The fonds of the Department of Biological Sciences consists of records created and received in the course of the administration of the department and the carrying out of its functions of providing instruction and promoting research. The activities documented include the administration of the department and its facilities; departmental, faculty, and external meetings; research proposals and funding applications; correspondence with university and external bodies and persons; curriculum and program planning, development and delivery; and the promotion and advertisement of the department's curriculum, programs and activities. The types of documents include meeting agenda and minutes, correspondence, directives, photographs, published materials, and research papers.

Series consists of records relating to the administrative and operational activities and responsibilities of the department. These activities include relations with other departments of the university, other universities, colleges, high schools, governments, organizations, and corporations. Also documented are activities relating to enrollment, undergraduate and graduate student curricula, administrative systems and procedures, departmental policies, transfer credits, bursaries and scholarships, public relations, teaching, facilities and research. The series includes correspondence, copies of Senate minutes detailing appointments, and memoranda. For a partial list of correspondents, see Access Points below; names have been registered as access points if they appear in file titles.