Use Restrictions

Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of James Madison University is retained by James Madison University. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information, contact the Special Collections Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Staff have taken special care to identify and remove sensitive materials, particularly those relating to students' academic records or faculty/staff personnel files, found within this collection. However, in rare instances, privacy protected information may be revealed during use of this collection. Researchers agree to make no notes or other recordation of privacy protected information if found within this collection, and further agree not to publish or disclose such information for any purpose. Researchers agree to alert Special Collections staff if potentially privacy protected information is found within this collection. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research with the exception of audiovisual materials and electronic media (VHS, audiocassettes, microcassettes, CD) which have not been reformatted. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item] [box #, folder #], Ronald E. Carrier Papers, 1919-2016 (bulk 1960-2016), UA 0053, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

The collection includes accessions PS 94-0906, PR 2000-0516B, 2010-0309, and 2017-1130. Records were transferred to Special Collections beginning in 1994 through 2017 by the Office of the President and Public Affairs.

Processing Information

In December 2022, all previously processed Carrier accessions were combined with unprocessed accessions to form one collection under UA 0053. At this time, the description, arrangement, and collection inventory were updated.

Contents of folders were combined when appropriate. Printouts of webpages including Wikipedia were discarded. Folder titles are both creator and archivist-supplied. The original 1996 letter and statement from Mills Godwin regarding Carrier's 25th anniversary was photocopied and discarded due to deteriorating condition. Framed items including awards were removed from frames which were discarded. Items that exhibited excessive water damage were also discarded.

A small accession of photographs was transferred in 2009 and during its initial processing in 2011 photographs were given an identifier with the prefix P0003. This identifier refers to a short-lived practice of numbering and organizing photographs into discrete collections irrespective of provenance. The legacy P0003 identifiers were left intact on the backs of the photographs, but the arrangement of the photographs was updated to reflect more accurate and descriptive groupings.

Appraisal

Three dimensional objects including Carrier's hard hat and desk name plates were not retained.

Biographical/Historical Note

Ronald E. Carrier (1932-2017) served as the fourth president of James Madison University from 1971 until 1998. He came to Madison College from Memphis State University, where he held several administrative positions including Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. Prior to Memphis State, Carrier was an associate professor of economics at the University of Mississippi from 1960 to 1963. He was a graduate of East Tennessee State University and the University of Illinois.

During his time at JMU, Carrier oversaw the physical expansion of campus with several large-scale building campaigns including Godwin Hall and expansions and renovations to Carrier Library as well as the growth of east campus with the Convocation Center, University Recreation Center (UREC), and the ISAT academic buildings. In total, the university added or approved $240 million in new facilities. Other significant accomplishments include increased enrollment to 14,000 students, increased operating budget to $200 million, forty new programs were added with five new colleges including the College of Integrated Science and Technology (CISAT), and establishment of a graduate school. Carrier is largely credited with the vision of East Campus. Under Carrier's leadership Madison College changed its name to James Madison University in 1977. In December 1983, Carrier accepted the position of chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville only to rescind his acceptance the following month due to unexpected administrative changes at Arkansas. In the mid-1990s, Carrier initiated the restructuring of several academic departments and colleges as well as called for the elimination of physics as a major. This was a largely unpopular decision with many faculty and students that ultimately did not materialize. Carrier Library was named in honor of Ronald and Edith Carrier in 1984. Carrier served as Chancellor of JMU from 1998 until 2002 at which point he was awarded President Emeritus status.

Scope and Contents

The Ronald E. Carrier Papers comprise the administrative records of James Madison University's fourth president. Records include annual reports and master plans, departmental goals and objectives, Carrier's resumes and biographical statements, honors and awards, philanthropic initiatives, speeches, photographs, and scrapbooks. While much of the collection documents Carrier's tenure as JMU president, a limited amount of materials relate to his work at Memphis State University. Of particular interest is Carrier's appointment and inauguration which is documented through congratulatory correspondence, printed ephemera, and photographs. Various building campaigns are documented to varying degrees and include Godwin Hall, Miller Hall, Carrier Library, and Sonner Hall.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into four series. Each series is arranged chronologically.

Related Material

James Madison University, Office of the President. Records, 1951-2001. Accession 44225. State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Administrative records
• Administrative reports
• Carrier, Ronald E., 1932-2017
• College presidents -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- Inauguration
• Education, Higher -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- Administration
• Education, Higher -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- History
• James Madison University -- Buildings
• James Madison University -- History
• James Madison University -- Planning
• James Madison University -- Presidents
• Letters (correspondence)
• Madison College -- Planning
• Madison College -- Presidents
• Memphis State University
• Photographs
• Scrapbooks
• Speeches (Documents)
• Universities and colleges -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- Administration
• Universities and colleges -- Virginia -- Harrisonburg -- History
• White, Louise