San José State University Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records

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San José State University Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records

MSS.2009.08.03

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Table of contents

Series I: Administrative Records SERIES I: 1957-1970 (bulk 1967-1969) 1967-1969

Physical Description: 22.0 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains the administrative records of President Robert D. Clark (1964-1969). During his tenure, Clark faced a period of extreme budget cuts along side increased student enrollment rates. The state budget cuts affected faculty salaries which subsequently led to the faculty's unionization and a push for salary increases, reduction in class sizes, and the right to collective bargaining. In 1968, such efforts culminated in a faculty strike. Led by the American Federation of Teachers, the strike lasted 36 days. Under these difficult circumstances, Clark managed to take on such tasks as expanding campus facilities and student housing, and improving the educational curriculum. The administrative records in this series are representative of Clark's efforts to address these and other related issues, and include reports, memos, newspaper clippings, general files, and newsletters.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically by date range.

Box 1

Administrative Affairs & Council Files 1957-1967

Box 2

Department Reports, California State College System Crisis 1961-1967

Box 3

Committee Files & Studies 1962-1970

Box 4

General Files, C-D 1963-1967

Box 5

General Files, E-F 1963-1967

Box 6

General Files, G-L 1963-1967

Box 7

General Files, P-S, Salaries & Sigma Chi Files 1963-1967

Box 8

Athletics Department & Student Unrest Files 1963-1973

Box 9

General Files, S-Z 1964-1968

Box 10

General Files, F-M 1964-1969

Box 11

ROTC/Marines, Salaries, Sororities & Special Case Files 1965-1968

Box 12

Campus Expansion & Enrollment Files 1965-1969

Box 13

Far West Laboratory Files 1966-1968

Box 14

Campus Expansion Files 1967

Box 15

Campus Reports 1967

Box 16

Administrative Affairs Files 1967

Box 17

Collective Bargaining & Vietnam War Files 1967-1968

Box 18

Collective Bargaining & Minorities Files 1967-1969

Box 19

Academic Department Files 1967-1970

Box 20

Administrative Affairs Files 1968

Box 21

Newsletters & Newspaper Clippings 1968-1969

Box 22

Newsletters & Reports 1968-1969

Series II: Budget Files SERIES II: 1956-1968 (bulk 1965-1968) 1965-1968

Physical Description: 5.0 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of budget files and reports generated by various San José State University and CSU administrative entities, pertaining primarily to the California State budget cuts in higher education. The records include State of California budget files, SJSU proposed operating budget files, and California State Colleges budget files, among others.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically by date range.

Box 23

California State College Budget Files 1956-1968

Box 24

CSU Chancellor's Reports 1960s

Box 25

Budget Planning Files 1963-1965

Box 26

General Files, A-B 1964-1967

Box 27

General Files, A-G 1965-1966

Series III: Correspondence SERIES III: 1964-1969 (bulk 1966-1968) 1966-1968

Physical Description: 9.0 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains President Clark's correspondence to and from the general public regarding his stance on various campus incidents, particularly relating to issues of racial discrimination and the anti-war student movement on campus.

The rise of the African-American student movement in the 1960s drew national attention to the issue of racial discrimination on campus, specifically as it pertained to the treatment of African-American student athletes. The movement at SJSU was led by sociology professor Harry Edwards and the student group United Black Students for Action. Evidence of the severity of the issue manifests in the many crank letters President Clark received over the course of the year 1969, in which persons expressed in no uncertain terms their opinions on African-American students attenting San José State University.

In 1967, Professor Edwards threatened to disrupt the San José State vs. University of Texas, El Paso football game if administrative action was not taken against the issue of racial discrimination. As a result, Clark cancelled the football game to avoid possible violence and entered into negotiations with Edwards, which resulted in the creation of the first Ombudsman position on a university campus in the U.S. The position was filled by J. Benton White, an ordained minister and a founding faculty member of the Religious Studies program at SJSU. President Clark also addressed discriminatory policies in the Greek system.

In the late 1960s, the anti-war student movement against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War also grew. Anti-war demonstrations at SJSU included student protests against the Dow Chemical Company, Navy recruiters, and the disruption of an ROTC drill. Together, these actions drew large public commentary, both in support of and against President Clark's decisions on such divisive issues. This series includes correspondence resulting from these and similar events.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically by date range.

Box 28

Correspondence: General Incidents 1964-1965

Box 29

Dow Chemical Co. & Professor Harry Edwards 1965-1968

Box 30

Racial Discrimination & Athletics Dept. 1966-1968

Box 31

Racial Discrimination 1966-1968

Box 32

Correspondence: General 1966-1969

Box 33

Racial Discrimination & Speech Drafts 1967-1968

Box 34

General Files, C-J 1967-1968

Box 35

Correspondence: General 1968-1969

Box 36

Grievances, 1968 Olympics & Professor Harry Edwards 1968-1969

Series IV: CSU Trustees Records Series IV: 1964-1969 (bulk 1966-1969) 1966-1969

Physical Description: 11.0 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series contains letters and directives from the Trustees of the California State Colleges, as well as budget reports and meeting minutes.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically by date range.

Box 37

Presidents Council 1964-1967

Box 38

Trustees Letters & Directives 1965-1966

Box 39-47

Trustees Meeting Minutes 1965-1969

Series V: Miscellaneous Meeting Minutes Series V: 1953-1969 (bulk 1966-1968) 1966-1968

Physical Description: 6.0 boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of various council and committee meeting minutes, including SJSU administrative staff meetings, the Academic Council, and the Academic Senate.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically by date range.

Box 48

Administrative Staff Meetings 1953-1968

Box 49

Academic Council 1963-1966

Box 50

Academic Council & Academic Planning 1963-1966

Box 51

Academic Senate, Administrative Staff Meetings & Student Unrest 1964-1966

Box 52

Academic Council & Far West Laboratories 1965-1968

Box 53

Academic Council & Administrative Staff Meetings 1966-1969

Box 54

Series VI: Awards and Recognition 1965-1966

Arrangement

Materials are arranged chronologically

Scope and Contents

Awards and Certificates

Collection Contents

Series I: Administrative Records

Administrative Affairs & Council Files

Department Reports, California State College System Crisis

Committee Files & Studies

General Files, C-D

General Files, E-F

General Files, G-L

General Files, P-S, Salaries & Sigma Chi Files

Athletics Department & Student Unrest Files

General Files, S-Z

General Files, F-M

ROTC/Marines, Salaries, Sororities & Special Case Files

Campus Expansion & Enrollment Files

Far West Laboratory Files

Campus Expansion Files

Campus Reports

Administrative Affairs Files

Collective Bargaining & Vietnam War Files

Collective Bargaining & Minorities Files

Academic Department Files

Administrative Affairs Files

Newsletters & Newspaper Clippings

Newsletters & Reports

Series II: Budget Files

California State College Budget Files

CSU Chancellor's Reports

Budget Planning Files

General Files, A-B

General Files, A-G

Series III: Correspondence

Correspondence: General Incidents

Dow Chemical Co. & Professor Harry Edwards

Racial Discrimination & Athletics Dept.

Racial Discrimination

Correspondence: General

Racial Discrimination & Speech Drafts

General Files, C-J

Correspondence: General

Grievances, 1968 Olympics & Professor Harry Edwards

Series IV: CSU Trustees Records

Presidents Council

Trustees Letters & Directives

Trustees Meeting Minutes

Series V: Miscellaneous Meeting Minutes

Administrative Staff Meetings

Academic Council

Academic Council & Academic Planning

Academic Senate, Administrative Staff Meetings & Student Unrest

Academic Council & Far West Laboratories

Academic Council & Administrative Staff Meetings

Series VI: Awards and Recognition