Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Project Information
Processing History
Organizational History
Related Material
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: San José State University Office of the President, Hobert W. Burns Records
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2009.06.02
Physical Description:
8 boxes
(8 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1961-1984
Abstract: The Office of the President is the highest administrative office for the campus, reporting to the California State University
(CSU) Chancellor and Board of Trustees, respectively. As such, the Office of the President records document the overall policies,
practices and procedures of the daily operation of the campus, as well as the interaction with other CSU campuses and with
the CSU administration. The Office of the President, Hobert W. Burns Records, 1961-1984 (bulk 1969-1970), document his tenure
as interim university president. The records consist of correspondence, manuscripts, meeting minutes and newspaper clippings.
This collection is arranged into two series: Series I: California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees Materials, 1966-1984;
and Series II: Administrative Files, 1961-1984.
Publication Rights
Copyright is assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from 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 physical items and is not intended to include
or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply
to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
San José State University Office of the President, Hobert W. Burns Records, MSS-2009-06-02, San José State University Library
Special Collections & 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 History
Collection processed and finding aid EAD encoded by Jane Gilvin. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen. Folder level description added to finding aid by Kate Steffens, November 2019.
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 bachelors and master's degrees with 110 concentrations,
and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.
The Office of the President is the highest administrative office for the campus, reporting to the California State University
(CSU) Chancellor and Board of Trustees, respectively. As such, the Office of the President records document the overall policies,
practices, and procedures of the daily operation of the campus, as well as the interaction with other CSU campuses and with
the CSU administration.
Hobert W. Burns was educated at Stanford University, and served as an administrator at Syracuse and Hofstra Universities before
his appointment at San José State University as Dean of the College of Education in 1963. Hobert W. Burns (1969-1970) became
acting president of SJSU after the unexpected departure of President Robert D. Clark (1964-1969) in May of 1969. Burns served
as the interim president for one year before resigning in protest over the faculty's decision to ease academic standards in
order to allow students more time to protest the Vietnam War. Previously, Burns was appointed by President Clark to the position
of Academic Vice President in 1966. He returned to that post after his resignation as acting university president, and he
retired from SJSU in 1983. Burns continued to support the University after retirement. He died October 14th, 2008.
Related Material
San José State University Faculty Papers of H. Brett Melendy, MSS-2009-05-01, San José State University Library Special Collections
& Archives.
San José State University Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records, MSS-2009-08-03, San José State University Library
Special Collections & Archives.
Scope and Content
The Office of the President is the highest administrative office for the campus, reporting to the California State University
(CSU) Chancellor and Board of Trustees, respectively. As such, the Office of the President records document the overall policies,
practices and procedures of the daily operation of the campus, as well as the interaction with other CSU campuses and with
the CSU administration. The San José State University Office of the President, Hobert W. Burns Records, 1961-1984 (bulk 1969-1970),
document his tenure as interim university president. The records consist of correspondence, manuscripts, meeting minutes,
and newspaper clippings.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into two series: Series I: California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees Materials, 1966-1984;
and Series II: Administrative Files, 1961-1984.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Education, Higher -- California -- San José.
College presidents -- California -- San José.
College administrators -- California -- San José.
California State University, San José -- History.
Burns, Hobert W., 1925-2008
San José State University -- History.
San Jose State College
San José State University President's Office -- Records and correspondence.
San José State University President's Office -- History.