The Robert G. Jahn subseries consists primarily of correspondence and subject files documenting Dean Jahn's administration of the School of Engineering and Applied Science from 1971 to 1986. The records include Jahn's handwritten notes, memoranda, printed reports and internal reviews, meeting agendas and minutes, talks, papers and publications by Jahn and others. The files contain Jahn's correspondence with individuals inside and outside the university, as well as with businesses and foundations regarding sponsorships, grants, and development.

The records include School of Engineering and Applied Science course schedules, evaluations, directories, lists of enrolled students and data on application, enrollment, and graduation of SEAS undergraduate and graduate students. Records reflect both the administration of SEAS and Dean Jahn's engagement with other administrators in the university community. Dean Jahn also kept records of his own talks, articles and publications, as well as published work and papers by others. Several of his research and fundraising trips—to San Francisco, Germany and the USSR, as well as a visit to SEAS by a Chinese delegation—are documented here to some extent.

Files in Boxes 182-190 are arranged in the order in which they were received from the School of Engineering, presumably reflecting the organization of the Office of the Dean under Jahn's administration. Files in Box 191 were assembled at the University Archives from binders Jahn kept of his own articles, talks, reports and papers (drafts, typescripts, and published versions), as well as from loose papers and publications.

Files in Box 100, from an earlier acquisition to the University Archives, consist of four folders documenting relatively minor topics from Jahn's administration.