of the President

Subjects:

• College presidents--Virginia--History--20th century
• College presidents--Virginia
• Education, Higher—Virginia
• Universities and Colleges - Administration