Special Educational Opportunities File, 1968-70 | University of Illinois Archives

Colleges and departments handled admissions until 1893, when the Board of Trustees established the office of registrar. The registrar was to "conduct the general correspondence with persons desiring admission to the university, conduct the correspondence and keep the records concerning the accredited schools and honorary scholarships and accredited school scholarships" and arrange for scholarship examinations, examine persons wishing to enter the university, have charge of registration of students, keep all records of attendance and standings of students, make out and sign all matriculation and dismissal papers and prepare diplomas.¹ In 1913, the positions were separated and a Registrar was named.² On August 5, 1947, the Trustees changed the title of the Registrar's Office to Office of Admissions and Records.³ On May 22, 1956, the position of Dean of Admissions was created. He was responsible for all the functions and services of the Office of Admissions and Records, which included a broad scope of service to the state in secondary and higher education.⁴ In 1965, a Director of Admissions and Records was appointed for each campus.⁵ In September 1967, the Director's Office assumed responsibility for the Champaign-Urbana campus, which had formerly been exercised by the Dean of Admissions and Records. Assistant Directors were responsible for human relations and equal opportunities, personnel, publications, internal operations and pre-college programs and residency determination.⁶ In 1980, assistant directors were responsible for admissions, admissions information, central services, development, international admissions, minority articulation, records, registration and school-college relations.⁷

1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 17th Report, September 12, 1893, p. 175.

2. Ibid., 27th Report, October 4, 1913, pp. 661-62.

3. Ibid., 44th Report, August 5, 1947, p. 495.

4. Ibid., 48th Report, May 22, 1956, p. 1055.

5. Ibid., 53rd Report, November 18, 1965, p. 905.

6. Staff Directory, 1968/69, p. 14.

7. Student-Staff Directory, 1980-81, p. 10.