President's Office (Funderburk), 1938-1996 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Henry Hanly Funderburk, Jr. served as Eastern Kentucky University's eighth president from 1985-1998. These 244 boxes reflect Funderburk's influence on the historical development of the institution during a period of significant change in Kentucky higher education in regard to enrollment and financing. To meet these challenges Funderburk placed great emphasis on conservative fiscal management and an increased role of external fundraising.

This set of records also includes the last few years of the administration of J.C. Powell and thus makes up the official records of the office of the president from the early 1980s to 1996. The papers are divided into six series: Association, Council on Higher Education, General, Personal, Personnell, and Subject. The Association Series primarily concerns Eastern's involvement with numerous professional education organizations and several athletic conferences, most notably the OVC and NCAA. The Council on Higher Education Series documents official actions taken by the Council and Eastern's involvement with the state agency. The General Series bridges the gap between official and personal correspondence, especially invitations received by President Powell and correspondence with various Kentucky government agencies. the Personal Series consists of information about Dr. Funderburk's presidency at Auburn University, his appointment calendars, invitations received, and speeches delivered. The Personnel Series, due to provisions of both federal and state laws regarding privacy, remains closed to researchers. The Subject Series divides into a general Subject Sub-Series and seven additional Sub-Series--Academic Affairs, Administrative Affairs, Business Affairs, Committees, President's Office, Student Affairs, and University Relations and Development--which correspond basically to the University's organizational structure and documents the official policies and decisions emanating from the president's office.

This collection of records should be used in conjunction with several other record groups. Specifically, the photographic collection from the Office of Public Relations and Marketing has numerous negatives and some prints on the Funderburk administration. A series of oral history interviews with Dr. Funderburk, regarding a variety of subjects, and with faculty and alumni can provide useful supplementary material to the papers. The Board of Regents and Faculty Senate minutes and The Eastern Progress student newspaper offer an invaluable source of information about Funderburk and his presidency.