Guide to the San José State University Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records
MSS.2009.08.03
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 Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records
creator:
San José State University
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2009.08.03
Physical Description:
54.0 boxes
(53.42 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1953-1970
Abstract: Collection contains documents of President, Robert D. Clark Records, 1953-1970. The records consist of administrative files,
correspondence, newspaper clippings, meeting minutes, reports, awards and recognition certificates.
Access
The collection is open for research.
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, Robert D. Clark Records, MSS-2009-08-03, San José State University Library
Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Elizabeth Lopez. Finding aid EAD encoded by Mary Ellen Petrich. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin
Louthen. Series VI created, and accruals added to it, by Dana V. Lema in November 2017.
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.
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.
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.
Robert D. Clark was the first president screened and nominated by a representative faculty group at San José State University.
Clark was born in Nebraska in 1910, and graduated from Pasadena College in 1931 with a B.A. in English. He taught at Pasadena
College while attending the University of Southern California where he earned his M.A. in 1935 and his PhD. in 1946.
Clark served as president of San José State University from 1964-1969, a period characterized by student unrest, racial tension,
and state budget cuts in higher education. During his tenure, Clark emphasized academic excellence, aesthetic beauty, and
the institutional improvement of the campus. Clark's vision was reflected through campus projects such as the creation of
the experimental interdisciplinary school New College (1968-1980), the renovation of Tower Hall, and the acquisition of the
Marine Laboratory facility at Moss Landing.
Despite the unrest and violence of the 1960s, Clark moved the college forward as a stronger institution, while at the same
time showing great empathy for student protests during the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. Clark's presidency contributed
much to the university's curriculum development and set an example for mutual cooperation and community relations. In 1969,
Clark resigned from SJSU and accepted a position as president of the University of Oregon, a position he held until his retirement
in 1975.
Related Material
California State University Board of Trustees Records, MSS-2009-03-10
San José State University Oral History Project Collection, MSS-2006-04-01
San José State College Presidential Office Administrative Records, MSS-2009-04-01
Robert D. Clark Papers, 1928-1990, Coll. 285, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene,
Oregon.
Scope and Content of Collection
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, Robert D. Clark Records, 1953-1969 (bulk 1964-1969), document Clark's
tenure as university president. The records consist of administrative files, correspondence, newspaper clippings, meeting
minutes, and reports.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into six series: Series I. Administrative Records, 1957-1970 (1967-1969); Series II. Budget Files,
1956-1968 (bulk 1965-1968); Series III. Correspondence, 1964-1969 (bulk 1966-1968); Series IV. CSU Trustees Records, 1964-1969
(bulk 1966-1969); Series V. Meeting Minutes, 1953-1969 (bulk 1966-1968); and Series VI: Awards and Recognition (1965-1966).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
African American students -- California -- San José.
Discrimination in housing -- California -- San José.
Education, Higher -- California -- San José.
College administrators -- California -- San José.
College presidents -- California -- San José.
San José State University
San José State University President's Office -- History.
San José State University President's Office -- Records and correspondence.
San José State University -- Athletics Dept. -- History.
San José State University -- History.
Clark, Robert D. (Robert Donald), 1910-2005.
San Jose State College
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 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