Boston College. Office of the Vice President and University Secretary
Dates
- Usage: 2014-present
- Usage: 1863 - 2014
Biography
The office of Secretary of the University is one of Boston College's original founding positions. At the first organizational meeting of the Board of Trustees on July 6, 1863 - held just days after the college received its charter from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - only two items of business were transacted: a vote to accept the act of incorporation, and the election of a secretary. Edward H. Welch, SJ was elected to that office, becoming the first University Secretary in Boston College's history. The Secretary has reported directly to the President throughout the office's history.
The duties of the office were codified in Article 4, Section 4 of the Bylaws of the Trustees of Boston College, adopted December 6, 1972, and as amended May 18, 1973 and December 7, 1973:
"The Secretary of Boston College shall have those powers and duties usually pertinent to the office of secretary of an educational corporation in the Commonwealth, and such other duties as the Board of Trustees and the President of Boston College shall delegate to him. He shall keep an attested copy of the Charter of the Corporation, the Bylaws of the Corporation, the Statutes of the University, and all votes and minutes of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. He shall furnish copies of the above documents to any member of the Board of Trustees and any Officer of the University who shall request the same, and to any administrative official of the University who shall be authorized by the Board of Trustees to inspect the same. He shall be the custodian of the seal of the University, and shall affix the same to any instrument requiring the seal."
Francis B. McManus, SJ was appointed Secretary in the summer of 1958 by President Michael P. Walsh, SJ and served through at least 1977, spanning the presidencies of Walsh, W. Seavey Joyce, SJ, and into that of J. Donald Monan, SJ. He was succeeded by Paul A. FitzGerald, SJ, who served from approximately 1977 through 1980 and subsequently became the first University Archivist. Leo J. McGovern, SJ followed from 1981 through 1988, and was succeeded by Joseph P. Duffy, SJ, who served until fall 2008.
Duffy was succeeded by Mary Lou DeLong, appointed by the Board of Trustees in fall 2008. DeLong was the first layperson and first woman to hold the position in the university's history, and retained her existing title of Vice President while serving concurrently as Secretary. Around 2014, the title was elevated to Vice President and University Secretary, formally consolidating the dual roles DeLong had held concurrently. Terrence P. Devino, SJ served in the newly styled position from approximately 2014 through 2016, followed by Casey Beaumier, SJ from 2017 through 2025. Kevin Shea was appointed to the position in 2025.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Boston College Commencement materials
This collection consists of individual and group photographs of graduates and attendees of Boston College Commencement ceremonies, as well as program materials. The collection includes contact sheets, photographs, printed ephemera, and slides.
Collection is open for research; a portion is also available digitally.
Michael P. Walsh, SJ, President's Office records
Collection is open for research. Series I. Admissions is closed in its entirety due to privacy restrictions, and is stored off-site. A small amount of material in other series is also closed due to privacy restrictions.
Boston College publications
Publications and printed materials produced by Boston College administration and students.
Collection is open for research. Digital content in this collection has been migrated from source media; digital use copies can only be accessed onsite in the Burns Library Reading Room.