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University Archives

The UC Merced University Archives documents the growing, and rich, history of the University of California’s tenth campus. The archives include documents relating to the initial conceptions of the University, the at times controversial processes of selecting Merced as the campus's new home to documents discussing academic planning, site construction and various promotional materials and other ephemera relating to campus events. 

Collecting Scope

The University Archives actively accepts inactive records, as designated for review by the University Archives in the UC Records Retention Schedule. The University Archives does not collect all records, but rather those that document UC Merced's administrative activities, functions, decisions, programs, and policies. The University Archives collects these materials in every format, physical and digital. In addition to individual records, one copy of all publications released by UC Merced should be deposited in the University Archives.

In addition to core administrative records (please see below for a list of these types of records), the University Archives is actively looking to build collections that document the following kinds of campus activity:

  • Records from student organizations that document the organization's creation and ongoing activities
  • Student publications in all formats, including zines and other ephemera
  • Materials that document student life and campus culture, including recordings of campus events, performances, and social life
  • Materials that document student led activism, documenting on and off campus events, protests, marches, impromptu performances  
  • Records from student support, such as disability services, mental health, cultural centers and services, undocumented student services, LGBTQ+ student services, student retention and first generation student services
  • Records that document the individual contributions of senior leadership
  • Records from Deans and Department Chairs to document the intellectual, pedagogical, and administrative activity of UC Merced's different schools
  • Materials from all of UC Merced's communications and public relations units, including photographs, audiovisual content, press releases, etc.

Guidelines for Transfer

To determine what records should be targeted for University Archives review, please compare your records to the records schedules in the UC Records Retention Schedule, paying particular attention to those records containing the following language:

  • subject to University Archives review
  • coordinate the transfer of these records to the University Archives
  • record proprietors may contact University Archivists for advice on the continuing maintenance of permanent retention records that are not pre-designated for transfer to University Archives
  • then to Archives

If you are unsure about whether or not records in your possession should be transferred to the University Archives, please contact the University Archivist, Jerrold Shiroma (jshiroma@ucmerced.edu).

Click here to begin the process of transferring records to the University Archives

Upon receipt of your form submission, the University Archivist will arrange for a review of your records, either in-person, via e-mail, or virtually, whichever is most suitable. When your records are approved for transfer, the University Archivist will contact you with further instructions on how to prepare the documents for transfer. Document boxes will be provided if needed.

The collecting priorities of the UC Merced Univeristy Archives are driven by the Policies for Administrative of University of California Archives, which has been developed by the University of California Archivists Council (UCAC). UCAC has developed the following list of campus-level core records. It describes the minimum set of record types that a UC archives should strive to collect in order to fulfill its institutional mandate. These records should be inactive and have enduring administrative, legal, historical or research value; they may be collected in any format deemed acceptable. This list provides guidance to those assessing the content of collections and selecting items for transfer to and retention in the University Archives. 

Administrative Records

  • University Administrators, including Chancellor’s Office, Vice-Chancellors, Provosts, and Deans (including correspondence, organization charts, minutes of meetings, annual reports, calendars)
  • Facilities and Planning (planning documents; “as-built” drawings)
  • Academic Senate (including educational planning committee)
  • Contracts and Grants (annual reports)
  • Registrar (Note: vital records not necessarily retained in University Archives)
  • Accreditation documentation
  • Founding and incorporation documents

Non-administrative Records

  • Associated Students (bylaws, minutes, founding documents)
  • Student organizations with a substantial impact on campus
  • Bio-Bibliographies and curriculum vitae of faculty

Publications

  • Catalogs
  • Directories
  • Student newspaper
  • Yearbooks
  • Personnel manuals
  • Faculty and staff handbooks
  • Administrative websites

Non-textual materials

  • Photographs
  • Audiovisual recordings
  • Campus maps