The administrative records are organized into nine series: BACKGROUND MATERIALS, MEETING MINUTES, CORRESPONDENCE, COMMITTEE RECORDS, FINANCIAL RECORDS, LOCAL MEETINGS, ORGANIZATIONS, PERSONNEL, and OUTREACH AND ACTIVITIES. The bulk of the collection documents the activities of the Commission during the 1970s, although minutes of meetings are available from 1964 to 1979. Many of the files are incomplete and fragmentary. Committee records are very fragmentary, primarily concentrated in the 1970s. The most complete files of the Commission are found in the OUTREACH AND ACTIVITIES series. These files contain drafts of published works as well as submissions from members and the public, which were never published.

The BACKGROUND FILES, 1963-1978, include a general file which documents the formation of the commission, its goals, and its concerns and functions and a file of news clippings relating to the Governor's Commission and to the Women's Movement. A more substantial, cataloged collection of news clippings entitled "News Record of Wisconsin, The Governor's Commission on the Status of Women" can be found in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library.

The MEETING MINUTES, 1964-1979, consist of minutes and agendas of the commission, committee reports, resolutions, memoranda, and drafts of bills discussed at meetings. The files are arranged chronologically, with the years between 1971-1979 offering the most complete documentation.

CORRESPONDENCE, 1966-1979, consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence between the commission and members of Congress, various organizations, and the general public. Correspondence with legislators shows the lobbying efforts to change laws concerning domestic violence, ERA ratification, and the lack of women in the judicial system. Much of the correspondence with Wisconsin's governors involves the commission's recommendations for gubernatorial appointments. Material for the early years of the commission is extremely fragmentary.

The COMMITTEE RECORDS, 1965-1979, consist of agendas, correspondence, minutes, and reports. Arranged alphabetically by committee name, these files include findings and reports used in the committees' outreach and lobbying efforts. Reports and findings of the committees were often published, some of which may be found in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library. Drafts and other material relating to these publications can be found in the outreach and activities sub-series. Some reports considered at full commission meetings are filed in the minutes of meetings.

FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1974-1981, consist of biennial budget requests and operating budgets. The biennial requests were submitted to the Department of Administration to cover debts incurred and projected expenses. The operating budgets summarizing expenditures are extremely fragmentary.

ORGANIZATIONS files, 1969-1979, consist of agendas, rosters, correspondence, and speeches made at meetings and conferences. These materials illustrate the interaction between the Wisconsin commission and various national organizations. The records includes files of the Association of Executive Directors, the Interstate Association of Commissions on the Status of Women, and the National Commission on the Observance of International Woman's Year. The files are arranged alphabetically by organization and chronologically thereunder.

The PERSONNEL files, 1964-1979, contain correspondence, job descriptions and criteria for employment, membership files, and résumés. The records are divided into files of general material, appointments, the executive secretary position, and members. The appointment files are of special interest, documenting the Commission's efforts to lobby the Governor's Office to appoint specific individuals to the Commission and to vacancies in other appointed positions. The membership files cover the entire span of the Commission's existence. Files within this sub-division are arranged in alphabetical order.

The OUTREACH AND ACTIVITIES files are divided into Distribution, Publications, Publicity, Resolutions, Speeches, and Studies. The Distribution file (1971-1978) consists of articles, reports, speeches, and press releases collected by the commission and then distributed to members, lobbyists, and the many individuals who requested information on a variety of issues. The Publications file consists of background material, correspondence pertaining to publication production and distribution), and drafts of publications produced by the commission. Several drafts and submissions for publication which were not published will also be found in these files. Many of the commission's published materials can be found in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library. The speeches found in this file were given by commission members on a variety of topics of concern to women at annual conferences, meetings, and other occasions at which commission members were asked to participate.

Related Materials

Kathryn F. Clarenbach Papers. Papers include correspondence, commission reports, and conference documents relating to the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women.