These records document the activities of the University of Southern California Office of the Provost, the second highest administrative unit for the University, during the period from 1973 to 2007. The files include an academic planning document; accreditation reports, consisting of reports from the Ad Hoc Review Committees, academic departments, and schools; general correspondence and general files maintained by the Office; files pertaining to faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure; applications for the James H. Zumberge Faculty Research and Innovation Fund; files on the USC presidential inaugurations of James H. Zumberge and Stephen B. Sample; nominations for staff achievement awards; and files on the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement Award presented initially by Pepperdine University (1974-1980) and now by USC (1981-present).

The records include audiotapes, correspondence, clippings, ephemera, office files, photographs and negatives, reports, video tapes, and artifacts.