Harriet W. Sheridan (1925-1992) was hired as Dean at Brown University in 1979 and remained in the post until 1987, when she resigned to return to her longtime career, the teaching of English. She later founded the Center for the Advancement of College Teaching at Brown and was noted for her course on literature and medicine, which was very popular with many medical students.
She had arrived at Brown from Carleton College in Minnesota, where she had spent 26 years and had served at various times as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, chairwoman of the English department and faculty chairwoman. She was also Carleton's acting president from January to August of 1977, succeeding Howard Swearer, who had resigned to become president at Brown.
A native of New York City, she received her bachelor's degree from Hunter College in 1944, a master's from Smith College in 1945 and a doctorate in medieval English literature from Yale University in 1950.
Professor Sheridan was chairwoman of the American Association for Higher Education and a member of many educational groups, including the American Council on Education's Commission on Women in Higher Education. She was a former director of the Association of American Colleges and a former member of the Commission on Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Harriet W. Sheridan office files, OF.1UF.S5, Brown University Library.
The Harriet W. Sheridan office files contain materials compiled when Sheridan was a Dean and faculty member in the Department of English at Brown University. It includes general office files, materials regarding the Affirmative Action Monitoring Committee, appointment books, correspondence, speeches, and restricted materials regarding recommendations and evaluations. The files are dated from 1977 to 1992. They have been organized into six series: Series I. General files are dated from 1977 to 1992 and are arranged alphabetically by topic. Series II. Affirmative action contains materials from the Affiramtive Action Monitoring Committee. It is dated from 1977 to 1992. Series III. Appointment books contains appointment books dated from 1987 to 1990. Series IV. Correspondence (chronological, individual, personal) is dated from 1987 to 1990. The outgoing correspondence is arranged chronologically. The individual correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name. Other correspondence in this series are grouped into outgoing and personal correspondence and includes letters both to and from Sheridan. Series V. Miscellaneous contains notes for speeches and issued to be discussed and some correspondence. It is dated from 1987 to 1990. Series VI. Restricted in undated and contains materials regarding recommendations and evaluations.
The Harriet W. Sheridan office files have been organized into six series: Series I. General files;Series II. Affirmative action; Series III. Appointment books; Series IV. Correspondence (chronological, individual, personal); Series V. Miscellaneous; Series VI. Restricted;
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.