Students' Association Records

Identity elements

Reference code

UA 037

Level of description

Records

Title

Students' Association Records

Date(s)

  • 1910-2007 (Accumulation)

Extent

11.49 linear feet (18 boxes)

Name of creator

Administrative history

The Students’ Association has existed on campus since the early 1900s. The governing board of the Students’ Association was the Board of Control. The board was elected by the student body each spring and consisted of students from each division of the university with the Dean of Men and the Dean of Women as advisers. The president and vice president of the student’s association presided over the board with the president acting as chairman.

The Board of Control spent their time solving campus problems, sponsoring free movies, planning all-campus concerts, sponsoring the beauty pageant, Women’s Day and Leadership Camp, and filibustering about the Publication Council’s reserve fund. Members allocated funds from student fees to individual student enterprises; voted on student activities; and controlled the Students’ Association-owned bookstore. Their vote was the final decision on major student positions. The board also regulated the actions of the various special councils. Nomination of candidates for student president and vice-president formed one of the most important duties of the Board of Control.

The purpose of the organization was to promote and regulate student affairs in the best interests of the college, and to form a connecting link between the student body and the faculty.

The Students’ Association is the primary organization representing the interests, needs and concerns of students on campus. The Students’ Association includes every registered student at SDSU but the work of the Association functions through an elected Student Senate, which is responsible for three major program areas. First, the Senate provides input to the administration, Academic Senate, a wide variety of committees, the South Dakota Board of Regents and the South Dakota Legislature regarding student concerns. Students are represented on virtually every committee on campus, including the Academic Affairs Committee, and have an opportunity to influence policies and procedures during development and implementation. Second, SA provides support services and programs to assist students. Those services run the gamut from providing funding for the SA lawyer who offers legal advice to students to sponsorship of campus-wide educational programs. Finally, SA has the budgetary responsibility for allocation and supervision of funds provided by student activity fees each year.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

This collection is composed of administration records, minutes and agendas of the association and associated committees including the Board of Control, financial records and subject files. Folders may include constitutions, by-laws, correspondence, clippings, and reports.

System of arrangement

This collection is arranged into six series:

  • Series UA 37.0. Administrative records
  • Series UA37.1. Agendas and minutes
  • Series UA 37.2. Board of Control minutes
  • Series UA37.3. Associated Committees records
  • Series UA37.4. Financial records
  • Series UA37.5. Subject files

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions.

The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

    Language and script notes

    Finding aids

    Acquisition and appraisal elements

    Custodial history

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

    Accruals

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    Existence and location of copies

    Related archival materials

    Related descriptions

    Notes element

    Specialized notes

    Alternative identifier(s)

    ID

    UA037

    ID

    UA 37

    Description control element

    Rules or conventions

    Sources used

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    Subject access points

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    Accession area