Memorial Union Records, 1922-2012

Series 1 is made up of annual reports documenting the administration of the Memorial Union and Student Activities.

Series 2 is made up of materials generated by the Memorial Union (MU) Boards of Directors and Governors that primarily reflect their meetings. In addition to meeting minutes, this series also contains correspondence and notes.

Series 3 reflects the work of various university committees and councils. About half of this series documents the work of the Educational Activities Board and the Student Activities Committee. Other committees represented in these records reflect the management of campus operations and activities such as: student health insurance, cultural centers, catalog distribution, student broadcast media, convocations and lectures, and Memorial Union planning.

Series 4 contains documentation about the financial management of the Memorial Union (MU) and is mostly made up of financial reports and statements. Information listed in these reports include: Incidental Fees, Administrative Funds, Educational Activities Funds, MU Recreational Sports Fund, and Dixon Recreation Center.

Series 5 relates to the facilities management of the Memorial Union and documents the administration of the various service centers residing in the MU as well as the handling of structural maintenance issues (space allocation planning, building accessibility, remodel projects). Among the different organizations and offices reflected in this series include: the OSU Cultural Centers, the Barbershop, the Craft Center, food services, KBVR TV, and the OSU Bookstore.

Series 6 contains information on students appointed to various university committees. Primarily made up of membership lists and correspondence, these records are arranged by the academic unit responsible for making the committee appointments. The students serving on these committees all appear to be members of the Associated Students of OSU (ASOSU).

Series 7 documents art exhibit installations in the Memorial Union (MU) as well as management of the MU art collection. There are also materials relating to Henk Pander's murals painted above the main entryway rotunda in the MU.

Series 8 relates to instruction of coursework in coordination with the Memorial Union. The two classes represented in this series are: Student Activities Administration (HIED 585) managed through the OSU College Student Services Administration program and a field training class for members of the Associated Students of OSU (PS 406). Student term papers and assignments in this series may contain confidential information and are restricted. All requests for access to this material should be directed to the University Archivist.

Series 9 is made up of correspondence and speeches generated and collected by MU Director George Stevens.

Series 10 is comprised of publications containing information on activities and services provided by the Memorial Union that is made up of a combination of handbooks, informational brochures, newsletters, class schedules, directories of student organizations, and calendars of events. Activity Guide Posts, described as a sub series within this series, were produced as guides for particular staff positions within the Memorial Union organization. The class schedules list offerings for the OSU Craft Center and the ASOSU Experimental College.

Series 11 documents celebrations of the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Memorial Union as well as the Oregon State University centennial in 1968. The bulk of these records relate to the observance of the MU's 50th anniversary in 1978 and include information about a time capsule, special publications, congratulatory letters from other universities, and two scrapbooks. The scrapbooks include newspapers clippings, photographs, and descriptive texts. The scrapbook contains 112 photographic prints in total.

Series 12 consists of files organized by topic that were collected for reference and informational purposes. In addition to documentation about procedures governing Memorial Union operations, these records address a variety of subjects including: alcohol use on campus, legal issues, the OSU AIDS policy, the Ceramics 80 conference, senior class gifts, activity grants, Title IX compliance, and student unrest. This series also contains Information on the Oregon Agricultural College students and faculty who served in World War I and the Spanish American War for whom the Memorial Union was dedicated.

Series 13 consists of sound recordings of special events and interviews made in the 1970s and 1980s. Recordings of a conference on holistic health and healing; dedications of the Memorial Union East (1977) and the Pander Mural (1985); and 50th anniversary events (1978) are included. The interviews were conducted in 1983 with individuals associated with the Memorial Union - Peggy Allworth, Duane Fitzgerald, Scram Graham, Leone Johnson, President Robert MacVicar, Dan Poling, Jack Porter, and George Stevens. The sound recordings consist of 8 reel-to-reel audiotapes and 8 audiocassettes.

Series 14 consists of artifacts commemorating the 50th anniversary year of the Memorial Union (in 1978) and an award issued in 2007. The three artifacts are made up of a plaque, medal, and button.

Series 15 consists of materials created and assembled by Memorial Union Director E.C. Allworth. Made up of correspondence and reports, this series documents the financing of the Memorial Union construction, communications from Allworth to the MU Board of Governors, and status reports on the Memorial Union Pledge Campaign. The bulk of the records are from the mid-1930s through 1940s. These documents (about 180 pages total) were digitized from microfilm and are available for viewing in the Reading Room.