UC San Diego. Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost Records, 1965-2018

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Summary

Title:
UC San Diego. Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost Records
Dates:
1965-2018
Creators:
Thurgood Marshall College. Office of the Provost
Abstract:
The records of the Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost document the administration of the Provost's office, including academic and facilities planning, committee work, and the management of routine matters and controversial issues and disputes.
Extent:
28.35 Linear feet (7 records cartons, 50 archives boxes, 2 flat boxes, and 2 oversized folders) and 6.66 GB of digital files
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

UC San Diego. Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost Records. RSS 1130. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.

Background

Scope and content:

The records of the Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost document the administration of the Provost's office, including academic and facilities planning, committee work, and the management of routine matters and controversial issues and disputes.

Accession Processed in 2019

Significant topics documented include administrative activities, student affairs, and the development of the six major academic programs administered in Third College: Communications Program, Ethnic Studies, Science and Technology Program, Teacher Education Program, Third World Studies, and Urban and Rural Studies. College anniversaries, commencements, and other significant events are represented in the collection, and often include photographs. Materials date from 1965-2000.

Arranged in eight series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, 3) ACADEMIC PLANNING, 4) ADMINISTRATION, 5) COMMITTEES, 6) CONFERENCES, 7) CENTERS, DEPARTMENTS, AND PROGRAMS, and 8) EVENTS.

Accession Processed in 2022

Topics documented include administrative activities, student affairs, and significant events. Materials date from 1969-2018, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1980-2012.

Arranged in three series: 9) ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAMS, 10) EVENTS, and 11) DIGITAL FILES.

Biographical / historical:

The Provost is Thurgood Marshall College's chief academic and administrative officer. Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Provost works closely with, and partially supervises, the College Deans. The Provost's Office is responsible for freshman orientation, academic counseling, graduation, the designation of college honors, and dismissals. The Provost also holds a tenured faculty appointment in a campus academic department.

UC San Diego began enrolling undergraduate students in 1964. Shortly thereafter, planning for the campus' third college began. The College III Preliminary Planning Committee released a plan for an interdisciplinary college with a liberal arts focus on the study of history and theory in November 1965. It would be named, at least temporarily, Third College.

The subsequent planning for Third College, at times difficult and politically controversial, evolved with the input of many key players. Two student groups, the Mexican American Youth Association (MAYA, later known as the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, or MEChA), and the Black Student Council (BSC), were approached by Provisional Provost Armin Rappaport, who asked them for insights on the possible form of the curriculum's ethnic component. MAYA and BSC students joined together as the Lumumba-Zapata Coalition, and pushed for a college that was more than just a traditional college with an ethnic element. Supported by many faculty members, including Carlos Blanco (the faculty advisor to MAYA), William Frazer, Herbert Marcuse, and Joseph Watson (the faculty advisor to the BSC), the Coalition submitted their academic, administrative, and community-based demands to the Academic Senate in May 1969. A radical plan, it faced some significant opposition, and tensions grew as planning progress slowed. Several weeks after the plan was first introduced in the Senate, faculty member Sylvio Varon wrote a resolution that laid out a concrete plan for achieving the Third College that the Lumumba-Zapata Coalition envisioned.

From 1968-1970, the discussions were largely centered around three important issues. First, the representation of minority groups was a major priority. This included enrolled students, faculty, and staff, and also extended to the organizations that would be selected for the construction and financing of the college. A second priority was that students be involved in College planning and governance. This idea of student involvement in governance was a major departure from the administrative structures of the existing First and Second Colleges. Thirdly, there was the discussion of Third College's curriculum. The curricular focus was to be contemporary social problems, including economics, health, communications, urban and rural development, language arts, and cultural studies.

At the Opening Ceremonies in September 1970, 169 students were welcomed into Third College. Recruitment of minority students was largely conducted by students and faculty. The College's governance included student representation. The departments included Asian and Pacific Islander Studies, Communication Arts, Health Science, Third World Studies, and Urban and Rural Development. Three additional departments were still in planning stages: Environmental Design and Engineering, Literature Sciences, and Pre-Law.

The college was dedicated as Thurgood Marshall College in October 1993. Thurgood Marshall College Provosts to date have been: Armin Rappaport (Provisional, 1967-1968) and William R. Frazer (Acting, 1969-1970). Joseph Watson (1970-1981), Faustina Solis (1981-1988), Cecil Lytle (1988-2005), Robert Kluender (Interim, 2005-2006), Allan Havis (2006-2016), and Leslie Carver (2016-present).

Acquisition information:
Acquired 1987-2019
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Special Collections Archives, UC San Diego
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-12-22 13:44:47 -0800 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Documents containing protected information are restricted for 75 years from the date of creation. Redacted versions are provided where possible. See the University Archivist for more information.

Original video recordings are restricted. Viewing copies may be available for researchers.

Preferred citation:

UC San Diego. Thurgood Marshall College Office of the Provost Records. RSS 1130. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.

Location of this collection:
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
Contact:
(858) 534-2533
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Website