University of California, Santa Barbara, Alumni Association Collection, ca. 1965-2008

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Creators:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Alumni Association
Abstract:
The collection contains files on the Family Vacation Center, the Annual Fund, and various promotional publications for the Alumni Association.
Extent:
0.4 linear feet (1 document box)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

University of California, Santa Barbara, Alumni Association Collection. UArch 69. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

History of the Alumni Association, from their website:

"The first organized alumni effort recorded took place in February 1919 when the Class of 1918 organized the Alumni Association of the Santa Barbara Normal School Manual Arts and Home Economics. The total alumni body then was 600. The Association's objective was 'to foster a greater love in the graduates for their Alma Mater and to render greater service to the public, to education and to members of the association.' Any graduate could be a member, but only those who paid annual dues of one dollar could vote. [...]

"An informal Alumni Association existed for the next several decades with volunteers organizing reunions around athletic events and homecoming parades. Although the university gave no financial support to the organization, there were various dues programs, and faculty members and college deans worked on programming. Hoy Dia, the Santa Barbara State College alumni publication, was published in a variety of formats from 1931 to 1947 when the name was changed to Santa Barbara Alumnus. [...]

"In 1962, for the first time, the University allocated funds in support of the Alumni Relations Program. These funds provided the salary for a part-time secretary to the faculty alumni director and for record-keeping. Under Chancellor Vernon I. Cheadle, the support grew, and eventually the University hired a full-time professional alumni director. In September 1965, the UCSB Alumni Association incorporated under the laws of California as a non-profit, charitable organization and became the publisher of the alumni publication which was then called UCSB Alumnus.

"Through the rest of the 60s and early 70s an executive director and a secretary guided the growth of the Association. A part-time Alumnus editor and office assistant provided program and membership support. Early fund raising efforts to provide scholarships for local high school students centered around selling pumpkins out of a pumpkin patch in Carpinteria. New Year's Eve and Fiesta parties were sponsored by the Alumni Association and were well attended as alumni interest in UCSB increased. The Association also designed and implemented the University's first Annual Fund Campaign using alumni volunteers to call other alumni and Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego to support the University.

"In 1969, the Association opened the Alumni Vacation Center at Francisco Torres residence hall in Isla Vista. After three years, the program moved to campus and is now known as the Family Vacation Center, serving some 2,700 UC alumni and friends each summer.

"In the mid-70s, the Association hired a full-time associate director and a membership/travel director, and appointed committees on investments, financial self-sufficiency and Regent selection. The Association also launched the successful UCSB Alumni Association Theater Program (since closed) and assumed temporary responsibility for the University's Athletic Hall of Fame. It also opened, and subsequently closed after three years, another vacation center in San Diego.

"An Alumni Regent has always served on the Board of Regents of the University of California. In the 1970's this was expanded to two Alumni Regents. It has been the responsibility of the combined Alumni Associations of the University of California (AAUC) to provide these two ex-officio alumni members of the Board of Regents. Every four years, one of the voting Regents is a past or present member of the UCSB Alumni Association Board of Directors. [...]

"In 1980, The Alumnus, then a tabloid, adopted a magazine format. The magazine began to print in color, partially subsidizing its expense by accepting advertising. In 1981, the name of the magazine was changed to Coastlines.

"Since 1982 membership in the Association nearly tripled from 6,000 members to over 20,000 members. Membership benefits include: career services, group health and life insurance, loan programs, UC library privileges, special on-campus privileges and an array of financial services and discounts.

"There are now regional UCSB alumni clubs all over the United States. There are also several constituent groups."

The Alumni Association completed construction of the Mosher Alumni House in early 2008. It has several meeting and event rooms for general use. It is also the current home of the Alumni Association and Alumni Relations Department offices.

For more information, see the Alumni Association website, http://www.ucsbalum.com/

The collection contains the following series:

Series I, Alumni Association files. Contains the majority of the collection, and includes files on the Family Vacation Center, the Annual Fund, and various promotional publications for the Alumni Association. Files are arranged as they were received.

Series II, Audio/Visual. Contains audio tape of Alumni Association presentation. Stored off-site, advance notice required for retrieval.

Acquisition information:
Undetermined.
Physical location:
Series I: Del Sur, University Archives, 24A; Series II: Annex 2.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

None. Some materials stored off-site, advance notice required for retrieval.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred citation:

University of California, Santa Barbara, Alumni Association Collection. UArch 69. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
UC Santa Barbara Library
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
Contact:
(805) 893-3062
special@library.ucsb.edu
Website