About the University Archives
The University Archives preserves UCI's historically significant records, as defined by the University of California, Irvine Administrative Policies and Procedures, Section 721-12: Archives Policy. Beginning with the founding of UCI in 1965, the University Archives holds materials that document the planning and growth of the campus, the development and administration of academic and administrative programs and services, faculty concerns, student life, and community relations.
Transfer records to the University Archives
The University Archives acquires departmental records that are inactive, and designated for archives review by the UC Records Retention Schedule. The University Archives does not collect all university records, but aims instead to acquire only records documenting the university's decisions-making processes, significant events, projects, and individuals, and essential cultural history. Approximately 1-5% of records created and received by UC Irvine should be transferred to the University Archives. One copy of all UCI published materials should come to the University Archives.
To strengthen our University Archives holdings, we are actively documenting the following:
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Student organization records that document the creation of the group, significant events, and activities
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Student publications in all formats, including zines produced by student organizations or as part of UCI coursework
- Student life and campus culture, including events, performances, and social life
- Student led activism, documenting on and off campus events, protests, marches, impromptu performances
- 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
- Continuing to document the vision and impact of senior leadership, including UCI Chancellors and Vice Chancellors
- Acquiring records from academic Deans and Department Chairs to document the significant activities, decisions, individuals, curricula, and teaching of each school
- Records from all campus communications units, including photographs, audiovisual content, press releases, research files, etc.
Our collecting priorities for core administrative records of UC Irvine are shaped by the University of California Archivists Council (UCAC) joint Policies for Administrative of University of California Archives. These are defined below.
In 2024, UCAC published a Joint Statement on Email as a University Record.
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
Spotlight On
Online Archive of UCI History:
Includes photos, videos, audio,
documents (1936-present)
Anteater Antics:
Odds and ends from Special
Collections and Archives
Anteater Chronicles:
40th Anniversary website