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NAU History Resources in Special Collections and Archives: Administrative Records

Administrative Records

Administrative records of the university are generally those created by staff and administrators of Northern Arizona University as part of their specific departmental functions and responsibilities. In Special Collections and Archives, these records are predominantly found in the records of past institutional presidents. However, they can also be found in the records of student organizations and activities, employee files, and departmental self-assessments.

Additionally, SCA holds archival collections donated by alumni, faculty, staff, and employees of NAU which document the history of the institution and/or their personal experiences at NAU. While these collections are not technically part of the Northern Arizona University Archives, they are nonetheless valuable sources for research.

Record Types

Special Collections and Archives houses the official records of a number of past presidents of Northern Arizona University, including those who presided when the institution was called Arizona State Teachers College (1925-1945) and Arizona State College (1945-1966). You may wish to do a general search for a topic (person, place, subject) at Arizona Archives Online or the Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. You can browse detailed inventories of specific presidential papers using the finding aids linked below:

Please note that these are physical archival materials. The vast majority of these records are not digitized. As such, they will require an in-person visit to view them. Learn more about on-site research in Cline Library here and read our Reading Room Policy here.

Special Collections and Archives has a number of small archival collections assembled to document the history of Northern Arizona University and the Flagstaff campus. These include: 

Special Collections and Archives has several archival collections which document the history and operations of specific NAU units and departments.

Records documenting official and unofficial student activities on campus can be found in a few places in Special Collections and Archives (SCA). Significant student movements and groups are documented in the NAU presidential papers; search for specific organizations or events in these papers and review them in-person in SCA.

You can also search the NAU Archives collection in the Colorado Plateau Digital Collections for any associated images or documentation SCA staff have selected for digitization and made available online. 

Special Collections and Archives is actively interested in acquiring more documentation of both official and unofficial student activities at Northern Arizona University. Please contact us if you wish to donate any materials documenting these activities.

Special Collections and Archives has a few archival collections related to NAU's employees, including current and retired faculty and staff. 

Special Collections and Archives also holds the papers of various NAU professors, staff, and other employees.

Northern Arizona University currently (2022) has several University Commissions, including the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Ethnic Diversity, the LGBTQIA Commission, the Commission for Native Americans, and the Commission on Disability Access and Design. Special Collections and Archives may accept historic (non-active) records of all NAU Commissions.

Special Collections and Archives has a few archival collections from alumni of NAU. These include:

To be compliant with the Arizona Board of Regents Internal Program Review Policy (ABOR 2-208), there is a requirement for all disciplines to complete a seven-year period review of its undergraduate and graduate programs. This review helps the state make wise decisions about strategic planning and resource allocation.

A selection of these program evaluations have been digitized and made available online through the Colorado Plateau Digital Collections.

As the repository for non-active (permanent) records of the university, Special Collections and Archives does not provide a formal records management function for active and semi-active records currently found in departments and administrative units across campus. Please use the following link to get more information about records management and how best to manage active and semi-active records in your office or administrative unit: