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Governmental Affairs Office Records

 Collection
Identifier: CSU-011

Scope and Content

The CSU Office of Government Affairs records contains materials relating to the CSU systems' interactions with the California state government.

Subjects include Board of Trustee Actions, production of the play "The Beard" at Fullerton; college name changes; Association of Student Body Presidents; buildings and grounds; architects; proposed college sites; Les Cohen speeches; campus dissent; Vandenburg Air Force Base; individual campus issues; correspondence with Chancellors, legislators, Governors including Ronald Reagan, and Lt. Governors; possible Ventura County campus sites; Dow Chemical/Anti-war demonstration; joint doctoral degree programs; John Gilbaugh correspondence with chancellor; legislative progress reports; State Technical Services Act; faculty recruitment; labor unions; grievance procedures; faculty staffing formula; faculty research; bond issues; nudity; nursing program; "pornography;" R.O.T.C.; George Murray, National Defense Student Loans; weekly briefing, student admissions; Vietnam Moratorium Day; year-round operations; San Francisco State crisis (1968-1969); remedial education; and many other issues.

Types of materials found in this collection include, but are not limited to: correspondence, working papers, newsletters, Governmental Affairs Reports, Legislative Reports, and weekly briefings.

Dates

  • 1960-1991
  • Majority of material found within 1960-1969

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English

Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Publication Rights

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Gerth Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

History

The CSU Office of Government Affairs dealt with the State College and University systems interactions with the California State Legislature regarding legislation, college sites and controversial issues. The former Government Affairs office is currently called the Office of Advocacy and Institutional Relations.

The California State University System was formally established in 1960 by the Donahoe Higher Education Act. It is the nation’s largest university system, with 23 campuses. The CSU is one of three public higher education systems in the state of California (the others are the University of California and the California Community College System). The System is the direct descendant of the California State Normal School (now, San Jose State University) established by the California Legislature on May 2, 1862. By 1895 there were four State Normal schools. In 1921, the schools were re-named the State Teacher’s Schools. In 1935 the colleges were re-named the California State Colleges and were run by the State Department of Education. With the California Master Plan for higher education was created along with the Donohue Act, the California State Colleges were placed under control of the CSC Board of Trustees. In 1972 the system was renamed the California State Colleges and Universities. The term "Colleges" was dropped in 1982.

Responsibility for the California State University is vested in the Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor of the State of California. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents, who are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses. The Academic Senate of the California State University, made up of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus, recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor. Chancellors of the system include Buell Gallagher (1961-1962); Glenn S. Dumke (1962-1982); W. Ann Reynolds (1982-1990); Ellis E. McCune [Acting] (1990-1991); Barry Munitz (1991-1998); Charles B. Reed (1998-2012); Timothy White (2012-2021); Joseph I. Castro (2021 - 2022); Steve Relyea [Acting] (2022); Jolene Koester [Interim] (2022 - 2023); Mildred García (2023 - Present).

Extent

8 boxes

10 Linear Feet

Abstract

The CSU Office of Government Affairs records contains materials relating to the CSU systems' interactions with the California state government. Subjects include college sites, campus unrest, buildings and grounds, student admission, year-round operations and many other issues. Includes correspondence of chancellors, legislatures and governors including Ronald Reagan.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject and/or file name.

Acquisition Information

Materials in this collection were transferred by the Chancellor’s Office, California State University and collected by archives staff. It is a growing collection.

Related Material

Other materials related to Government Affairs at the CSU can be found in our CSU Chancellor's Office Collection. Reports created by the Government Affairs Office can be found in our CSU Reports Collection.

Processing Information

Processed during 2004-2006 CSU System-wide Archives Processing Project.

Title
The California State University Governmental Affairs Office Records
Status
Completed
Author
Greg Williams
Date
2006
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the California State University Archives Repository

Contact:
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University Library South, 5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson CA 90747
(310) 243-3895