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Summary
- Abstract:
- Donald M. Blinken was chairman of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York from 1978-1990. These records pertain to his tenure in that position.
- Extent:
- 5.95 cubic ft.
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Donald M. Blinken Papers, 1969-2003. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Blinken Papers).
Background
- Scope and Content:
This collection documents the activities and concerns of Ambassador Blinken as a board member of the Board of Trustees for the State University of New York (SUNY) in 1976 and subsequently as chairman of the Board from 1978 through 1990. The bulk of the papers consists of correspondence between Blinken and members of the Board, the Chancellor, the campus presidents, and New York State government officials. There are also a number of reports regarding the SUNY system or individual SUNY campuses. Prominent topics of concern were the future of the SUNY system (Independent Commission on the Future of SUNY, 1983-1985), relations with independent colleges and universities in New York (Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, 1978-1984), upgrading intercollegiate athletic competition (Intercollegiate Athletic Board regarding SUNY Buffalo upgrade to Division II, 1985-1986), SUNY and CUNY relations (1976-1989), and concerns about teaching controversial subjects and academic freedom (Dube controversy at SUNY Stony Brook, 1983-1990). SUNY's financial position in both challenging and stable economic times, SUNY's growth as a state wide educational system, and the changing role of the individual campuses are recurring topics.
Although the collection does contain information regarding SUNY campuses, not all of them are represented in this collection. There is little material regarding curriculum other than a 1982 proposal for a degree in Arts Management. There is also little documentation related to student life or faculty at the SUNY schools. There are no personal papers or papers related to other professional, civic, or government positions Ambassador Blinken has maintained.
Additional material acquired in 2003 contains documents related to the individual SUNY campuses, including campus brochures, statements of inauguration, and correspondence between Blinken and members of the Board, the Chancellor, the campus presidents, and the professors of each campus.
Related materials in the University Archives include: the records of the State University of New York, Board of Trustees (APAP-098); the records of the Office of the President (UA-000); and the records of the Student Association of the State University of New York (SASU) (APAP-046).
- Biographical / Historical:
Donald M. Blinken was born in New York in 1925. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944. In 1948 he graduated magna cum laude in economics from Harvard. After 10 years in the retail business, including two in the United Kingdom with Marks & Spencer, he joined the investment firm of E.M. Warburg Pincus, the largest venture capital firm in the United States. He continued to be associated with Warburg Pincus as a managing partner until taking up government service.
In January 1977, Governor Hugh L. Carey appointed Blinken to the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York and subsequently appointed him chairman in July of 1978. He was re-appointed to that office by Governor Mario M. Cuomo and served until 1990. The State University of New York is the nation's largest institution of higher education. It serves hundreds of thousands of students on more than 60 campuses throughout New York. It awarded Mr. Blinken an honorary degree in 1993.
Donald Blinken was sworn in as Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary by Vice President Al Gore on March 29, 1994 and served until 1997.
In addition to his services in education and government, Ambassador Blinken has dedicated his time and energy to the arts. He was named President of the Mark Rothko Foundation in 1976. Mr. Blinken edited Eliminating the Obstacles Between the Painter and the Observer: The Mark Rothko Foundation, 1976-1986. In recent years, Mr. Blinken has also served as vice- chairman of the New York Philharmonic Symphony Society, as a member of the executive committee of the New York Public Library, as a board member and chairman of the Commentary Publication Committee, as a trustee of the Institute of International Education, as overseer of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, and as a member of the Trustees' Council of the National Gallery of Art.
This information came from The Embassy of the United States of America, Budapest Hungary, Donald M. Blinken U.S. Ambassador to Hungary 1994-1997, http://www.usembassy.hu/blinkenb.htm (accessed 20 March 2003). Also from Series 3, Box 1, Folder 1, Donald Blinken Papers, 1969-1993, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York.
- Acquisition information:
- All items in this manuscript group were donated to the University Libraries, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives by Donald Blinken via Jane Graham of the SUNY Central Archives in January 1997. An additional 1 cubic foot of material received in September 2003 was arranged and described in January 2005.
- Processing information:
Processed in 2005 by Michelle M. Powers and Sara Kim.
- Arrangement:
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1 - SUNY Schools, 1976-1990
- Series 2 - Correspondence, 1976-1990
- Series 3 - Subject Files, 1969-2003
- Series 4 - SUNY Publications, 1985-1990
Series 1 and 3 are arranged alphabetically. Series 2 is arranged by subject, then chronologically. Series 4 is arranged chronologically.
- Physical location:
- The materials are located onsite in the department.
Contents
Access
Using These Materials
- ACCESS:
- The archives are open to the public and anyone is welcome to visit and view the collections.
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Access to this record group is unrestricted.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
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The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, Donald M. Blinken Papers, 1969-2003. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Blinken Papers).