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Graduate Student Association records

 Collection 0050-UA

The Graduate Student Association was founded in 1981 to improve the quality of graduate-level education and to enhance graduate life at the University of Maryland. The collection spans from 1981 to 1985 and consists of organizational records and records of operation such as minutes, reports, surveys, membership, and the association's constitution and bylaws.

Dates

  • 1981-1985

Use and Access to Collection

This collection is open for research.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet

Scope and Content of Collection

This collection consists of the administrative records of the Graduate Student Association of the University of Maryland at College Park from 1981 to 1985. These records include minutes and agendas, correspondence, reports, surveys, and their constitution and bylaws.

Administrative History

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) of the University of Maryland at College Park was first recognized as a University organization during the 1981-82 school year. Though there had been numerous graduate student groups prior to its inception, the GSA was the first to include all graduate students at the University as members. In addition, there had not been a graduate student association at College Park in nearly six years, since the Chancellor's Graduate Student Advisory Council disbanded in 1975. The Graduate Council, a separate group of professors and other faculty members had no student representation.

Thus in 1981, the GSA was founded to "improve the quality of education and enhance graduate student life at the University of Maryland." To further this aim, the GSA undertook to:

1) provide graduate students an outlet for "discussion of internal and external issues";

2) express graduate student concerns to faculty and administration;

3) continue graduate student participation in levels of the University's governing structure; and,

4) enhance graduate student social life through activities and functions.

Through these activities, the GSA hoped to better the graduate students' situation at the University of Maryland. The Graduate Student Association has also tackled such issues as shuttle bus access, graduate student housing and fees, and the graduate students' position regarding taxes and the Internal Revenue Service.

Arrangement

This collection is organized as two series:

Series 1
Organization Records
Series 2
Administrative Records

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

The Graduate Student Association records of the University of Maryland at College Park were donated to the College Park Libraries by then-president Sharon Sykora in 1986.

Related Material

The newsletter published by the GSA and the Graduate Student Advisory Council can be found in the University Publications collection of the University Archives.

Processing Information

The Graduate Student Association records were transferred from their original folders into acid-neutral ones; all metal paper clips were removed and replaced by plastic ones over protective paper. In transferring the documents into other folders, they were also rearranged into the series listed above and placed in protective, acid-neutral boxes.

Title
The Guide to the Graduate Student Association records
Status
Completed
Author
Guide written by Christopher Becker.
Date
1989-06-01
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Library Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
Hornbake Library
4130 Campus Drive
College Park Maryland 20742
301-405-9212