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Inventory of the Organization for Tropical Studies Records, 1962 - 1974

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Descriptive Summary

Title
Organization for Tropical Studies Records, 1962 - 1974.
Creator
Organization for Tropical Studies.
Extent
10.5 Linear Feet,
10,000 Items
Repository
University Archives, Duke University
Abstract
The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), founded in 1963, has had its North American Office located at Duke University since 1976. The OTS offers students, faculty, and researchers opportunities to work hands-on in tropical sciences in Costa Rica and other Latin American countries. The Organization for Tropical Studies Records contain correspondence, administrative materials, reports, memoranda, and course materials from the early years of OTS. The focus of the collection is on the administrative structure of OTS and planning the course offerings in Latin America. Major correspondents include Jorge Campabadal, J. T. Spencer, and Kenneth J. Turnbull. Major topics include tropical biology, geography, meteorology, earth science, and forestry, and the National Science Foundation.
Language
English.
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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions
Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Records, such as search committee files or others pertaining to employment where individuals are identified, are closed for 70 years.
In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.
In off-site storage; 24 hours advance notice is required for use.
Use Restrictions
Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Organization for Tropical Studies Records, University Archives, Duke University.
Provenance
The Organization for Tropical Studies Records was received by the University Archives as a transfer in 1979.
Processing Information
Processed by Valerie Gillispie
Completed September 23, 2004
Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, September 30, 2004
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
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Historical Note

Several international conferences held in 1962 and 1963 brought together representatives from a number of universities to discuss the possibility of an international program in tropical biology to foster education and research. The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) formally began in 1963 as an educational program that offered graduate students and faculty hands-on experience in tropical biology. In February 1963, the OTS was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization, and the first Board meeting was held in Miami, Florida in June 1963. The ten charter members of OTS were: Harvard University, the Universities of Southern California, California (System), Washington, Kansas, Michigan, Miami, Florida, Costa Rica, and Louisiana State University. The OTS now has 63 members from across the Americas.

OTS offers a number of courses in biology, geography, meteorology, earth science, forestry, and other tropical sciences. The courses generally last two to three months, and draw students from the United States, Latin America, and elsewhere. At its three biological stations in Costa Rica and other Latin American locations, over 3,600 graduate students have participated in OTS programs since 1963. OTS employs a full-time administrative staff, but all OTS faculty are temporary, drawn from member institutions to teach their specialties, providing a dynamic experience for students. In addition, scientists come to the Costa Rican stations to conduct research throughout the year.

OTS had its North American Office (NAO) in Miami, Florida from its founding to 1976, when the NAO moved to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Donald Stone, now professor emeritus in biology, served as Executive Director. The OTS also maintains a Costa Rican Office. The OTS website, which offers additional information, is located at: http://www.ots.duke.edu.

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Collection Overview

The Organization for Tropical Studies Records includes correspondence, administrative materials, reports, memoranda, and course materials from the early years of OTS. The focus of the collection is on the administrative structure of OTS and planning the course offerings in Latin America. Major correspondents include Jorge Campabadal, J. T. Spencer, and Kenneth J. Turnbull. Major topics include tropical biology, geography, meteorology, earth science, and forestry, and the National Science Foundation. The collection is organized into two series. The Administrative series contains correspondence from the North American Office, as well as correspondence with OTS administrators and faculty. In addition, the series has information on committees, sources of funding, founding documents, and topics related to the administration of OTS. The second series, Courses, has information on the planning, curriculum, course participants, critiques, and other aspects of educational programming offered by OTS.
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Subject Headings

These and related materials may be accessed under the following subject headings in the Duke University Libraries online catalog.
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Related Material

Organization for Tropical Studies Reference Collection
University Archives, Duke University

Organization for Tropical Studies Records, 1948-1986
University Archives and Records Program, University of Michigan

List of Series in Collection
Administrative, 1962-1974
Courses, 1962-1974
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Detailed Description of the Collection

Administrative, 1962-1974

The Administrative series begins with correspondence. The Reading File is a collection of all the outgoing correspondence of the North American Office. Most of this correspondence is written by J. T. Spencer and Kenneth J. Turnbull, Executive Directors of OTS. Following the Reading Files is correspondence organized by the name of the sender. Much of this correspondence is from Jorge Campabadal of the Costa Rican Office. All of the correspondence is arranged in chronological order, with the latest materials in the front of the folders.
In addition to correspondence, the Administrative series contains committee materials, founding materials, information on funding (much of which came from the National Science Foundation), and other topics of importance to OTS. These materials are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Box 1

Correspondence

Reading File
   Folder 1
October 1966-December 1967, A-D
   Folder 2
October 1966-December 1967, E-I
   Folder 3
October 1966-December 1967, J-N
   Folder 4
October 1966-December 1967, O-S
   Folder 5
October 1966-December 1967, T-Z
   Folder 6
January 1968-December 1968, A-B
   Folder 7
January 1968-December 1968, C
   Folder 8
January 1968-December 1968, D-F
   Folder 9
January 1968-December 1968, G-H
   Folder 10
January 1968-December 1968, I-L
   Folder 11
January 1968-December 1968, M
   Folder 12
January 1968-December 1968, N-R
   Folder 13
January 1968-December 1968, S-T
   Folder 14
January 1968-December 1968, U-Z
   Folder 15
January 1, 1969-January 15, 1969
   Folder 16
January 16, 1969-January 23, 1969
   Folder 17
January 24, 1969-February 10, 1969
   Folder 18
February 11, 1969-February 20, 1969
   Folder 19
February 21, 1969-March 10, 1969
   Folder 20
March 11, 1969-March 28, 1969
   Folder 21
April 1, 1969-April 30, 1969
   Folder 22
May 1, 1969-May 31, 1969
   Folder 23
June 1, 1969-June 30, 1969
   Folder 24
July 1, 1969-July 31, 1969
   Folder 25
August 1, 1969-August 31, 1969
   Folder 26
September 1, 1969-September 20, 1969
   Folder 27
September 21, 1969-September 30, 1969
   Folder 28
October 1, 1969-October 23, 1969
   Folder 29
October 24, 1969-October 31, 1969
   Folder 30
November 1, 1969-November 30, 1969
   Folder 31
December 1, 1969-December 15, 1969
   Folder 32
December 16, 1969-December 31, 1969
   Folder 33
January 1, 1970-January 31, 1970
Box 2
   Folder 34
February 1, 1970-February 11, 1970
   Folder 35
February 12, 1970-February 28, 1970
   Folder 36
March 1, 1970-March 12, 1970
   Folder 37
March 13, 1970-March 31, 1970
   Folder 38
April 1, 1970-April 30, 1970
   Folder 39
May 1, 1970-May 15, 1970
   Folder 40
May 16, 1970-May 31, 1970
   Folder 41
June 1, 1970-June 15, 1970
   Folder 42
June 16, 1970-June 30, 1970
   Folder 43
July 1, 1970-July 15, 1970
   Folder 44
July 16, 1970-July 31, 1970
   Folder 45
August 1, 1970-August 15, 1970
   Folder 46
August 16, 1970-August 31, 1970
   Folder 47
September 1, 1970-September 30, 1970
   Folder 48
October 1, 1970-October 15, 1970
   Folder 49
October 16, 1970-October 31, 1970
   Folder 50
November 1, 1970-November 30, 1970
   Folder 51
December 1, 1970-December 31, 1970
   Folder 52
January 1, 1971-January 15, 1971
   Folder 53
January 16, 1971-January 31, 1971
   Folder 54
February 1, 1971-February 28, 1971
   Folder 55
March 1, 1971-March 15, 1971
   Folder 56
March 16, 1971-March 31, 1971
   Folder 57
April 1, 1971-April 30, 1971
   Folder 58
May 1, 1971-May 31, 1971
   Folder 59
June 1, 1971-June 30, 1971
   Folder 60
July 1, 1971-July 15, 1971
   Folder 61
July 16, 1971-July 31, 1971
   Folder 62
August 1, 1971-August 15, 1971
   Folder 63
August 16, 1971-August 31
   Folder 64
September 1, 1971-September 30, 1971
   Folder 65
October 1, 1971-October 15, 1971
   Folder 66
October 16, 1971-October 31, 1971
   Folder 67
November 1, 1971-November 30, 1971
   Folder 68
December 1, 1971-December 31, 1971
   Folder 69
January 1, 1972-January 31, 1972
   Folder 70
February 1, 1972-February 15, 1972
   Folder 71
February 16, 1972-February 29, 1972
   Folder 72
March 1, 1972-March 31, 1972
Box 3
   Folder 73
April 1, 1972-April 30, 1972
   Folder 74
May 1, 1972-May 31, 1972
   Folder 75
June 1, 1972-June 30, 1972
   Folder 76
July 1, 1972-October 31, 1972
   Folder 77
November 1, 1972-April 30, 1973
   Folder 78
May 1, 1973-September 30, 1973
   Folder 79
October 1, 1973-December 31, 1973
   Folder 80
January 1, 1974-February 28, 1974
   Folder 81
March 1, 1974-March 31, 1974
   Folder 82
April 1, 1974-May 31, 1974
   Folder 83
June 1, 1974-July 31, 1974
   Folder 84
August 1, 1974-December 5, 1974
   Folder 85
Costa Rican Office, 1970
   Folder 86
North American Office, 1970

General
   Folder 87
1962-1963
   Folder 88
1964-1966
   Folder 89
1966-1972
   Folder 90
Roderico Anzueto, December 1969-January 1971
   Folder 91
James S. Bethel, 1963-1966
   Folder 92
Wayne Cain, January 1972

Jorge Campabadal
   Folder 93
January 1968-June 1968
   Folder 94
July 1968-December 1968
   Folder 95
January 1969-June 1969
   Folder 96
July 1969-October 1969
   Folder 97
November 1969-December 1969
   Folder 98
January 1970
   Folder 99
February 1970
   Folder 100
March 1970
   Folder 101
April 1970-June 1970
   Folder 102
July 1970-August 1970
   Folder 103
September 1970-February 1971
   Folder 104
March 1971-December 1971
   Folder 105
January 1972-December 1972
   Folder 106
John De Abate, 1963-1965
   Folder 107
Ronald S. Dewitt, September 1969-July 1970
   Folder 108
Robert Dorian, August 1967-December 1969
   Folder 109
Robert Dorian, January 1970-February 1972
Box 4
   Folder 110
Norman Hartweg, 1963-1964
   Folder 111
Grace B. Iverson, January 1972-February 1972
   Folder 112
Steven Preston, May 1965-May 1967
   Folder 113
Steven Preston, April 1967-January 1968, undated
   Folder 114
Reed Rollins, May 1963-October 1965, undated
   Folder 115
J. T. Spencer, January 1966-December 1972
   Folder 116
Larry Stuart, August 1969-January 1972
   Folder 117
Kenneth Turnbull, June 1972-December 1972
   Folder 118
Benjamin Waite, Residential Coodinator, December 1970-December 1972

Committees
   Folder 119
Agriculture Committee, 1967-1969
   Folder 120
Agriculture Committee, 1970-1972
   Folder 121
Anthropology Committee, 1969
   Folder 122
Anthropology Committee, 1970-1971
   Folder 123
Earth Sciences Committee, 1968-1969
   Folder 124
Earth Sciences Committee, 1970-1971

Executive Committee
   Folder 125
Agreement between the University of Miama and OTS, 1965-1969
   Folder 126
November 1970 Annual Meeting
   Folder 127
November 1971 Annual Meeting
   Folder 128
Board Election, 1970
   Folder 129
Board Funds for Meetings, 1971
   Folder 130
October 1969 Board of Directors Election, August 1969-January 1970
   Folder 131
Budgets, 1969
   Folder 132
Charter and By-laws, 1970-1971
   Folder 133
Confirmed Institutional Representatives, 1970
   Folder 134
Confirmed Institutional Representatives, 1971
   Folder 135
Consolidated Budgets, 1966-1968

Correspondence
   Folder 136
1968-1969
   Folder 137
April 1970-September 1970
   Folder 138
October 1970-January 1971
   Folder 139
February 1971-May 1971
   Folder 140
June 1971-November 1971
   Folder 141
On old fiscal records, 1965-1966
   Folder 142
Secretary Marion Marts, June 1969-November 1972
   Folder 143
Ford Foundation Pilot Grant, 1969
   Folder 144
April 1971 Meeting, December 1970-April 1971
   Folder 145-146
Meeting References, April 1971
   Folder 147
Membership Committee Correspondence, 1968-1970
   Folder 148
Membership Lists, 1969-1971
Box 5
   Folder 149
Memoranda, 1972
National Science Foundation (NSF)
   Folder 150
Alice Withrow Correspondence, 1969
   Folder 151
Education Grant, 1963-1965, undated
   Folder 152
Education Grant, 1966-1969
   Folder 153
Expenditure Ceiling, 1968-1969
   Folder 154
Grant GZ-687, Interim Report #1 Records, 1968-1969
   Folder 155
Grant GB 7805 Correspondence, 1966-1968
   Folder 156
Grant GB 7805 Records, 1968
   Folder 157
Indirect Costs, 1969
   Folder 158
Meeting, 1968
   Folder 159
Rockefeller Proposal, 1969
   Folder 160
Teaching for OTS, October 1968
   Folder 161
Texas System of National Laboratories, 1969
   Folder 162
Tuition Question, 1969
   Folder 163
Forestry Committee, 1968-1969
   Folder 164
Forestry Committee, 1970-1972
Meteorology Committee
   Folder 165
1966-1968
   Folder 166
1969
   Folder 167
1970-1972
   Folder 168
Operating Committee, September 1969-December 1971
   Folder 169
Research Committee, 1967
   Folder 170
Statewide Committee on Tropical Studies Minutes, January 1967
   Folder 171
U of Hawaii Tropical Studies Committee, 1967

Founding Material
   Folder 172
Board of Directors and Advisor Council Material, 1966
   Folder 173
Board of Directors and Advisor Council Material, 1967-1968
   Folder 174
Board of Directors and Advisor Council Minutes, 1963-1967
   Folder 175
Descriptive Material, 1964-1966, undated
   Folder 176
Formative Documents, 1962-1963, undated
   Folder 177
Institutional Representatives, 1966
   Folder 178
OTS Information, December 1965-March 1966

Funding
   Folder 179
Billing to Research Accounting, 1967
   Folder 180
1965-1970 Budget, circa 1964
   Folder 181
Form 10s, 1965
   Folder 182
Invoices, September 1965-December 1966
   Folder 183
Invoices to OTS Members, 1967-1968

National Science Foundation (NSF)
   Folder 184
NSF-AID Program, 1964
   Folder 185
Grant, 1964-1966
   Folder 186
Grant Application, December 11, 1967
   Folder 187
Grant Extension Application, circa 1967
   Folder 188
Grant, Final Report, 1966
   Folder 189
Grant Report, 1966
   Folder 190
Proposals from OTS, 1964-1965
   Folder 191
New Member Fees, 1964-1967
   Folder 192
Requisitions and Purchase Orders, 1964-1965

Topics
Box 6
   Folder 193
Associated Universities, Inc., 1966
   Folder 194
Costa Rica, 1972
   Folder 195
Costa Rica, 1973
   Folder 196
Education - General, 1972
   Folder 197
Field Stations, 1962-1969
   Folder 198
Guatemala, June 1970-August 1971
   Folder 199
Inventory, 1967
   Folder 200
Lecture Announcement, 1965
   Folder 201
Membership, 1971-1973
   Folder 202
New Members, 1967
   Folder 203
Nicoya Peninsula Report, May 1962
   Folder 204
OTS Report on its Program of Tropical Studies and Research, August 5, 1966
   Folder 205
Program for a Cooperative Program in Education and Research, January 8, 1963
   Folder 206
Regulations, 1971
   Folder 207
Reports from San Jose, Costa Rica, 1965-1967
   Folder 208
Reports - Preston, 1965-1966
   Folder 209
Research, 1972-1973
   Folder 210
Research Project, 1973
   Folder 211
Tropical Science Center, Annual Report, 1964
   Folder 212
Tropical Science Center information, undated
   Folder 213
USC Tropical Studies Program, December 1967

Courses, 1962-1974

The Courses series contains information about the OTS's educational programs. Most of the materials are related to individual classes in the tropical sciences. These are arranged chronologically by course session date. Some courses have numbers (i.e. #71-4); when available, these have been provided. Also included in this series are course critiques, planning information, and other materials related to OTS courses.
   Folder 214
Tropical Forest Ecology, 1965 (February-March 1965 session)
   Folder 215
Biology and Evolution of Tropical Insects, 1965 (July-August 1965 session)
   Folder 216
Fundamentals Course, 1965 (July-August 1965 session)
   Folder 217
The Biology of Tropical Epiphytes, 1966 (February-March 1966 session)
   Folder 218
The Biology of Tropical Vertebrates, 1966 (February-March 1966 session)
   Folder 219
Fundamentals Course, 1966 (February-March 1966 session)
   Folder 220
The Biology of Tropical Grasses, 1966 (July-August 1966 session)
   Folder 221
Fundamentals Course, 1966 (July-August 1966 session)
   Folder 222
Tropical Biology Course, 1966-1967 (February-March 1967 session)
   Folder 223
Insect Ecology in the Tropics, 1967 (February-March 1967 session)
   Folder 224
The Biology of Tropical Pteridophytes, 1965-1967 (Summer 1967 session)
   Folder 225-226
Tropical Biology - An Ecological Approach, 1967 (July-August 1967 session)
   Folder 227
Tropical Lands and their Utilization, 1965-1967 (July-August 1967 session)
   Folder 228
Crop Plants in Tropical Environments, 1967-1968 (February-March 1968 session)
   Folder 229
Problems in Tropical Forestry, 1967-1968 (February-March 1968 session)
   Folder 230
Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach, 1967-1968 (February-March 1968 session)
   Folder 231
Land and Life in the Tropics, 1968 (July-August 1968 session)
   Folder 232
Reproductive Biology in Tropical Plant Ecology, 1968 (July-August 1968 session)
   Folder 233
Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach, 1967-1968 (July-August 1968 session)
   Folder 234
Field Dendrology, 1968 (August-September 1968 session)
   Folder 235
Tropical Biology - An Ecological Approach, 1968 (July-August 1968 session)
   Folder 236
Field Dendrology, 1968 (August-September 1968 session)
   Folder 237
Principles of Tropical Grassland Agriculture, 1968-1969 (February-March 1969 session)
   Folder 238
Tropical Biology, 1968-1969 (February-March 1969 session)
   Folder 239
Introduction to Tropical Forestry, 1968-1969 (April-June 1969 session)
   Folder 240
Advanced Population Biology, 1968-1969 (July-August 1969 session)
   Folder 241
Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach, 1968-1969 (July-August 1969 session)
   Folder 242
Tropical Biometerorology, 1968 (July-August 1969 session)
   Folder 243
Tropical Marine Biology, 1966-1969 (July-August 1969 session)
   Folder 244
#70-1: Tropical Biology - An Ecological Approach, 1969-1970 (February-March 1970 session)
   Folder 245
#70-2: Tropical Limnology, 1969-1971 (February-March 1970 session)
   Folder 246
#70-3: Animal Science, 1969-1971 (February-March 1970 session--cancelled)
   Folder 247
#70-4: Geology, 1969-1970 (February-March 1970 session)
Box 7
   Folder 248
#70-5: Geography of Costa Rica, 1969-1971 (April-June 1970 session)
   Folder 249
#70-6: Tropical Forestry, 1970 (April-June 1970 session)
   Folder 250
#70-7: Tropical Biology, Section 1, 1969-1971 (July-August 1970 session)
   Folder 251
#70-8: Tropical Biology (Faculty), 1970 (July-August 1970 session)
   Folder 252
#70-9: Atmospheric Sciences, 1969-1970 (July-August 1970 session)
   Folder 253
#70-10: Tropical Marine Biology, 1969-1971 (July-August 1970 session)
   Folder 254-255
#71-1: Tropical Biology, 1970-1971 (February-March 1971 session)
   Folder 256
#71-2: Vertebrates, 1970-1971 (April-May 1971 session)
   Folder 257-258
#71-3: Tropical Forestry, 1970-1972 (April-June 1971 session)
   Folder 259
#71-4: Geology, 1970-1971 (June-August 1971 session)
   Folder 260
#71-5 and 71-6: Tropical Biology, 1970-1971 (July-August 1971 session)
   Folder 261-262
#71-7: Geography, 1970-1972 (July-August 1971 session)
   Folder 263
#71-8: Atmospheric Energy Considerations, 1970-1972 (July-August 1971 session)
   Folder 264
#72-1: Tropical Biology, 1972 (January-March 1972 session)
   Folder 265
#72-2: Advanced Biology: Central American Pine Forests, 1971-1972 (April-May 1972 session)
   Folder 266
#72-3: Tropical Biology, 1972 (July-August 1972 session)
   Folder 267
#72-4: Geography, 1971-1972 (July-August 1972 session)
   Folder 268
#74-1: Tropical Biology, 1974
   Folder 269
#75-1: Tropical Biology, 1974 (January-February 1975 session)

Critiques
   Folder 270
1971
   Folder 271
Biology, 1967-1968
   Folder 272
Forestry, 1965-1968
   Folder 273
Fundamentals, 1964-1967
   Folder 274
Fundamentals, 1968-1969

Planning
   Folder 275
1967-1968
   Folder 276
1969
   Folder 277
1969-1970, for 1971 courses
   Folder 278
Advanced Biology, 1968-1969
   Folder 279
Agriculture, 1968-1969
   Folder 280
Geography, 1968
   Folder 281
Meteorology, 1968
   Folder 282
Tropical Biology: An Ecological Approach, 1969

Related Information
   Folder 283
Correspondence, 1972-1973
   Folder 284
Correspondence on 1970 courses, 1969
   Folder 285
Course Information, 1966
   Folder 286
Fundamentals Course - Spanish, 1966-1967
   Folder 287
Insurance for Participants, 1968-1969, undated
   Folder 288
OTS Curriculum, 1962-1967
   Folder 289
OTS Faculty, 1965-1967
   Folder 290
Policy Statement for Instructors (Instructors' Manual), 1965-1968

Summer Course Information
   Folder 291
1965
   Folder 292
1967
   Folder 293
1968