Student Newspapers and Periodicals UA0003

Contributing Institution: Special Collections and Archives, Robert E. Kennedy Library, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Title: Student Newspapers and Periodicals

Creator: Mustang News

Creator: Mustang Daily

Identifier/Call Number: UA0003

Physical Description: 74 Linear Feet 153 bound volumes, 44+ boxes

Date (inclusive): 1916 - present

Abstract: Digital and physical copies of student and student-press produced newspapers, journals, magazines, and newsletters. Includes The Polygram, The Polytechnic Californian, El Mustang, Mustang Daily, and Mustang News, Polytechnic Journals, Mustang Roundup, and The Alternative.

Language of Material: English .

Collection is open to researchers. For more information on visiting, access policies, and reproduction requests, please visit our Reference Services page online at http://lib.calpoly.edu/search-and-find/collections-and-archives/reference-services/.

Digital copies are provided to researchers for the purpose of study, research, and personal use only, unless otherwise specified in writing. Materials that are the property of Cal Poly Special Collections and Archives require written permission prior to publication. No complete collection may be reproduced. For print and online publication, please visit our Reproduction Services page online at http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/sca-policies/reproduction/. Special Collections and Archives reserves the right to review all reproduction requests and to withhold permission if scanning would endanger the material, would violate copyright law, or would violate institutional restrictions.

Cal Poly Student Newspapers and Periodicals, Special Collections and Archives, California Polytechnic State University

Multiple transfers and donations

First published on 25 April 1916 as The Polygram, Cal Poly's student-run newspaper has been printed under several titles, but has continued to represent the voice of students and the campus almost continually since 1916. The Polytechnic Journal, the first student publication, made its debut in 1906 as a monthly news and literary publication. By 1912, it was no longer a monthly; it had evolved into the campus yearbook. The first student newspaper, The Polygram, began as a biweekly. It served as the campus newspaper from 1916 - 1932, a period during which Cal poly expanded from a vocational school to an academic high school and junior college. Due to a shortage of advertisers and cash, the staff relied on the campus director's mimeograph machine for some time to produce the each issue. By 1924 a printshop was established and school publications were printed by a student group affectionately referred to as The Galley Slaves. In 1932, in a drastic reorganization and facing budgetary challenges, the school was reorganized and as a result the high school and junior college were closed. Cal Poly continued as a technical college only. The student newspaper was discontinued and was not produced between 1933-1937. In 1938, El Mustang emerged as the new student-press campus newspaper. A title change to The Polytechnic Californian was attempted, but lasted only a year before the El Mustang title returned to the banner. El Mustang newspaper was suspended between 1943 - 1945 when the campus became a Naval Flight Preparatory School and regular enrollment was limited. During this period, a monthly news magazine, Mustang Roundup, was produced and edited jointly by civilian and naval students under the direction of Robert E. Kennedy in his faculty role as Head of the Journalism Department and advisor to student publications. The Roundup replaced the El Mustang newspaper and El Rodeo yearbook, which had both ceased publication during the war. El Mustang returned shortly after the war and in 1967 became the Mustang Daily. In the fall quarter of 2013 the Mustang Daily became Mustang News and incorporated an online version. Today Mustang News continues to be published and printed by students in the Journalism and Graphic Communications Departments. The newspaper is published daily during the academic year and weekly during the summer quarter. Digitized copies of are available online. Physical copies are available in the archives. A subject index to the collection is available in the Special Collections and Archives reading room.

Digital and physical copies of student and student-press produced newspapers, journals, magazines, and newsletters 1916 - present. Includes The Polygram, The Polytechnic Californian, El Mustang, Mustang Daily, and Mustang News. Monthly Polytechnic Journals, Roundup, etc. The student newspaper was not produced between 1933-1937 and 1943-1945.

The collection is arranged as received. Original organization of the records has been preserved where possible. Materials may have been reorganized or rehoused for preservation and access purposes.

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