Guide to the San José State University Commencement & Honors Convocations Records
MSS-2009-02-03
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
© 2009
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: San José State University Commencement & Honors Convocations Records
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2009-02-03
Physical Description:
15.0 boxes
(12.67 linear feet)
Physical Description:
101 Rolls of microfilm
Date (inclusive): 1889-2018
Date (bulk): 1956-1968
Abstract: The San José State University Commencement & Honors Convocation Records, 1889-2018 consists of programs, event planning paperwork,
newspaper clippings, scrapbooks and correspondence for the university's commencement and honors convocation ceremonies, as
well as programs for the African American (later renamed to Black Grad) and Chicano Commencement ceremonies. Photographs and
negatives are included in the records.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the collection. Copyright restrictions also apply
to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files from or derived from these collections is restricted
to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
San José State University Commencement & Honors Convocations Records, MSS-2009-02-03, San José State University Library Special
Collections and Archives.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant
project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director
is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Jane Gilvin. Finding aid EAD encoded by Lynn Sheehy. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen. Series
III added by Dana V. Lema in 2017. Finding Aid updated by Christine Thuy Minh Nguyen in Feb 2023, adding Box 15.
Organizational History
In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers
in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California
State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San
José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed
the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed
in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes,
Minns' Normal school is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations,
and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.
Minns' Evening Normal School held commencement ceremonies in 1861 and 1862 with two graduating classes. After the institution
became the California State Normal School, the first commencement was held on May 14th, 1863. The university's Honors Convocation
was inaugurated in 1962 by the Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa Faculty Club honor societies. The convocation is
intended to recognize President's and Dean's scholars--undergraduate students who have earned a 4.0 or 3.65 grade point average
or higher in at least two contiguous semesters of the three semesters prior to the Honors Convocation, respectively.
Scope and Content
The San José State University Commencement & Honors Convocation Records 1889-2018 (bulk 1956-1968) consist of programs, event
planning paperwork, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks and correspondence for the university's commencement and honors convocation
ceremonies. Photographs are also included in the records as well as negatives and negative indexes document the commencement
exercises. Letters inviting commencement speakers and copies of university presidents' speeches are also included. The extensive
date range of commencement programs shows the growth of the student population and the evolution of the university's academic
programs. Also documented is the move from three commencements per academic year to a single commencement ceremony. For many
of the years covered in the records, event programs are the only items that exist documenting commencement and convocation
ceremonies. Accrual in Feb 2023 added programs from the SJSU Annual African American Commencement (later renamed to Black
Grad) and the SJSU Annual Chicano Commencement.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series: Series I. Academic Senate Commencement Committee, 1925-1978 (bulk 1956-1968);
Series II. Academic Affairs: Commencement & Honors Convocation, 1889-2017 and Series III: Academic Affairs: Commencement &
Honors Convocation Negatives, 1990-1999.
University Archives Collection
Record Group: 8.2.1
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Commencement ceremonies -- California -- San Jose
Education, Higher -- California -- San Jose
San José State University -- History
San José State Normal School -- History
San José State Teachers College -- History
California State University, San José -- History
San Jose State College
Series I: Academic Senate Commencement Committee Series I:
1925-1978 (bulk 1956-1968)
1956-1968
Physical Description: 5.0 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains correspondence, manuscripts, programs, and scrapbooks from the San José State University Academic Commencement
Committee. Letters inviting commencement speakers and copies of university presidents' speeches are also included.
Minns' Evening Normal School held commencement ceremonies in 1861 and 1862 with two graduating classes. After the institution
became the California State Normal School, the first commencement was held on May 14th, 1863. The San José State University
Commencement & Honors Convocation Records indicate that the school had winter, spring and summer commencement ceremonies each
academic year until the 1971-1972 term. Today, commencement at San José State University occurs once in the spring.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Box 1
Commencement Program Scrapbooks
1925-1956
Box 2
SJSU Presidents' Commencement Reports
1953-1964
Box 3-5
Commencement Programs, Correspondence & President's Reports
1951-1978
Series II: Academic Affairs: Commencement & Honors Convocation Series II:
1889-2018
Physical Description: 9.0 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains correspondence, clippings and programs from the Honors Convocation. Programs, negatives and negative
indexes from commencement are also part of the series. The extensive date range of commencement programs shows the growth
of the student population and the evolution of the university's academic programs. Accrual in Feb 2023 added programs from
the SJSU Annual African American Commencement (later renamed to Black Grad) and the SJSU Annual Chicano Commencement.
The Honors Convocation was inaugurated in 1962 by the Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa Faculty Club honor societies.
According to the Office of the Provost, Honors Convocation is intended to recognize President's and Dean's scholars. President's
scholars are undergraduate students who have earned a 4.0 grade point average at San José State University in at least two
contiguous semesters of the three semesters prior to the Honors Convocation. Dean's scholars are undergraduate students who
have earned a 3.65 or higher grade point average at San José State University in at least two contiguous semesters of the
three semesters prior to the Honors Convocation.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Box 6
Commencement & Senior Week Programs
1889-1980
Box 7-9
Commencement Programs
1924-1925, 1938-1998
Box 10
Commencement Programs & Photographs
1949, 1965, 1987, 1998, 2003-2008, 2010, 2017, 2018
Box 11
Commencement Photographic Negatives & Graduate List
1991-1999
Box 12
Honors Convocation & Commencement Programs
1980-2009
Box 13-14
Honors Convocation Clippings, Programs & Correspondence
1962-1996
Box 15
African American & Chicano Commencement Programs
2010-2018
Series III: Academic Affairs: Commencement & Honor Convocation Negatives
1990-1999
drawer 4, 5 & 6
General Commencement Negatives
1990-1999
drawer 6
College of Social Work Commencement
1996, 1997, 1999
drawer 6
Black Students Ceremony
1999