The folders in this record group comprise the non-current portion of the Department of Information Services' large holdings of background information on persons and subjects associated with the university. In addition, there is a file of coding sheets from a comprehensive biographical survey of of the recipients of university honorary degrees and the Laetare Medal.

The SUBJECT AND EVENTS FILES and the BIOGRAPHICAL FILES comprise the bulk of the records. Each is arranged alphabetically -- by subject and by name, respectively. The file for each subject or individual typically contains printed or distributed materials such as press releases, magazine articles and newspaper clippings, brochures and programs, announcements, texts of speeches, copies of publications, etc. The Biographical Files also often contain questionaires requesting personal information that were filled in and returned by the individuals.

In 1983, Information Services undertook to create a computer data base containing biographical information on all the recipients of university honorary degrees and the Laetare Medal. The DATA BASE FILES contain the coding sheets used in entering this information onto the Archives' IBM 5280 computer. These sheets are arranged by type of award (degree or medal) and then alphabetically by name. The first folder in this series contains summary statistical data derived from the data base as well as a coded printout describing all the recipients.

Besides arranging the folders of this record group into series, the processing archivist has refoldered some of them, titled many of them more correctly or more accurately, divided very large folders into up to four new ones, removed photographs to the collateral Information Services Photograph Collection (GDIS), weeded out all duplicate and near duplicate material, and discarded certain publications (such as university directories and football annuals) that are easily accessible elsewhere.