The Students’ Association Records document the administration, governance, finances, and policy activities of a student governing organization over much of the twentieth century, with particularly dense coverage from the 1970s through the 1990s. The materials include constitutions and by-laws spanning multiple decades, annual and final reports, handbooks, resolutions, election files, newsletters, and clippings that trace the evolution of student governance structures and priorities. Administrative files reflect a wide range of student concerns and services, including housing, health services, legal aid, alcohol policy, multiculturalism, student organizations, campus safety, and quality of student life.

Agendas and minutes record deliberations and decision-making processes, while Board of Control minutes, beginning as early as 1910, provide long-term continuity in oversight and institutional governance. Associated committee records document student participation in advisory and administrative bodies related to academics, student activities, athletics, food services, media, and campus-community relations. Financial records detail budgeting processes, activity fees, allocations, audits, and fiscal policy, illustrating how student funds were managed and contested over time. Subject files further contextualize these records within broader state, regional, and national higher education issues, including tuition, financial aid, legislative advocacy, student rights, and inter-university relations.

These records offer a comprehensive view of student governance as an evolving institution within the university, revealing how students organized, represented themselves, and negotiated authority with university administrators and external bodies. They are significant for understanding changes in student life, campus culture, and higher education policy across much of the twentieth century. Researchers will find particular value in the long chronological span of constitutions and minutes, the detailed financial documentation of student fees and budgets, and the subject files that situate local student concerns within statewide and national movements in higher education and student activism.

This collection comprises publications and records produced by the Office of Student Activities at South Dakota State University. It includes handbooks, pamphlets, calendars, flyers, correspondence, directories, and photographs documenting student life, organizations, and services. Materials cover areas such as new student orientation, cultural programming, student enrichment, minority student support, university events (e.g., Freshmen Days, Parents Day), and administrative functions like central reservations and the information exchange. Visual materials depict student organizations and campus events.

The collection offers insight into student engagement, campus culture, and organizational development over time. It reflects the evolving role of student affairs in promoting inclusion, leadership, and community, and serves as a valuable resource for understanding the student experience at SDSU.

This collection consists of administrative records generated by SDSU’s Student Affairs Division and its predecessor units. It includes detailed biennial and annual reports submitted to the university president, providing insights into organizational structure, budget planning, student service initiatives, and campus life development. The biennial reports are particularly rich in historical and operational content, covering budget requests, staffing changes, departmental goals, and specialized student services such as counseling, orientation, student records, scholarships, and placement services.

Additional materials include planning documents, strategic initiatives, student handbooks, orientation materials, diversity and inclusion programs, alcohol education efforts, and retention studies. Records from committees (e.g., Student Affairs Council, System Retention Committee), campus-wide assessments (e.g., NCA Self-Study), and events (e.g., Hobo Day, Scholars Receptions) are also represented, highlighting the division’s broad engagement in university life.

This collection provides documentation of how student services have been conceived, implemented, and evaluated at SDSU across decades. It is especially valuable for researchers studying the evolution of higher education administration, student development, and campus policy regarding diversity, wellness, and academic support. The records offer institutional context for broader changes in student affairs nationally, including the expansion of student support services, accountability initiatives, and demographic shifts in student populations.