In 1968 architect's designs for a social science complex were prepared and bond issue funds were approved for a new facility to house the Departments of Economics, Education, Sociology, Psychology, and Audio Visual Services. University of Rhode Island President, Werner A. Baum proposed to the Board of Trustees that the new building be named for John H. Chafee, former Governor of Rhode Island and then Secretary of the Navy in the Nixon administration. The Board approved the name for the social science complex as the John H. Chafee Social Science Center on June 5, 1969.
In September 1969 Kent, Cruise and Partners, an architectural firm from Providence, registered the contract to draw up the specifications for the new building. he building was constructed by the Sterling Engineering and Construction Company of Providence and was completed on schedule in 1972. That same year John Chafee resigned as Secretary of the Navy and chose to run for the United States Senate seat for Rhode Island against Claiborne Pell. A Democratic-controlled State House of Representatives passed a bill that year on procedures for naming state structures. Republicans felt this was an attempt to deny positive publicity for Chafee during his upcoming senate race against Democrat Pell. However, the approval for the social science center's name had been given prior to the passage of the bill and the John H. Chafee Social Science Center was dedicated on June 10, 1972.
Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Records of the Coordinator of Research, John H. Chafee Social Science Center, Rec. Gr. 75, University of Rhode Island.
The .75 linear feet of records were deposited in the University Archives in 1978 by Nathaniel Sage, Coordinator of Research. The records were arranged alphabetically in one series, Proposal and Data. The records comprise the application, proposal, and the supporting data for a Health Research Facilities and Construction Grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to construct the Chafee Social Science Center. Also in this series are research and vitae information from the Psychology Department used to prepare a grant proposal for a grant from the National Institute of Heath (NIH) to equip the new building. Other documents include the specifications for construction, plans, test boring logs, and the title opinion on the land for the proposed building.
The collection is arranged in one series as follows:
There is no acquisitions information.
The Proposal and Data Series contains the application, proposal, and the supporting data for a Health Research Facilities and Construction Grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to construct the Chafee Social Science Building. Also in this series are research and vitae information from the Psychology Department used to prepare a grant proposal for the National Institute of Heath (NIH) to equip the new Chafee building. Other documents include the specifications for construction, plans, test boring logs, and the title opinion on the land for the proposed building.
The documents are arranged alphabetically by folder and chronologically within each folder.