Dr. Richard Abcarian Campus Unrest Collection, 1964-1971

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Summary

Creators:
Abcarian, Richard
Abstract:
In 1967, California Governor Ronald Reagan issued several financial cuts in an attempt to balance the state budget, which deeply affected the salaries and educational goals of the CSU system. Professors at SFVSC took an active stand against the proposed budget cuts by joining with the American Federation of Teachers in the 1967 Teachers Strike. Abcarian's campus unrest papers document the turmoil facing CSUN and the nation at large during the late 1960s. The issues of academic freedom, civil and student rights, teacher's salaries and the Vietnam War are central to the collection.
Extent:
5.19 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Background

Scope and content:

The Dr. Richard Abcarian Campus Unrest Collection contains administrative records, broadsides, correspondence, flyers, minutes, news clippings, news releases, photographs, and statements documenting the turmoil facing the University and the nation at large during a painful period in America's recent history. The issues of academic freedom, civil and student rights, teacher's salaries and the Vietnam War are central to the collection. The collection has been divided into four series: Administration (1966-1970), Faculty (1964-1970), Student Unrest (1965-1970), and Off-Campus Demonstrations (1967-1971). Each of these series is arranged roughly in chronological order.

Series I, Administration,consists of correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and resolutions documenting the perspective and polices of the University administration during the period of campus unrest.

Series II, Faculty,includes correspondence, flyers, minutes, and statements documenting the issues of the 1967 Teachers Strike, campus unrest, protests against the Vietnam War, and the firing of Dr. Barry Sanders.

Series III, Student Unrest,consists of clippings, correspondence, policy proposals, committee files, campus speaker notes, programs, student body statements, flyers, petitions, and newspapers.

Series IV, Off-Campus Demonstrations,contains mostly newspaper clippings documenting a variety of protest movements. Of particular interest is community involvement during the period of campus unrest. The files also include documentation of anti-war activities in Los Angeles during the Vietnam War.

Biographical / historical:

As a member of the CSUN faculty, Dr. Abcarian took an active role throughout the last half of the 1960s supporting several key protest movements that occurred on the campus of California State University, Northridge, then called San Fernando Valley State College. In 1967, then Governor Ronald Reagan issued several financial cuts to balance the state budget which deeply affected the salaries and educational goals of the CSU system. Professors at SFVSC took an active stand against the proposed budget cuts by joining ranks with the American Federation of Teachers in the 1967 Teachers Strike. Dr. Abcarian, along with other members of the faculty and activists in the student body, also actively supported fellow English professor Barry Sander during his retention case following his unexpected firing by the University's administration.

Dr. Abcarian also supported the minority student protest movements that hit the campus at the end of the decade. The students were seeking racial equality and the establishment of the departments of Chicano Studies and Pan African Studies, as well as protesting against U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Dr. Abcarian also joined in off-campus demonstrations against the Vietnam War which led to a violent confrontation with police outside the Century City Plaza Hotel in July 1967.

Acquisition information:
Department of English, 1980s
Arrangement:

Series I: Administration, 1966-1970

Series II: Faculty, 1964-1970

Series III: Student Unrest, 1965-1970

Series IV: Off-Campus Demonstrations, 1967-1971

Accruals:

1980s

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Documents
Photographs

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Location of this collection:
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330, US
Contact:
(818) 677-4594
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