The Ohio State University, Committee on the Selection of a President Records contain a report issued by the committee to the Board of Trustees that consists of 14 candidate profiles gathered in 1939 for the successor to University President George W. Rightmire. The profiles contain a summary of why the candidate would be qualified, biographical information, and quotes from references about the candidate. It also contains a collection of letters from the Ohio State University faculty that were solicited by Board of Trustee member Herbert S. Atkinson in which he asked for candidate suggestions. Many of the letters are in support of James Lewis Morrill, Ohio State University's first vice president, and/or mention Howard Landis Bevis, the University's chosen successor to Rightmire.

The Ohio State University, Office of the President (William McPherson) Records contain correspondence, reports, minutes of meetings and other materials relating to the Administrative Council, alumni, faculty and student matters, Board of Trustees materials, materials on budgets and departments, and memberships in associations, such as American Association for the Advancement of Science.