UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

The University Archives was established in 1971 to document the history of the University at Albany, SUNY from its origin in 1844 as the New York State Normal School to train teachers for New York State to its present status as a comprehensive research university. Administered as an integral part of the M.E. Granander Department of Special Collections and Archives, the University Archives are available to patrons for research and study. The University Archives consists of the Official Records of the University at Albany and its predecessor institutions from its origins in 1844 to the present. Includes presidential papers, trustees and senate minutes, theses and dissertations, photographs, building plans, student and alumini records, publications, and other documentation. Also includes records of the Milne School, the University Teaching School from 1845 - 1977. Below is a brief description of each subject area followed by descriptions of most of the University Archive's collections.

For reference queries contact the Grenander Department Reference staff or (518)-437-3935.

• ADMINISTRATION & ACADEMICS: Records of campus offices, departments, schools, and institutes; and other permanent historical documentation about the governance of the University and its predecessor institutions. Includes records of the Board of Trustees and University Council, 1844-89; the Faculty Senate and University Senate, 1915-80; and official papers of presidents Abram R. Brubacher, 1915-39; John M. Sayles, 1939-47; Milton G. Nelson (acting), 1947-49; Evan R. Collins, 1949-69; Allan A. Kuusisto (acting), 1969-70; Louis T. Benezet, 1970-75; Emmet B. Fields, 1975-77; and Vincent O'Leary, 1977-90; H. Patric Swygert, 1990-1995.
• CONSTRUCTION & BUILDINGS: Documents relating to the purchase of land for the uptown campus of the University at Albany, 1961-72; working architectural drawings of the uptown campus by the New York City firm of Edward Durrell Stone, Associates, 1962-67; and documentation of the physical construction of the uptown campus, 1962-67.
• FACULTY, STUDENTS, & ALUMNI/AE: Professional papers of former faculty members. Registration books, 1845-1911; grade books, 1868-90. Public Relations files on former faculty/administrators and Alumni Affairs files on deceased alumni/ae, 1845 to present. Photographs, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and other material from the Alumni Association Collection, 1845 to present. General history of the University and of student life, 1845 to present.
• PUBLICATIONS: Includes more than 300 regular and occasional titles, chiefly serial titles (bibliography available), created since 1900. Includes catalogs, circulars, and course schedules, 1845-present; yearbooks, 1900-present (Neon, 1900; Our Book, 1911; Senior Book, 1912; The Pedagogue, 1913-62; and The Torch, 1963-present); commencement programs and related publications, 1857-1983; faculty newsletters (Faculty Bulletin of Information, 1952-66; Campus Courier, 1966-70; Tower Tribune, 1970-77; University News, 1978-86; Albany Update, 1987-present); the student newspaper (Echo, State College News, ASP), 1892-present, with indexes; and the alumni newspapers (Alumni Quarterly, 1919-72; Carillon, 1972-present), and digitized issues (1916-1976) may be accessed here, Albany Student Newspaper via the finding aid.
• THESES & DISSERTATIONS: Original manuscript copies of all masters theses, 1914-present, and doctoral dissertations, 1963-present are available for use in the Marcia Brown Research Room and are searchable through Minerva. The University Libraries also hold microfilm copies of most theses and dissertations. The full text of all dissertations written at the University at Albany from 1997 to the present are available electronically through the database Digital Dissertations @ SUNY Albany.
• PHOTOGRAPHS: More than 30,500 photographic prints and negatives concerning the faculty, students, administration, buildings, and campus life. Though there are photographs dating from the middle of the nineteenth century, the bulk of the collection dates from 1962 to the present and includes very substantial documentation of the construction of the Uptown Campus. A computerized index provides name and subject access to a significant portion of the collection.

  The University at Albany Libraries' Digital Collections Database currently provides online access to over 9,000 items with more entries added on an ongoing basis. The majority of these images document the University at Albany's Uptown Campus in the 1970s and 1980s as well as students from the classes of 1847 through 1980. The database also provides full-text access to the Annual Reports of the New York State Normal School Executive Committee for the years 1844-1870. Users may wish to consult the subject terms list from the Search page before beginning a search.

• EXHIBITS: Material from the University Archives is regularly used in exhibits about the University at Albany and its history. Click here to read about past exhibits and to view online exhibits on such topics as campus buildings and the Alumni Association.

• SUBJECT GUIDES TO COLLECTIONS IN THE M.E. GRENANDER DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES: Collections may also be browsed through subject listings which include all manuscript collections and record groups available in the Department of Special Collections and Archives.