President Kermit Hall papers
Scope and Contents
The President Kermit Hall papers document his time as Utah State University’s 14th president from 2001-2004. Known for many notable improvements and developments to USU research education, and enrollment, this collection includes a variety of reports and office files detailing President Halls day to day duties. A majority of this collection is presidential correspondence with internal and external entities, international relations, and state and federal agencies and personnel. Also included in this collection are some of President Halls teaching files for history and political science courses he taught at USU and materials related to USU’s response to the 2001 9/11 attacks.
Dates
- Creation: 1999-2006
Language of Materials
Material in English
Conditions Governing Access
Access to some files is restricted due to GRAMA laws. Not available through interlibrary.
Conditions Governing Use
Initial Citation: President Kermit Hall papers USU_3.1/14. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_3.1/14, USUSCA.
Biographical Note
Kermit Lance Hall was born on August 31, 1944 to his parents Kermit and Katherine Lois Galbraith Hall in Akron Ohio. Hall, a first generation student, received degrees from the University of Akron, the University of Minnesota, and the Yale Law School between about 1966-1980. While in college, Kermit served in the Vietnam war as a military intelligence officer. During his time at the University of Akron, Hall met Phyllis Anne Moke on a blind date and the two later married in 1969.
Hall started his career teaching history at Vanderbilt University, Wayne State University, and the University of Florida until about 1992. Hall transitioned his career and held administrative positions at the University of Tulsa, Ohio State University, North Carolina State University from 1992-2000.In addition to his roles in Higher Education, Kermit Hall was also a prominent United States legal and political historian and scholar. He authored over two dozen books during his life. However, Kermit is also known for being appointed by United States President Bill Clinton as a member of the Assassination Records Review Board in 1992 as part of the declassification files related to the assignation of John F. Kennedy.
Hall was Utah State Universities (USU) 14th president from 2001-2004. While President, he continued teaching history and political science classes, as well as engaging in his own publishing and research projects. President Hall was known for his focus on academics and recruitment that resulted in higher freshmen enrollment and is credited with a variety of improvements and contributions to USU research facilities and programs. Hall also established the Student Inaugural Scholarship Program. For more information about Kermit Halls time at USU see Kermit L. Hall: Honoring A Great Voice for Higher Education.
Following his time at USU, Kermit was named president of State University of New York (SUNY) in Albany in 2005. Shortly after he started his tenure at SUNY on August 13, 2006, Hall died in a tragic swimming accident, while on vacation at Hilton Head, North Carolina.
Extent
69 Linear Feet (137 boxes)
Abstract
The President Kermit Hall papers document his time as Utah State University’s 14th president from 2001-2004 and includes materials related to USU’s research education, and enrollment development.
Arrangement
The arrangement of this collection reflects an intellectual order of Hall’s activities as President. The physical order and numbering of items are second to the intellectual ordering of this collection.
This collection is arranged Alphabetically and chronologically into eight main series with a variety of sub-series.
Series I. Alphabetical and Chronological Correspondence
Series II. Academic Departments and Programs: this series is divided by colleges and is reflective of the originally order and placement of programs and departments at the time of the collection’s creation. See series and sub-series for included colleges.
Series III. Government Agencies and Personnel: this series is divided into two sub-series for Federal (United States) and the State of Utah.
Series IV. Institutional Council: includes series for Utah State Board of Regents (USBOR) and USU Board of Trustees. Although the USBOR is a Government agency, it was categorized under Institutional Council in the original arrangement and was retained this way during secondary processing.
Series V. Administrative and Support Services and Departments: includes sub-series for Athletics and Extension Services.
Series VI. Speeches
Series VII. Teaching Files
Series VIII. Personal and Assorted Materials and Memorabilia
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Utah State University President's Office 2005-2007
Processing Information
In 2025, as part of the University Archives remediation project, USU presidential papers received secondary processing that is reflected in the current version of the finding aid. The original filing order is still retained through the physical arrangement of this collection but comes second to the intellectual order implemented during secondary processing. Series and sub-series were used to retain the old filing order and were based off the original processing arrangement. Files remain chronologically alphabetized within their series.
The President Kermit Hall papers were originally split into four collections representing different addendums. The bulk of the collection was accessioned into the archive in 2005, and processed in 2006-07. The original register was based on the filing order of the president's secretary and staff and was broken down into, Alphabetical Correspondence, Colleges and Department, University Departments (non academic), Federal Agencies State Agencies and Institutional Council (Board of Trustees).
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the President Kermit Hall papers1999-2006
- Author
- Finding aid/Register created by Robert Parson; Updated by Abbie Chesley and Kelly Rovegno
- Date
- ©2012; 2025
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid encoded in English.
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
- 2025: Updated during secondary processing. Combined 3.1/14-2, 3.1/14-3, 3.1/14-4, and 3.1/14-5. Added oversized memorabilia into collection.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu