By Katie Manley, Alex Welborn, Tessa Klink, Sarah Gard
Title: Alec Vachon Papers, 1969-2006
ID: 01/021
Extent: 2.0 Linear Feet
Arrangement: The majority of the materials correspond to Dr. Vachon’s term as Senator Dole’s Legislative Assistant and disability advisor; however, some correspondence, press releases, and speech drafts originate before and after his tenure with the Senator. These materials are not separated, but instead placed in chronological order with other similar items (i.e. correspondence, press releases, etc.). Original order of the accession has segregated materials into distinct groupings based firstly on format and then chronological order.
The Alec Vachon Manuscript Collection, which spans the years 1969-2006, consists of office correspondence and memoranda, press releases, speech drafts and keynote addresses, published articles and reports regarding disability advocacy and research, and memorabilia including a scrapbook and campaign tickets, all of which document Vachon’s time as Legislative Assistant and disability advisor for Senator Bob Dole.
The majority of the collection consists of office correspondence and memoranda from Vachon updating Senator Dole on current trends and issues experienced within the disabled community. Topics are varied and include activism by disabilities rights groups, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) news and anniversaries, the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, and International Disability Rights among others. Prominent organizations mentioned in the papers include, but are not limited to, the National Organization on Disability (NOD), the National Council on Disability, the Dole Foundation and Very Special Arts. In addition to office paperwork, the collection includes several speech drafts and keynote addresses for various disabilities conferences, working groups, fundraisers, and associations that Senator Dole attended during the early ‘90s. Lastly, the collection contains photocopied articles and newspaper clippings pertaining to disability rights legislation, advocacy, and disability research. Major topics addressed include education and employment opportunities for disabled citizens, legislation for people with severe mental illnesses, incidents of discrimination against disabled individuals and availability of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for disabled children and adults.
A small portion of the collection contains materials on “Roosevelt History Month” and the FDR Memorial. Included in the collection are planning and development materials for the Memorial, correspondence regarding controversial imagery of President Roosevelt, press releases and educational materials, speech drafts, and copies of magazine and newspaper articles.
Robert Alexander Vachon III (December 12, 1951 - December 5, 2012) was Senator Dole’s Legislative Assistant for disability issues from 1993-1995. In this capacity, Dr. Vachon informed Senator Dole on current events and trends regarding Disability Rights policy and legislation. In addition to keeping Senator Dole informed on disability issues, he also acted as the Senator’s liaison to various research associations and Disability Rights advocates.
Dr. Vachon was deeply invested in disability policy before working for Senator Dole. After receiving his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he held various positions consulting in public policy, disability programs, and rehabilitation research. From 1985 to 1993, Dr. Vachon was President and Executive Director of the Washington, D.C. based National Disability Policy Center, a private, non-profit research group that analyzed disability programing in policy areas including public health, employment, education, and welfare among others. He also spoke frequently on disability issues and authored numerous publications. After his tenure with Senator Dole, Dr. Vachon worked as a Washington public policy consultant until his death in 2012.
Repository: Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections
Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research. Some materials within the Dole Archive are restricted because of their sensitive nature or because they contain personal or confidential information. These records are protected by federal laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Examples of restricted records are personnel files, medical records, financial records, and any materials containing personal information such as addresses and social security numbers. Restricted materials are identified at the box and/or folder level within the finding aid. Questions about these materials may be directed to the Senior Archivist of the Dole Archives.
Use Restrictions: Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different kinds of materials. Some of the documents and other historical materials in the Dole Archive are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. However, there are other materials that carry a copyright interest that must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Dole Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted materials.
