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Student Organizations And Publications. General Student Senate (University Of Maine) Records

 Record Group
Identifier: UA RG 0009-008

Scope and Contents

The records mainly contain textual information created by the University of Maine General Student Senate, but there are also photographic material in Box 9, folders 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 55, 59, 64, 70, 77, 84, 87, 89, 96, 97, 106, 111, 112; Box 10, Folder 4, 5, 7, 8, 10; Box 16, Folder 29, a photo & stamp press in Box 9 Folder 59, film strips in Box 8, Folder 15, and a scrapbook of clippings in Box 17.

The record series Administrative Records includes meeting minutes, notebooks which contain forms, attendance, minutes, pledges elections, non-frat men, and correspondence, and also copies of the constitution and by-laws of the Senate.

The records series Subject Files includes material on a mixture of student government and general University of Maine committees with some level of student government representation. There also records on various subjects of interest to the Senate and the University at large including: student welfare, accommodation, curriculum, legislation, teaching, strikes, and moratoriums. Also, various senate officer correspondence including with University administrators on a range of subjects. Information regarding student organized events (particularly the Distinguished Lecture Series), directories of various University of Maine student groups and committees, information regarding student activities including surveys and reports and material, budget information and requests from student groups for funding, and material on regional and national student groups.

The record series Maine Public Interest Research Group includes proposals for the Group’s formation, reports, publications, details of various campaigns, meeting minutes and other administrative records regarding its funding and organization.

Dates

  • 1934-2019
  • Majority of material found within 1960-1980

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Kept at Fogler Library's offsite storage facility. One week's notice required for retrieval. Personal identifiable and legally protected information will be redacted before release.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Information on literary rights available in the Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department.

Biographical / Historical

The General Student Senate (GSS) is the fiduciary body of Student Government. It consists of no more than 35 Student Senators who serve as direct representatives of students in their respective colleges. The Vice President of Student Government is the President of the GSS. The GSS has final authority on all Student Government monetary issues, student organization matters and student administrative committee appointments. It also takes official stances on student concerns. Weekly meetings are open to the public and broadcast on the campus channel. Any member of the campus community may address the GSS during the General Good and Welfare section of the meeting. Elections occur every September.

The Senate is composed of undergraduates who meet to debate and vote on student club recognition and funding as well as resolutions that effect the entire student body. Senators and Executives gather to hear reports from Senate Committee Chairs, Representative Boards, Community Associations, clubs, faculty members, and presentations from University of Maine constituents. Senators debate and vote on club recognition and funding as well as resolutions that effect the entire student body. The Senate has a president and vice presidents with responsibilities for areas such as financial affairs, student organizations, and student entertainment. The Senate also has various standing and ad-hoc committees.

The UMSG Senators operate to ensure University of Maine students and their interested are well represented by their Student Government and their University as a whole. A Senator has a strong voice in decisions on important UMaine legislation, as well as the power to contribute to other internal functions, including but not limited to: funds allocation to student organizations, as well as support and promotion of campus events. The Senate is under University of Maine’s Student Government, where many other organizations and committees are run. The Senate is also involved with the Interfraternity Council, Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Panhellenic Council. These councils strive to create a well-balanced society that is based on academics, philanthropy, friendship, and leadership.

The Senate previously had representatives from both the Men’s Student Senate and the Women’s Student Government. The Men's Senate acted as a coordinating body between the University administration and the student body, to foster and direct student sentiment in the direction of general cooperation, unified college spirit, promotion of beneficial student activities, and uphold the University ideals.

The Senate and student government as a whole organize and sponsor numerous campaigns (e.g. volunteering) and events on campus including lectures, debates, the Winter Carnival, and Maine Day. The Senate also participates in the voting process for University awards such as the Distinguished Faculty Award. The Senate have also gotten involved in political and social action for example, in the 1970s they endorsed protests in reaction to the Vietnam War.

Senate members are also involved in other student organizations in Maine, regionally, and nationally. During the 1970s senators participated in the Maine Public Interest Research Group which was established in 1973 as a public advocacy corporation representing the concerns of Maine college students. PIRG was funded by Maine college students at the University of Maine, Colby College, and College of the Atlantic.

Extent

18 boxes

1 box (Half size box)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The Records Group is broken down intellectually into the following record series: 1. Administrative Records, 2. Subject Files, and 3. Maine Public Interest Group Records. Physically the folders are arranged by subject. Some file names were changed to make them more meaningful and to correct errors. Material was separated and divided into multiple sub-folders where necessary. Material were rehoused into archival quality storage where necessary.

Box numbers have changed:

  1. Old Box #474 (New Box 1)
  2. Old Box #475 (New Box 2)
  3. Old Box #476 (New Box 3)
  4. Old Box #477 (New Box 4)
  5. Old Box #475c (New Box 5)
  6. Old Box #475a (New Box 6)
  7. Old Box #479 (New Box 7)
  8. Old Box #480 (New Box 8)
  9. Old Box #481 (New Box 9)
  10. Old Box #482 (New Box 10)
  11. Old Box #484 (New Box 11)
  12. Old Box #485 (New Box 12)
  13. Old Box #486 (New Box 13)
  14. Old Box #487 (New Box 14)
  15. Old Box #488 (New Box 15)
  16. Old Box #489 (New Box 16)
  17. Old Box #490 (New Box 17)

Appraisal

The processing archivist appraised the records and destroyed the financial records in Box 478 (e.g. travel claims and receipts) which he considered not appropriate for permanent retention in Fogler Library’s Special Collections.

Accruals

Accruals from the General Student Senate are anticipated.

Related Materials

There are records on the Distinguished Lecture Series in SpC MS 0549. Office Of the President Records, UA RG 0003 includes records on the General Student Senate.

Bibliography

"University of Maine Student Government", University of Maine, https://umaine.edu/umsg/general-student-senate/ (accessed August 2017).

Processing Information

Boxes 1-18 were processed by Matthew Revitt and student worker Abigayl Novak, August 2017 and Box 19 in May 2022, Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department. Processing involved a collection survey and intellectual arrangement into series and the creation of this finding aid. Material was rehoused in appropriate archival folders (where needed) and the boxes and folders numbered and titled added using information from ArchivesSpace.

Title
University of Maine. General Student Senate Records
Status
Completed
Author
Matthew Revitt
Date
August 8, 2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Edition statement
Revised November, 2019 to add additional box.

Repository Details

Part of the Raymond H. Fogler Library University Archives Repository

Contact:
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono ME 04469-5729 United States
207-581-1686