The Ward M. Canaday Center

for Special Collections

The University of Toledo

Finding Aid

Mel Klein Papers, 1884-1971

MSS-245

Size: 1 linear foot

Provenance: Donated by Melvyn Klein, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. 

Access: Open

Related Collections: University Archives, Office of the President, Subject Files, UR PA/92; William S. Carlson Papers, UM 14.

Processing Note:  Arrangement is based upon series as identified by the creator of the materials.

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns.  Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by: Ashley A. Johnson, October 2010. 

 

 

Biographical/Historical Sketch

 

Melvyn (Mel) Klein received a bachelor’s degree in Education from The University of Toledo in 1966, a master’s of Education degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1967, and his Doctor of Education degree from The Pennsylvania State University in 1971. He focused his dissertation research on The University of Toledo’s status change from a municipal to a state university. Klein’s dissertation, “The University of Toledo: Influential Factors in the Conversion from Municipal to State Status,” focuses not only on the journey of the university’s status change, but also the reasons and various forces behind the proposal, along with the eventual consequences of the change and even the university’s early history.

Klein has worked in higher education for most of his career. He began as a residence hall proctor at UT, became a graduate assistant at Penn State, and held various titles in student affairs at Penn State for 30 years. After retirement (Emeritus, Senior Director for Student Affairs), he served as a consultant, most recently on a project to expand and renovate the Hetzel Union Building and Paul Robeson Cultural Center at Penn State. 

Klein has received numerous awards throughout his career, most relating to his work with students and student organizations at Penn State.  He has been active in numerous professional and honorary societies and community groups.  He has published extensively in professional journals related to student affairs, and has presented at many conferences.

Klein currently resides in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Outside of his higher education work, Klein enjoys reading, listening to popular music, attending theater productions (especially musicals), gardening, summertime sports, domestic and international travel, and volunteering at Centre Volunteers in Medicine (State College, PA).  

 

 

 

 

Scope and Content Note

 

            The Mel Klein Papers contain documentation of Klein’s dissertation research for his Doctor of Education degree related to the merger of The University of Toledo into the state of Ohio’s higher education system. The collection is arranged chronologically and the dates range from 1884-1971.

            The Dissertation files (folders 1-7) include his early and later dissertation related works, such as proposals, drafts, revisions, and a typed copy of the manuscript. The Newspaper Article Research files (folders 8-12) contain newspaper articles taken from the Toledo area newspapers regarding the university’s history and press releases. The T.U. Research files (folders 14-24) consist of documents mostly originating from The University of Toledo. The files include faculty newsletters, faculty and committee meeting minutes, and other various administrative and university operations documents regarding the university’s status change. The Miscellaneous files (folders 25-31) contains a dissertation on UT’s history by Frank Hickerson, dissertation related correspondence, conducted interviews, and other documents used for research. 

Series List

S1        Dissertation Materials
            1970-1971
            Arranged chronologically.
This series consists of Klein’s early dissertation proposals, including an oral proposal outline. Also included is a beginning draft of the dissertation, revisions of the manuscript, a later typed draft, and Klein’s bibliographic note cards.

S2        Newspaper Article Research
            Arranged chronologically. 
            1928-1966
This series consists of various newspaper articles used in Klein’s dissertation research on the University of Toledo. Newspaper articles are taken from various Toledo area newspapers, including The Toledo Sunday Times, The Toledo News Bee, and The Blade.

S3        T.U. Research
            Arranged chronologically. 
            1950-1971
This series consists of documents mostly originating from The University of Toledo, including faculty newsletters, committee and levy related documents, faculty and committee meeting minutes. The documents give information regarding the university’s journey from a municipal to a state university.

S4        Miscellaneous
            Arranged chronologically. 
            1884-1971
This series consists of miscellaneous research material, including a separate dissertation on The University of Toledo’s history by Frank Hickerson, correspondences related to Klein’s dissertation work, printed documents, and interview questionnaires, notes, and responses.

 

Folder List

Box

Folder

Item

1

1

Initial Dissertation Work: Outline & Abstract, c.a. 1970

1

2

Original Proposal: Doctoral Dissertation, June 1970

1

3

Oral Proposal Presentation Outline, June 1970

1

4

Dissertation Draft, c.a. 1971

1

5

Working Document Revisions, 1971

1

6

Dissertation Typist Copy, 1971

1

7

Bibliographic Note Cards

1

8

Newspaper Articles: Toledo Sunday Times, 1928-1950

1

9

Newspaper Articles: The Toledo News Bee, 1934

1

10

Newspaper Articles: Issue of State Support, 1954-1957

1

11

Newspaper Articles: The Blade, 1960-1963

1

12

Newspaper Articles: Misc., 1965-1966

1

13

Misc. Research and T.U. History-Related documents, 1908-1984

1

14

T.U. Documents: Interim Operating Committee, 1950

1

15

T.U. Documents: County Tax Levy, 1954

1

16

T.U. Documents: Capital Improvement Levy, 1956

1

17

T.U. Documents: Charter Amendment, Two Million Levy, 1959

1

18

T.U. Documents: Faculty Newsletters, 1958-1967

1

19

T.U. Documents: State Bond Issue, 1963

1

20

T.U. Documents: Conversion Agreement, Faculty Minutes, Assorted Univ. documents, 1965-1966

1

21

T.U. Documents: Miscellaneous Documents, 1965-1967

1

22

T.U. Documents: Conversion Documents, c.a. 1966

1

23

T.U. Documents: Assorted Documents, 1967-1969

1

24

T.U. Documents: Agenda, 42nd Meeting Board of Trustees, 1971

1

25

Assorted Historical Documents, 1884-1948

1

26

Frank Hickerson Dissertation & Draft: A History of the University of Toledo, 1941

1

27

Printed Documents for Research, 1965-1966

1

28

Correspondences for Dissertation Work, 1965-1971

1

29

Research Questionnaires & Responses, c.a. 1971

1

30

Interview Notes, 1971

1

31

Interview Notes & Resource Notes, c.a. 1971

 

Last Updated: 6/27/22