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Student Government Association (SGA). Records, 1927-

 Sub-Group
Identifier: RG12-4

Scope and Contents

BOX 1 contains information on the alcohol policy, SGA Presidents Warren Buford, Buster Burk, and Blain Butler , as well as information on a variety of student clubs and organizations such as the Black Student Coalition, FLAG, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the New Jersey Student Association (see folder listings for names of organizaitons). The file folder marked Bank of Davidson" contains copies of checks issued by the Bank of Davidson for the SGA in 1927. BOX 2 contains information on student clubs and organizations, and from various committees of the SGA. Copies of the Charters and By-Laws of the SGA are found in this box. The file folder marked "Co-education" contains information on Co-Ed Week which was a program between Randolph-Macon Women's College and Davidson where girls from Randolph-Macon stayed on the Davidson campus for one week, and boys from Davidson stayed on the Randolph-Macon campus for one week. The file folder marked "Community-Campus Liason" reveals an effort at Town-Gown relations in 1983. A copy of the 1977-78 Course Description Handbook is in the Course Evaluation Committee file. (The 1970 course guide is located in Box 6.) There is a lengthy file on student responses to the faculty evaluation procedure for tenure in 1983. BOX 3 contains more committee information, including information on Solidariy Week and minority affairs at Davidson. The file folder marked "Football" contains the final report of the SGA Committe on Football which was formed in 1972 to study the purposes, benefits, costs and alternatives to the football program. The file marked "Patterson Court Study Committee" contains a copy of the SGA survey on Self-Selection. The files marked "Security" contain information on the increase in lighting on campus and various security issues. BOX 4 contains information from the various Councils of the SGA. Information on the Activities Tax that is charged to all students in found here. The file folder marked "Council on Minority Affairs" contains a copy of the SGA's Recommendations from the Black Issues Forum and information from the Ad-Hoc Minority Report Committee. This file folder also contains information on the treatment of gays and lesbians on campus and the FLAG organization in 1991-92 since they are included in the minority affairs outreach. The same folder also contains a copy of letters written to the campus community from John Kuykendall regarding incidents of Campus Intolerance regarding minorities in 1991-92. There also is a file on the Women's Concerns Committee and its activities from 1983-84. Copies of the SGA Constitution are found here. BOX 5 contans additional files on SGA councils, a copy of the statement of housing in the town of Davidson in 1974, a letter from the SGA regarding Alcohol use on campus in 1991 and copies of the speeches of the presidents of the SGA in 1971-72 and 1992-93. The file folder marked "Minority Relations, 1988-89" contains information on a proposed Black Studies Program, a copy of an article entitled "Black Student at Davidson Frustrated" that appeared in the Charlotte Observer, and the statement of purpose of the committee to Monitor the Black Student Coalition's Goals for 1989-90. Directories of members of the SGA are found in this box as is information on various Faculty Committees of the SGA (see folder listings for subject headings). BOX 6 contains information on the Patterson Court Council and SGA Senate resolutions. Copies of the Student Course Evaluations publication from 1969-70 and Fall 1970 are found in this box. The file folder marked "Self-Scheduled Exams, 1970" contains a petition for self-scheduled exams. The rest of the box contains copies of the Senate Agendas. BOX 7 contains the agendas of the senate meetings In addition, it contains a vast amount of information on topics such as the academic calendar, the Area Studies Program, bookstore, laundry services, cafeteria and food service, condoms on campus, the comprehensive fee, DCTV, exams, fraternities and self-selection, married student housing, minorities on campus, minus grades, dormitory regulations, organizational charters, and proposed By-Laws changes. BOX 8 contains additional senate discussions, copies of the minutes of the senate meetings, and minutes from the Senate Executive Committee between 1969-1977. The senate minutes from 1958-66 are confidential because they contain actual names of students involved in various trials involving cheating and alcohol consumption on campus. The file folder marked "Senate Discussions - Rebuilding the Community Report" contains a report issued by the Select Committee on Alleged Intolerance regarding various negative events on campus involving alcohol and student misconduct. BOX 9 contains copies of senate minutes from 1973-1989, as well as a set of handwritten minutes from 1990-1991. BOX 10 contains copies of senate minutes beginning in 1990, as well as information on the Vietnam War and the student's reactions to this war. In addition, there are copies of the SGA President's report to the Trustees regarding student activities on campus from 1989-94. BOX 11 contains files from the Chancellor's Office of the SGA. The file folder marked "Articles from the Davidsonian" contains a copy of an artile on the use of alcohol during freshman rush, editorials on the possibility of instituting dry rush, and information on Tripp Helms, President of the SGA. The file folder marked "Court Procedures" contains information on how students should be tried by the SGA. The file folder marked "Evaluations 1990" contains student evaluations of such problems on campus as minority concerns, student life, athletics, academics, the alcohol policy, etc. The file folder marked "Race Relations (General)" contains copies of Davidsonian articles on racial attitudes at Davidson in 1984. The file folder marked "Semester System Implementation" provides a history of the move from the trimester system to the semester system. BOX 12 contains Activities Tax Council files. These files contain budget information and requests for funding from student organizations. The Erickson Administration file has agendas and minutes from that administration. The reports in that folder are additional items used for reference during the meetings. The Erickson folder contains reports that included; ATC Fall 2000 allocations, 8 SGA resolutions, a copy of the SGA online survey as well as results, the Davidson Cyclist's Club consititution, and a letter from the Davidson International Association for a Patterson Court house. The Harris Administration files are a compliation of minutes and reports during the presidency of Joey Harris. The reports within the file are supplements to the meetings that include charters and constitutions of the Diversity Theatre, Davidson Outdoors, Bioethics Society, Students for Life, Comparative Advantage, Davidson African Student Association, and Shades of Brown. It also includes, the ATC Spring 2001 Allocations, a letter concerning Professor Figueroa's denied tenture, a proposed activities calendar, SGA Budget report, Death Penalty Halt literature, and an invitation to the North Carolina Student Government Consortium at Elon College. There are also 7 resolutions, some concerning parking space for cars, workout facilities, sychronizing the clocks, September 11, cable television in West pods, and a resolution to the North Carolina General Assembly concerning a capital punishment moratorium. The Moving Company file has minutes and plans for the move into the new Union building. BOX 13 contains Agenda, Minutes & Reports for the Patterson, Washington, Hubbard, and Arnold administrations as well as e-mail correspondence starting in 2005 and folders for the Diversity Coordinating Committee (DCC)/Diversity Coordinating Board. The Patterson files contain the ATC Spring 2002 allocations, faculty committee appointments, the SGA budget, a copy of the ATC's function, a formal proposal for a smoke-free residence hall with comparisons to other schools, the constitution of the Organization for Poetry and Learning (OPAL), and a final report from the SGA committee appointed to review the Honor Code and Code of Responsibility. It also contains two SGA resolutions, one again addressing the parking situation and the other declaring the SGA's opposition to war in Iraq. The Washington administration contains two resolutions regarding Class II chartered organizations applying for funds from ATC and the Pass/Fail deadline policy reform. This file also contains a charter for Futures in Finance, a constitution for "Oops...," ATC Fall 2003 allocations, an extraneous allocation request from the Asian Culture & Awarness Association, and By-laws changes in January 2004. The Hubbard adminstration folder contains ATC allocations from Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 semesters, a DIDI update, a letter from the Improve Davidson Fund committee announcing the Davidson International Network as the recipients, and charters and constitutions for the Hip Hop Society, Woodrow, Chess Club, Students for New Learning, and Ars Longa. The 4 resolutions in the Hubbard file concern campaigning, hiring a full time Arabic professor, an act to amend by-laws to promote equity between club sports, and conerning substance-free housing. The Arnold administration file contains two sets of by-laws changes, ATC Fall 2005 allocations, the charge of the Student Faculty Relations Committee, and the Davidosn Breakdancing Club Constitution. The Diveristy Coordinating Committee file contains its constitution, correspondence, and announcements.DCC is the organization that replaced the Council (aka the Committee) on Minority Affairs (COMA). There are also agendas, minutes, correspondence, and records from February 2005 and then 2005-2006 academic year for the SGA. There are also printouts of the "Social Calendar," a ~weekly email publication sponsored by the SGA (one issue from 2005, full run from 2007-2008). DIGITAL MATERIALS include screenshots of the Honor Council's website. It also includes examples of the promotional technology used by the 200 SGA presidential candidates (website screenshots and a you-tube video); this material was not created by the SGA. OVERSIZE materials contain copies of the SGA's newsletter The Filabuster, first issued in December 2004."

Dates

  • Creation: 1927

Creator

Biographical / Historical

Prior to the election of the first president of the Student Body in 1896, students were governed by the class system. Class spirit was the dominant feeling in the early days of the college and discipline seemed to rest equally with the faculty and administration as with the Literary Societies and social fraternities. In 1896, however, Archibald Currie was elected president of the Student Body, an all-encompassing term which seemed to help eliminate the strong distinctions between classes. In 1909, C. R. Wilcox was elected president of the Student Body. He can be credited with forming what is presently known as the student government. Under his leadership, a student council was formed to focus on honor violations, and a student government was formed as an important part of student life. Enforcing the honor code continued to rest with the Student Body. In May 1924, the president of the Student Body re-wrote the constitution. He limited and defined the honor systme as applying only to cheating, stealing, and lying under oath. In addition, other provisions formerly lumped together under the honor system" were renamed "Student Body Regulations." It was at this point that the Publications Board (eventally the Media Board) and the Student Store Board of Control were formed. In 1937-38, president Wilbur Edwards rewrote the constitution yet again. He clearly defined the sections applying to the mechanics of student government, i.e., the election, inauguration, and duties of officers."

Extent

13.00 boxes_oversize_digital (13 boxes + oversize + digital)

Language

English