Collections : [New York State Modern Political Archive]

This series consists of minutes, summaries of proceedings, and a subject index. The majority of the series covers Faculty Senate meetings from the first meeting in 1953 through 1998. The meeting minutes contain information on the appointment of University Representatives by President Carlson during the first meeting, the drafting of the original proposed By-laws, and the development of different instructional programs. The minutes include copies of committee reports. The minutes also show the effect that the Taylor Law of 1967 had on the University Faculty Senate.

This sub-series is comprised of bound copies of the proceedings of annual faculty assemblies. With the first meeting in 1965, these assemblies were built around such themes as "The Role of the Faculty in State University" and "The University Student in a Changing Environment". Assemblies addressed such issues as the expansion of the State University, teaching-learning process, and educational television. In response to the demands of a turbulent decade, the role of disadvantaged students and the question of who shall be taught was the focus of discussion; other topics included allocation of resources, faculty research and community service.

The State Charities Aid Association subseries includes documents related to the activities of the SCAA in the field of mental health. It includes legal documents, reports, minutes, memos, letters, and pamphlets generated by various committees of the SCAA, reprints of articles by people belonging to or associated with the SCAA, and some state government documents and other external documents related to the work of the SCAA. Also included are reports of the Committee on Legislation, which was a special committee on legislation for the insane (1891-1895) and a letter to the mayor of New York City advocating bringing New York County into the state mental health system. The Subcommittee on After Care worked to improve the care offered to mental patients after discharge from mental institutions. Included are the subcommittee's by-laws, minutes, and one annual report. The Committee on Mental Hygiene was the principal committee of SCAA dealing with mental health issues. The records include reports of the assistant secretary, mission statement (labeled as "objects") minutes, proposal for the study of the prevalence of mental disease in New York State, training programs, memos, reports, and an excerpt from a history of mental health policies in New York. The Visiting Committees were members of the SCAA who were empowered by New York State to inspect mental institutions on behalf of the state government and report to the state's Department of Mental Hygiene on the conditions in the institutions and the quality and effectiveness of the care being offered to the mentally ill.

The Sheet Metal Worker's International Association, Local 83 collection documents the founding and daily activities of this organization from 1892-1984. In addition to the actual minutes, related materials that have been entered into the body of the minutes have been filed at the back of the folders. These related materials include correspondence, treasurer's reports and other documents referred to in the body of the minutes. The bulk of the business discussed within the minutes of Local 83 concerns grievance cases where the plaintiff was laid off unfairly.