IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0096 UoL/OM
Held at: Senate House Library, University of London
Title: University of London Organisation and Methods Unit
Date(s): 1965-1988
Level of description: sub-fonds
Extent: 97 reports, 29 envelopes and 11 folders
Name of creator(s): University of London | Organisation and Methods Unit
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The establishment of an Organisation and Methods Unit was proposed to the Senate on 24 February 1965 by the Finance and General Purposes Committee, following its consideration of a note by the Principal. It was initially intended to serve the work of the University's central administration in Senate House and was directly responsible to the Principal. The staff of the computer and systems analysis section of the School Examinations Department formed the nucleus of the new unit.
The Senate extended the scope of the Unit, in 1967 to cover investigations requested by individual Schools of the University. On 1 April 1967 the Unit became a separate Department reporting through the Clerk of the Senate with terms of reference emphasising its role in the introduction and maintenance of administrative computing. On 1 August 1969 the staff and equipment of the Senate House computer installation were transferred from the School Examinations Department to the Organisation and Methods Department and it took the title 'Organisation and Methods Department. On 24 February 1971 its title was changed to Management Systems Department.
By 1977 the organisation and methods work of the Management Systems Department was dwarfed by its other responsibilities and when the Department was incorporated in the new Department of Accounting and Administrative Computing the OMU was separated and placed under the direct control of the Principal. It was transferred to the Establishments Division of the Department of Administration and Services on 1 February 1979 and following a general reorganisation of the central administration to the Personnel and Administration Division of the Senate Department on 1 August 1982. After this time staff who left the Unit were not replaced and following the retirement of the last remaining member of staff, it was closed in 1989.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Project record sheets and copies of reports, surveys and reviews carried out by the Organisation and Methods Unit in various schools, institutes, departments and halls of residence of the University of London.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
1. Project Record Sheets. 2. Reports.
Conditions governing access:
Open for research although access may be restricted by the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Special Collections Reading Room staff, who will need a minimum of 48 hours to process requests.
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Catalogued online. A handlist is available in the Special Collections reading room. A pdf is attached to the sub-fonds description.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
University of London Organisation and Methods Unit.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Date(s) of descriptions: 1999-09-01 Simon McKeon, 2006-08-24 Michael Broadway, 2011-04-12 Jane Kirby