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Archives 164
Associated Students of Washington State University, President
Records, 1953-1975

The records of the presidents of the Associated Students of Washington State University were transferred to Washington State University Libraries in August 1975 and June 1977 (WSU 204). The records were reprocessed in August 1984 by Patricia M. Gourd.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Associated Students of Washington State University serves as the goverment for the general student body. In 1915 the Associated Students of the State College of Washington was founded. When the college changed its name in 1959 to Washington State University, the association changed its name to the Associated Students of Washington State University (ASWSU). Prior to 1968 the dominant student organizational structure was constituted by the class governments. Each class organized its own class government upon entrance to the university. In 1968 the system of student class governments was abandoned and the responsibility of the ASWSU was enlarged to encompass every aspect of student goverment.

The ASWSU functions as the central office for student interests and concerns. From 1953 to 1975 these issues included 18-year-old voting rights, WSU facilities planning, the draft, civil rights, women's rights, the Viet Nam War, grading systems, curriculum controversies, sports, community, and environmental concerns. The ASWSU and its president act as representatives for the student body to the general public, university administration, the legislature, the community, and national leaders.

ASWSU's complex structure is composed of numerous standing committees and commissions concerned with on-going interests. Additionally, ad hoc committees are frequently established to deal with timely issues and specific problems or investigations. The executive branch of the organization usually consists of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Administrative Assistant. At times, these titles have changed and specific functions and responsibilities have been shuffled.

Through the Activities Center the ASWSU serves as the student body coordinator for all major student activities. The ASWSU President, as the elected representative of the whole student body, has a great deal of interaction with the Board of Control, and later, the Assembly (In 1970 the constitution was changed and the organizational structure modified by replacing the functionally limited Board of Control with the larger, more representative Assembly). The ASWSU President and Vice President are either members of, or receive reports from, many student and university committees. The executive also helps to coordinate and facilitate the activities administered under the auspices of the Advisory Council. These activities represent the social aspects of campus life, i.e. dances, rallies, films, intramurals, Moms Weekend, Dads Day, and the Freshman-Faculty Weekend.

ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION

The records of the presidents of the Associated Students of Washington State University, dating from 1953 to 1975, are organized by presidential term of office (usually the school year) and alphabetically by subject within that term. Some presidential files are more extensive than others and some are completely unrepresented; the records of three presidents are not represented: William Strasen, 1956-1957; Robert Patrick, 1957-1958; and, Milt Smith, 1960-1961. Often a president deleted records considered unnecessary or incorporated earlier records into the current file. Many of the files, therefore, contain records predating and at times post-dating the actual period of presidential tenure. Main correspondents include: Brock Adams (Folder 85); C. Clement French (folder 40); Dan Evans (folders 45, 46); Tom Foley (folder 151); Henry Jackson (folder 85); Warren Magnuson (folder 85); Catherine May (folders 85, 151); George McGovern (folder 103); and Glenn Terrell (folders 85, 92, 151, 189).

CONTAINER LIST