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Guide to the Associated Students Records
MS-0380
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Collection Title: Associated Students Records
Dates: 1926-1994
Identification: MS-0380
Creator:
Associated Students
Physical Description: 15.42 linear feet
Language of Materials:
English
Repository:
Special Collections & University Archives
5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050
San Diego, CA, 92182-8050
URL: http://library.sdsu.edu/scua
Email: scref@rohan.sdsu.edu
Phone: 619-594-6791
In 1921, the San Diego Normal School merged with San Diego Junior College to form San Diego State College. Initially, both
schools kept their separate student governing bodies. In May of 1922, however, these separate bodies combined into one student
organization, creating the Associated Student Body (ASB). Although ASB was the primary student organization, Associated Women's
Students and Associated Men's Students supplemented ASB, and provided more service-oriented activities. Campus President
Walter Hepner endorsed student governance, and so Associated Students remained a student-run organization with little to no
interference from campus administration. The campus held elections annually to select ASB's new student officers. On March
7, 1932, the State of California officially incorporated Associated Students (AS) as a non-profit corporation, making the
group a San Diego State affiliate.
In 1956, Associated Student fees became mandatory for all students on campus. This increase in budget led to an expansion
of AS services, events, programs, and facilities for students, faculty, and staff. AS facilities include the Aztec Center
(established in 1968), the Campus Childcare Center (1971), the Mission Bay Aquatic Center (started in 1975 in conjunction
with the University of California, San Diego), the Open Air Theater (the AS lease began in 1978), the Aztec Recreation Center
(1997), Viejas Arena (1997), and the Aquaplex (2007). Associated Students also runs Aztecs Shops, which includes the campus
bookstore. AS also ran the Cultural Arts Board, which promoted and coordinated cultural events on campus, including guest
speakers and performers such as the California Ballet Company, Raquel Welch, Andy Warhol, Teatro Campesino, Bill Cosby, Krishnamurti,
and Ralph Nader.
Today, Associated Students is one of the largest associated student groups in the California State University system, and
is administered by five elected student executive officers, the AS Council, and the Student Board of Directors. It operates
on a budget of over $20 million a year, twenty-five percent of which comes from student fees, and employs close to a hundred
full-time employees and about a thousand part-time employees. AS continues to promote educational, social, and cultural activities
and programs on campus; actively advocate for students; endorse leadership opportunities; and provide services to students,
faculty, staff, and alumni.
This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
San Diego State University
San Diego State University -- Students
San Diego State University. Associated Students -- Archives
San Diego State University. Associated Students -- History -- Sources
Institutional Archives
College students -- California -- San Diego
Student government -- California -- San Diego
Series 6: Associated Women's Students was removed from this collection and integrated into the Associated Women's Students
Collection (MS-0449) in June of 2010.
The copyright interests in some of these materials have been transferred to or belong to San Diego State University. The nature
of historical archival and manuscript collections means that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine.
Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. Requests for permission to publish
must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted,
permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are
made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the
materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
This collection is open for research.
Identification of item, folder title, box number, Associated Students Records, Special Collections and University Archives,
Library and Information Access, San Diego State University.
San Diego State University Historical Collection
University Archives Photograph Collection
University Archives Topical File
Uncataloged Periodicals
I. Constitution, By-laws, Resolutions, 1935-1978
II. Election Files, 1959-1992
III. Officer Files, 1960-1998
IV. Council Files, 1926-1994
V. Board, Committee, and Task Force Files, 1944-1995
VII. Student Union Planning Files, 1963-1965
VIII. Aztec Center Files, 1956-1997
IX. Operation Files, 1955-1998
X. Activity and Project Files, 1938-1997
XI. Open Air Theatre Files, 1978-1987
XII. Cultural Arts Board and Visitor and Performer Files, 1964-1974
The
Associated Students Records (1926-1997) document the development, operation, and administration of Associated Students. The collection includes correspondence,
reports, memorandums, newspaper clippings, resolutions, meeting minutes, and agendas. The collection is divided into eleven
series:
Constitution,
By-laws,
Resolutions (1935-1978),
Election Files (1959-1992),
Officer Files (1960-1998),
Council Files (1926-1994),
Board, Committee, and Task Force Files (1944-1995),
Student Union Planning Files (1963-1965),
Aztec Center Files (1956-1997),
Operation Files (1955-1998),
Activity and Project Files (1938-1997),
Open Air Theatre Files (1978-1987), and
Cultural Arts Board Visitor and Performer Files (1964-1974).
The
Constitution, By-laws, Resolutions (1935-1978) document the administration of Associated Students. This series includes original by-laws, resolutions, codes,
policies, and constitutions, along with revisions and additions. These materials primarily date from the 1960s and 1970s,
with limited documentation for the 1930s and 1940s.
The
Election Files (1959-1992) document Associated Student election campaigns and results. The majority of materials date from the 1960s.
This series includes flyers, applications, reports, ballots, newspaper clippings, and results.
The
Officer Files (1960-1998) document the activities of Associated Student officers, especially during the 1960s and early 1970s. This series
consists of correspondence, managerial files, and guides.
The
Council Files (1926-1994) document AS Council's operation and administration, and provides extensive documentation of meeting minutes.
These files include member lists, directories, organizational charts, agendas, proposals, resolutions, meeting minutes, and
correspondence.
The
Boards, Committee, and Task Force Files (1944-1995) document the activities and administration of various AS committees, including the Activities Board, the Grassroots
Board, the International Board, the Off-Campus Housing Board, and the Loans and Scholarship Committee, among others. Each
committee has its own sub-series. Highlights include extensive documentation for the Cultural Arts Board. The series consists
of reports, minutes, correspondence, charters, budgets, and newspaper clippings.
The
Student Union Planning Files (1963-1965) document the creation and development of the Student Union. These files contain proposals, reports, surveys
and correspondence created before and during the construction of Aztec Center.
The
Aztec Center Files (1956-1997) document the creation, development, and administration of the Aztec Center on campus. These files provide extensive
documentation for the 1960s and 1970s, and include brochures, correspondence, meeting minutes, grand opening information,
and rosters. Of particular interest is a World War II servicemen's scrapbook. Between 1943 and 1945, the scrapbook was kept
in the campus cafeteria so that returning servicemen could sign the scrapbook and write short messages about their experiences
abroad and about their happiness returning to campus.
The
Operation Files (1955-1998) document AS' main operations primarily during the late 1960s and mid-1970s. The files consist of reports, correspondence,
newspaper clippings, brochures, calendars, and maps. There is particularly heavy documentation for AS budget activities,
including budget reports and purchase orders.
The
Activity and Project Files (1938-1997) document the planning and coordinating of AS projects and events including the Scripps Cottage Park, new student
orientation, and AS Recognition Day. These files include evaluations, awards, invitations, flyers, correspondence, and conference
material. The majority of these files date from the 1960s through 1980s, with scant documentation of the 1990s.
The
Open Air Theatre Files (1978-1987) document the administration and operation of the Open Air Theatre while under lease from AS. This series consists
of annual reports.
The
Cultural Arts Board Visitor and Performer Files (1964-1974) document the performances and appearances of noteworthy lecturers, performers, bands, dance and theatre troupes,
politicians, and academics invited to campus by AS. Filed by visitor name, these files consist of schedules, programs, purchase
orders, venue information, and correspondence.