By Helena Egbert, Elizabeth Nielsen, and Alicia Stewart
Title: Student Club and Organization Records, 1931-2008
Predominant Dates: 1970-2007
ID: RG 276
Primary Creator: Oregon State University. Student Involvement.
Extent: 8.25 cubic feet. More info below.
Arrangement: The Student Club and Organization Records are arranged in two series: 1. Club and Organization Files, 1931-2008 and 2. Short-term Organizations, 1988-1999. Within each series, the files are arranged alphabetically by organization or club name. Most folders include the records of more than one club or organization, divided by separation sheets.
Languages of Materials: English [eng]
The Student Club and Organization Records document the approval and recognition of more than 900 student clubs and organizations at Oregon State University. The records include annual review forms, constitutions and by-laws, lists of officers and members, and event registration forms. The Office of Student Involvement provides support services to student organizations and oversees the process for annual recognition of clubs and organizations.
Materials from box-folders 2.16, 5.5, 5.6, 5.16, 6.5, 6.8, and 6.14 have been digitized and are available upon request. Reference access to the born digital materials in this collection is available upon patron request.
The Student Club and Organization Records document the approval and recognition of more than 900 student clubs and organizations at Oregon State University. While the records include materials from the 1930s-1960s, the bulk of the materials pertain to student organizations active in the 1970s-2000s.
The full range and variety of student organizations are represented in these records and include those whose focus is an academic or degree program; ethnic or cultural community; or local, state, or national politics. Service organizations, fraternities and sororities, honor societies, and student chapters of professional organizations are documented in the collection. Student organizations were established by and for graduate students, women, ethnic minorities, and international students and are included in these materials. Many religious and spiritual organizations are included as well as organizations that address social movements and concerns locally, regionally, and internationally. Student government, media, and publications are documented in the records. Sports and recreation clubs for women and men are included in the files.
The Records include annual review forms, budgets and financial reports, constitutions and by-laws, member rosters and officer lists, event registration forms, and related documentation and correspondence. Information about the number of members and the name of the faculty advisor are included for many of the organizations. The files for some organizations include brochures, manuals, posters, and other materials documenting the organization’s activities and programs.
The bulk of the collection is comprised of one series. The second series documents organizations that were approved from the late 1980s through late 1990s following a procedure specific for these short-term, typically political, groups.
Series 1 includes 389 digital photographs submitted by the India Students Association, Mezo American Student Association (MASA), and Rainbow Continuum of events sponsored by those organizations in 2006. These files are available to researchers in the Reading Room. The collection contains substantial materials (2 folders) for Talons that extend beyond the typical approval and recognition documents. The Talons materials include meeting minutes, membership rosters, flyers, and newsletters.
Materials from box-folders 2.16, 5.5, 5.6, 5.16, 6.5, 6.8, and 6.14 have been digitized and are available upon request. Reference access to the born digital materials in this collection is available upon patron request.
The Office of Student Involvement seeks to "enhance student learning and student success through co-curricular involvement," provides support services to organizations funded by student fee funds, and oversees the process for annual recognition of clubs and organizations. Among the services offered are assistance with event planning, space for meetings, publicity, and leadership development.
The process for approval and recognition of clubs and organizations at Oregon State University has evolved with time. Since the 1980s, organizations have been required to submit a review form for each academic year. Typically, after 12 months of inactivity, an organization’s recognition is withdrawn.
The Student Activities Center was housed in the Memorial Union in the early 1970s, moved to the new Memorial Union East in the late 1970s, and became known as Student Involvement in the late 1990s.
More Extent Information: 9 boxes; 0.6 Gbytes (389 files)
Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.
Acquisition Note: These records were received in multiple transfers to the former University Archives between 1990 and 2009. They were segregated from the Memorial Union Records (RG 099) and the Student Affairs Records (RG 102) to form this separate collection in 2017.
Related Materials: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center includes numerous individual collections that document student clubs and organizations at Oregon State. In particular, our holdings include large collections for Talons and Mortar Board. The International Students of Oregon State University (ISOSU) Records (RG 247) provide extensive information about cultural and ethnic organizations at Oregon State; the Recreational Sports Department Records (RG 240) include comprehensive documentation for sports clubs. The Student Involvement (RG 232), Student Affairs (RG 102), and Memorial Union (RG 099) Records are an extensive resource on student life and activities at Oregon State University.
Preferred Citation: Student Club and Organization Records (RG 276), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Oregon State University. Student Involvement.
Oregon State University. Memorial Union
Oregon State University. Student Activities Center
Clubs--Oregon--Corvallis.
College sports for women--Oregon--Corvallis.
College student government--Oregon--Corvallis.
College students--Oregon--Corvallis--Social life and customs.
College students--Recreation--Oregon--Corvallis.
College students--Religious life--Oregon--Corvallis.
Minority college students--Oregon--Corvallis.
Oregon State College--Societies, etc.
Oregon State College--Students.
Oregon State University--Societies, etc.
Oregon State University--Students.
Student activities--Oregon--Corvallis.
Students, Foreign--Oregon--Corvallis.
Students--Political activity--Oregon--Corvallis.
University History
Women--Education (Higher)--Oregon--Corvallis.
Women--Oregon--Societies and clubs.
Born digital.
Digital photographs.