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Summary

Abstract:
Papers written by John J. Mather from 1965 to 1996.
Extent:
12 cubic ft.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, John J. Mather Papers, 1965-1996. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Mather Papers).

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection contains 12 cu. ft. of substantial records from Mather's service as a SUNY administrator. The collection contains Mather's vast correspondence with colleagues and constituents as Assistant to the SUNY Chancellor (1965-1971), Executive Assistant to the Chancellor (1971-1978) and Associate Chancellor for Public Service (1978-1984).

The collection is divided into four series. Series 1: Correspondence (1966-1990) contains blue carbon copies of Mather's correspondence from throughout his career. This includes routine administrative correspondence as well as letters and memoranda to other SUNY administrators and to the Chancellor. It includes complete correspondence files for the years 1967, 1970 through 1972, 1977 through 1978 and 1981 through 1984 as well as partial correspondence files for the years 1966, 1968 and 1990.

Series 2: SUNY Administrative (1965-1996) contains materials related to the general administration of the State University of New York (SUNY), largely but not exclusively dating from John Mather's service as Assistant to the Chancellor (1965-1971), Executive Assistant to the Chancellor (1971-1978) and Associate Chancellor for Public Service (1978-1984). Series 2 is divided into 4 subseries. Subseries 1: Campus Unrest (1967-1973) contains files related to student unrest on the various SUNY campuses during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by name of campus and/or by subject matter. Nearly all of the SUNY campuses experienced some form of student unrest during this period, and several, most notably SUNY Stony Brook, experienced large-scale disruption due to riots and protests. Subseries 2: New York Network (1975-1991) contains records related to New York Network, the public-access television studio run by the State University system. Subseries 3: Subject File (1969-1996) contains subject files related to a wide variety of topics, most notably the Empire State Youth Theatre Institute and the Russian exchange student program. It is organized alphabetically by subject. Subseries 4: SUNY Publications (1965-1995) contains publications of the State University of New York central administration, including annual reports, periodicals and related documents. Many different publication series are represented in this subseries, although none of them are complete.

Series 3: SUNY System Business Development Services (1981-1995) contains material related to Mather's service as administrator of this department and the various programs which he oversaw there. It is divided into four subseries, including a general subject file and subseries on the three main programs of the Business Development Services Office: the Small Business Development Center, the Business and Industry Centers, and Export New York.

Series 4: Rolfe, Inc. (1989-1996) contains material related to the private consulting firm which Mather ran following his retirement from the SUNY system.

Biographical / Historical:

John J. Mather was a public servant who held a number of positions with the State University of New York (SUNY) Central Administration. Born in 1922 in Rolfe, Iowa, Mather served in the Navy during World War II. He worked for twelve years as a high school social studies teacher and later served as secretary to the African American Institute in New York City before joining the staff of the SUNY system during the mid-1960s. Mather began his career at SUNY as one of several assistants to the Chancellor. During the late 1960s, he was involved in efforts to document and understand student unrest on the various SUNY campuses. In 1971, Mather was promoted to the position of Executive Assistant to the Chancellor. In this position he participated in the establishment of the Empire State Youth Theatre Institute, helped organized a student exchange program with Russia, oversaw a major study of the economic impact of the SUNY system, and served as the Chancellor's representative during the conversion of the Delaware & Hudson Building in downtown Albany into a headquarters for SUNY Central. In 1978, Mather became Associate Chancellor for Continuing Education and Public Service, a position he would hold until 1984. During this time he oversaw the establishment and expansion of the New York Network, SUNY's public television production studio.

In 1984, Mather became the Administrator of the SUNY System Business Development Services Office. Here he was responsible for creating and overseeing several programs in which the various SUNY campuses collaborated with the private sector to encourage the economic development of New York State. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assisted small business owners, while the SUNY Business and Industry Centers (initially referred to as Development Centers for Business) provided research, training and technical support to businesses of all sizes, including national and multinational businesses looking to expand their operations in New York State. The Export New York program, meanwhile, encouraged New York State businesses to export to countries outside the United States.

After retiring from the SUNY system in 1990, Mather became the president of Rolfe, Inc., a private consulting company which worked on establishing trade links between America and Europe. During this period Mather helped establish a sister cities program which facilitated cultural and business exchanges between Albany and Tula, Russia and Ghent, Belgium. In the mid-1990s Mather was also active in a campaign to prevent Governor Pataki from cutting the SUNY budget. He died in 2000.

Acquisition information:
All items in this manuscript group were transferred to the University Libraries, M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives by Marilyn Mather in 2000.
Processing information:

Processed in 2008 by Nicholas Webb.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into the following series:

  1. Series 1: Correspondence, 1966-1990
  2. Series 2: SUNY Administrative Records, 1965-1996
  3. Series 3: SUNY System Business Development Services, 1981-1995
  4. Series 4: Rolfe, Inc., 1989-1996
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:

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, John J. Mather Papers, 1965-1996. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the Mather Papers).

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