Flora Davidson Papers

Collection

Identifier: BC20-33

Staff View

Collection Scope and Content Summary

The Flora Davidson Collection contains materials relating to the scholarly and administrative work of Flora Davidson, during her time at Barnard as a Professor of Urban Studies and Political Science, and an administrator in a variety of roles, including Associate Dean of Faculty and Associate Provost. Materials in the collection span the years of 1971 to 2013, with the bulk of materials falling in the range of 1980 to 2010.

Collection materials include meeting minutes, correspondence, and personal notes relating to the committee work undertaken by Flora. Of particular note are the materials relating to the creation, implementation, and assessment of the Pre-College Program, other activities of the Committee on Events, and minutes and personal notes relating to the Committee on Instruction.

The collection also houses materials from Flora’s scholarship on issues of rent control and housing policy, speeches given on electoral politics in America, and copies of reviews written by by Flora for a variety of colleagues' work. Additionally, the collection contains Flora Davidson’s course preparation materials for a variety of Political Science and Urban Studies courses.

Dates

Creation: 1971 - 2013
Creation: Majority of material found within 1980 - 2010

Creator

Flora Davidson (Depositor, Person)

Access

Portions of this collection, in Series 2, are restricted due to personal identifying information about applicants to the positions of Provost, President of the College, and Dean of the College and Faculty.

Publication Rights

Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Barnard Archives and Special Collections. The Barnard Archives and Special Collections approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Reproductions Restrictions

Photocopies or scans may be made for research purposes.

Biography

Professor Flora Davidson received her Ph.D. from Columbia University in Political Science, and taught at New York University, before coming to teach at Barnard in 1973. She is also a Barnard College alumna. Professor Davidson taught classes in Barnard College’s Political Science and Urban Studies departments, on topics including American government, urban politics and policy, and political leadership, and served as an advisor to Political Science and Urban Studies majors. Her research interests include how political leadership affects political outcomes, urban politics and policy, and New York City housing policies.

In addition to her teaching, Professor Davidson served as Associate Provost of Barnard College from 1995-2008, as Acting Dean of the Faculty in 1994-1995, and as Associate Dean of the Faculty beginning in 1990. From 1984 - 1990, she served as Dean for special academic programs where she created a number of summer programs, including Barnard's Pre-College Program for high school students. Flora Davidson retired in July of 2014.

Extent

5.42 Linear Feet (13 document boxes)

Language

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Flora Davidson Collection contains materials relating to the professional and administrative work of Barnard alumna and faculty member Flora Davidson, who taught at the college from 1973 until her retirement in July of 2014, in the Political Science and Urban Studies departments.

Collection Arrangement

The Flora Davidson collection is arranged into two series. The contents of each series are arranged in the order in which they were received. The series arrangement of the records is as follows:

Series 1, Course Preparation and Scholarship, 1971 - 2013
Series 1 contains materials relating to Professor Flora Davidson’s preparation materials for courses taught in the Political Science and Urban Studies department, primarily from the 1990 to 2012, including anonymous course evaluations from a variety of courses taught by Flora from the years 1997 - 2010.

Series 2, Administrative and Committee Work, 1990 - 2013
Series 2 contains materials relating to Professor Flora Davidson’s participation on a variety of committees, due to her administrative appointments. Of particular note are materials of Flora’s relating to her work on the Committee on Instruction, Office on special programs, and input on the creation of the Athena Center for Leadership.

Physical Location

This collection is located in the Barnard Archives and Special Collections, Barnard Library. To use this collection, please contact the Barnard Archives and Special Collections at 212.854.4079 or archives@barnard.edu.