1 Policy Statement

The USQ Historical Archives Collection aims to document and maintain a secure collection recording all aspects of the University's history, for the purpose of preserving the USQ memory and also for research and public access purposes. The geographic area to be covered by the Archives is all USQ campuses: Toowoomba, Fraser Coast and Springfield.

2 Procedures

2.1 Historical Background

Refer Appendix 1 for the background to the establishment of the USQ Historical Archives.

2.2 What the USQ Historical Archives will collect

USQ Historical Archives will collect publications, historical papers and memorabilia in various formats; the 'official records' of the University, including the minutes, agendas and associated papers for its various governance, management and advisory committees from their establishment; and oral histories, film and photographs. Refer to Appendix 2 for the subject areas, major themes, time period and geographic area to be covered by the collection.

2.3 How the USQ Historical Archives will collect

Each Collection will have its own Collections Procedures document for the accessioning and de-accessioning of historical items.

2.4 Collection Conservation

Refer to USQ Historical Archives: Conservation Policy & Procedures Accessioning and De-accessioning The Archives reserves the right to de-accession and dispose of items in its collection and may de-accession an object or document or papers for the following reasons:

• it does not fit the Collection Policy;

• it is damaged or decayed beyond repair;

• It is a lesser quality duplicate of another object or item owned by the Archives;

• it cannot be adequately stored or displayed by the Archives;

• there is insufficient supporting information to enable the Archives to identify the item or object or to establish its relevance to the Collection; and

2.5 Review of the Collection Policy

The Collection Policy will be reviewed and updated annually by the USQ Historical Archives Steering Committee.

2.6 Contact

Manager, Corporate Records

Corporate Records

University of Southern Queensland

TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350

Phone: 07 4631 1760

Fax: 07 4631 2937

Email: turner@usq.edu.au

2.7 Status

July 2007

3 References

3.1 Appendix 1 - Background to the establishment of the USQ Historical Archives

The USQ Historical Archives Collection was established as part of the USQ2007 40^th Anniversary Celebrations, with the following aims and objectives:

• to provide a significant and lasting memory of USQ and the region for the benefit of the University and the broader community e.g. for research and public access/display purposes;

• to acquire and maintain a collection of material which relates to the history of the USQ;

• to provide a more strategic approach to USQ collecting and maintaining historically significant materials relating to all campuses of USQ and the University’s engagement with its communities;

• to minimise the risk of previous losses of significant amounts of historical material due to ad hoc decisions being made about small individual holdings across campus and lost opportunities of collecting significant historical material with the retirement or departure of long-serving USQ staff members;

• to identify, capture, house and manage the dispersed collection items in a single, central location on the main Toowoomba campus. It is envisaged that, on a rotating basis, significant collection items can be placed on display at the Fraser Coast and Springfield campuses; and

• to enable USQ to greatly enhance its currently limited capability in the management and housing of significant memorabilia for research and public access/display purposes.

3.2 Appendix 2 -Subject Categories of the USQ Historical Archives

1. Benefactors

2. Buildings & Facilities (e.g.: Architectural plans & drawings)

3. Central Administration

4. Distance Education

5. Faculties, Departments, Centres

6. Faculties, Departments, Centres (Nursing, Sister Kenny Memorial Fund)

7. Fraser Coast Campus

8. Handbooks

9. History - Establishment Years (1960 – 1975)

10. History - D. D. I. A. E. (1975 - 1989)

11. History – UCSQ, USQ (1990 onwards)

12. Legislation (USQ Act) & Regulations (USQ Record keeping)

13. Memorabilia (items of clothing bearing the institutional logo, etc)

14. Occasions & Events (Anniversaries, Conferences, Public Lectures, Orations Open Days)

15. Organisational Status (DDIAE, UCSQ, USQ)

16. Pageantry

17. Planning

18. Publications (by the DDIAE/USQ, or containing reference to)

19. Residential Colleges

20. Reports (Annual, Organisational)

21. Research

22. Reviews (Reports)

23. Springfield Campus

24. Staff

25. Statistics

26. Students, Graduates, Alumni

27. Support Organisations, USQ (External)

28. Technology (e.g.: a computer used at the DDIAE in the early1970’s)

29. Website (USQ)

3.3 Appendix 3 - Main Themes of the USQ Historical Archives Collection

• institutional history and memory;

• the role of distance education in the institution’s development;

• material about significant cultural facilities such as the Japanese Gardens;

• early student and staff publications as these reflect the social history of the institution;

• creative output of staff and students which is historically significant to the institution;

• the way technology used at this institution has changed since the establishment days;

• the association between this institution and its communities of the Darling Downs, the Fraser Coast and Springfield.

4 Other Policy Information