Online Archives Search

Discover just some of the amazing material held in the Archives.

The Online Archives Search is a limited search of the UNSW Archives' collection - please note that it does not cover everything held by the Archives.

UNSW staff can also search for archival records through the RAMS interface.

A small selection of the Archives' digital photographs are also available for searching and viewing via UNSW Digital Collections.

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    This series contains the minutes and papers of the Academic Studies & Standards / Academic Standards & Studies / Admissions Committee of the Professorial Board. The series reflects the Committee's change of name from Academic Studies & Standards to Academic Standards & Studies from 18th December, 1951 and then finally to Admissions on 14th February, 1961 (Professorial Board resolution 61/3a). Documents are typed and are generally arranged in chronological order in folders. For each meeting, a copy of the minutes for that meeting normally appears first, followed by any attached papers that were circulated to members prior to the meeting. The minutes indicate meeting date, time and place; those present and apologies; matters discussed and resolutions passed by the Committee. The minutes are copies, as they have not been signed by the Committee Chairman. The University Archives holdings for this series are incomplete, as no items are held for the 1969 - 1971 period. Occasionally agendas, indicating the issues to be addressed, have been included along with the papers, but the Archives' holdings of these are mainly nonexistent.
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    Agencies Series
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    In September 1953 the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Baxter, felt the time was right to set up a Hostel Management Committee to assist Major Wilthew and the Warden with the operation of the hostel and to advise the Vice-Chancellor and through him Council, regarding the progress of the hostel, plans for its development and problems which arise out of its operation. The Hostel Committee was to assist the development of the Student Hostel at Kensington and consider periodic reports on hostel activities. At the first meeting of the Hostel Committee is was resolved that the Committee should hold three meetings yearly, a meeting to be held early in the term to consider reports on the operation of the hostel in the previous term and additional meetings to be held, when necessary, to discuss other matters arising out of the conduct of the hostel. The Chair of the Committee was the Registrar, Mr Macauley, the Secretary was Mr Fraser, Assistant Registrar and Secretary to Council. The Committee seems to have met only twice on 8th and 19th October 1953. Controlling Organisation: UNSW -
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    A memorandum from the head of school to members of the academic staff of the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering dated 11th August 1986 stated that an Advisory Committee to the Head of School (HOSAC) would be established as a result of a special meeting of the School Assembly held on 21st July 1986. Membership of the committee consisted of statutory members, ex-officio members, members by virtue of responsibilities, and elected members. At the committee's inaugural meeting on 26th September 1986, the head of school Prof. R.A.A. Bryant, advised that HOSAC would supersede the School Executive Committee. The committee would be solely committed to providing advice to the head of school on matters relevant to the efficient operation of the school. The head of school, in turn, would report on developments and actions taken. HOSAC would meet monthly except for December, January and February to discuss matters such as the school budget, staffing, remuneration, teaching load, programmes / courses, enrolments, research projects and funding, equipment and laboratories.
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    Archives Series
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    This series contains the agendas, papers and copies of minutes of the Graduate Studies & Research / Research & Graduate Studies / Research & Higher Awards Committee of the Professorial Board. The series reflects the Committee's change of name from Graduate Studies & Research to Research & Graduate Studies from 13th May, 1952, then finally to Research & Higher Awards on 14th February, 1961. Documents are typed and are arranged in chronological order in manilla folders. For each meeting, a copy of the minutes for that meeting normally appears first, followed by the agenda and any attached papers that were circulated to members along with the agenda prior to the meeting. The agendas show the issues that were to be addressed, while the papers consist of reports or other submissions that were to be discussed by the Committee. The minutes are copies, as they have not been signed by the Committee Chairman. The University Archives' holdings of this series only cover the period 1954 - 1966, as it has been kept primarily to complement missing items within series 81.
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    This series contains transcripts of the Asia Lectures of the Asia-Australia Institute. Each item is a paper-bound booklet or loose pieces of paper. As outlined in a brochure advertising the first lecture, the Asia Lecture series is a major program designed by the Asia-Australia Institute to provide a platform for members of regional decision-making elites to explore ideas about Asia beyond the immediacy of present policies and plans, and to stimulate those who attend to become involved in the development of the intellectual framework necessary for the creation of an Asian community. In a 2002 report they were described as a prestigious series of dinner lectures presented by Australian and Asian leaders at the most senior levels of government. They provide a forum for the public airing and discussion of the issues of future and contemporary Asia, to an audience of senior business, government, academic, media and industry leaders (Report to the Reference Group on the Future of the AAI, 5 June 2002, file 2002/3420). The Archives' holdings of this series are incomplete, as a transcript for lecture 3 and lectures post June 1998 - are not held. Some post-1998 Asia Lectures were, however, published in the institute's The Asia-Australia Papers (V1107). There are also audio recordings of some lectures in series 1442 and video recordings of others in series 1443.
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    The establishment of a Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Unit (BMSU) within the School of Physiology & Pharmacology in the Faculty of Medicine was approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 27 June 1975, as the result of the planned purchase of a Finnigan Model 3200F GC Mass Spectrometer system. The first manager of the unit was Dr Alan Duffield, who took up duty in January 1976 (file 00031528). Dr Duffield resigned during 1989. When his successor, Dr Mark Duncan, began work in June 1990, the unit appears to have become an independent unit within the Faculty of Medicine (file 910648). On 23 February 1998, Council changed the name of the unit to the Ray Williams Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Facility in recognition of the significant contributions of Mr Ray Williams (resolution CL98/12). On 18 September 2002 the Chancellor's Committee of Council discussed the proposed renaming of the facility as the Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility. Due to various issues this was not formally approved by the Committee, however, it was suggested that the Ray Williams Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Facility be essentially subsumed within the Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility and this appears to have occurred (file 2002/2225). On 1 January 2007 the new University of New South Wales Analytical Centre was officially opened. The Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility then became a part of this Centre (http://www.newspaper.unsw.edu.au/archive/07_02_19/text/stories/story2.htm - Accessed 20 June 2008). In 2008 the director of the Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility was Professor Michael Guilhaus. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 27/06/1975-
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    The Australian Defence Force Academy Academic Planning Committee (APC) was established by the Professorial Board of UNSW in 1981, and held its inaugural meeting on 9 March 1982 with Professor Noel Svensson as Chair (Professorial Board Resolution 81/163). Its original purpose was to make recommendations on "the detailed structure for degree programmes offered by the University College". Its purpose was amended at the Professoiral Board meeting of 15 June 1982 to including making recommendations on the "arrangements for the transition to the University College from the present three service colleges, and from the courses undertaken by officer cadets at other tertiary institutions", in light of the signing of the Agreement between the Vice-Chancellor and the Commonwealth for the establishment of ADFA the month before. Although having similar terms of reference, the APC differed from the Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) by focusing on the detailed planning of courses, compared to the AAC's broader outlook on curriculum and academic administration. The APC fell within the hierarchy of the Professorial Board of UNSW, while the AAC was a part of the Interim Academy Council of ADFA. The APC included representatives from the Faculty of Military Studies, staff from the RAAF Academy, RANC, military personnel from the Department of Defence, and the registrar. The Faculty of Military Studies appointed their members in Resolution 81/64. The Agenda for the APC meeting on 16 August 1983 includes the final version of the Report to the Professorial Board, thereby achieving the aims of the committee. The specifics of the end of the APC are unclear because no further records being held in the Archives, but it can be assumed that this was their final meeting. There was a prior "Academic Planning Committee" established in this context. The ADFA Development Council resolved to set up this other "APC" on 25 August 1975, when the planning was aimed at an autonomous "Casey University", and this committee dissolved in 1978 upon the Parliamentary examination of the ADFA project. [APC Report to the Professorial Board 1983] This committee was chaired by Professor David Caro, subsequent Vice-Chancellor of University of Melbourne. It does not appear that UNSW was party to this committee. None of their records are currently held by the Archives, although a summary of their work is in SERIES2831. Controlling organisation: UNSW - 4/8/1981 - 16/08/1983
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    The External Affairs Department was in existence by 26 Nov 1987 with Dr John Solomon appointed as first Director of Development. The three major units of the Department then were the Continuing Education Support Unit, Office of Sponsored Research and International Exchange, and the Development Unit. The Development Unit incorporated the Graduate Office of Alumni Affairs and Special Projects & Foundation and Fund Raising Office. In 1991 the Department changed to become the External Affairs Directorate (EAD), with Dr Gary Werskey as the Executive Director External Affairs from 1 January. [TRIM Files: 931680, 941280, 941071] The Directorate was comprised of the Offices of Development and Foundation and Fundraising, the Graduate Office and Alumni Centre and the Office of Industry linked Education. Administrative changes in 1992 meant that as an area of special interest to the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Niland, EAD became directly answerable to the Vice-Chancellor for a set period of two years. [Focus, 8 May 1992, p.11] In early 1993 EAD consisted of the Offices of Alumni Relations, Corporate Relations, the Co-op Program and the Executive Director, External Affairs. EAD was responsible for increasing the support the university received from alumni, employers and other key groups in the community. It was also responsible for the university's Visiting Committees, the UNSW Alumni Association and the University of New South Wales Foundation Ltd. In 1994 with the establishment of the Division of the Pro-Vive- Chancellor Development and the appointment of Professor Jane Morrison as PVC Development as from 1 January the functions of EAD became the responsibility of the PVC Development. The 1995 Calendar lists the Office of Alumni Relations, Corporate Relations Office, the Co-op Program and the Learning Centre as the units comprising the Division of the PVC while EAD as a unit had ceased to exist. Subordinate agency: Graduate Office and Alumni Affairs (1985-1987) / Graduate Office and Alumni Centre (GOAC) (1988-1992) / Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) (1993 -1995) - 27/11/1994 Controlling Organisation: UNSW - by 27/11/1987-
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    The Biomedical Engineering Centre is of a multi-disciplinary nature. During 1973 several committees were concerned with the drafting of a proposal to establish a Centre for Biomedical Engineering within UNSW. As a result the university submission made to the AUC refers to this centre as one of the few major development projects proposed for the 1976-1978 Triennium. The university's activities in this area had steadily increased involving staff from the faculties of Medicine, Applied Science, Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering. Academic staff members felt at the time that the existence of such a centre as a formally established entity would help those involved to attract funds from outside sources. The centre was seen as providing a consolidated foundation for work in this area by conducting and sponsoring research; establishing postgraduate programs; sponsoring the development of appropriate undergraduate subjects; and organising conferences, meetings and discussions on biomedical engineering. On 27 August 1974 the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Myers, agreed to the informal establishment within the university of a centre for biomedical engineering and to the establishment of a management committee under the chairmanship of Prof Svensson. The committee comprised Profs NL Svensson (Mechanical Engineering), Chairman, R Huckstep (Orthopaedics), Drs J Loughman (Anaesthetics), M O'Rourke (Cardiology), P Farrell (Chemical Engineering), and Mr P Bason (Electrical Engineering). One of ithe committee's briefs was to plan the future structure and functions of the centre. The Vice-Chancellor provided initial funding of $750 for use by the centre in 1975 with the expectation that the various participating faculties would take over full responsibility for the associated costs in subsequent years. The centre had the support of the deans of the faculties of Biological Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The major activities of the centre fell in the areas of teaching, research and clinical application. On 24 September 1976, after consideration of the management committee's proposals, the Vice-Chancellor formally approved the establishment of the Centre of Biomedical Engineering in the University of New South Wales as a centre for interdisciplinary studies and developments involving engineering, medicine and the biological sciences. He also approved the management structure of the centre involving an Advisory Board to be responsible for the overall operating policy of the centre and a Management Committee to be responsible generally for the execution of policy objectives, for the control of the staff and financial management of the centre and for the proposals of further research and development projects. In 1977 Professor Peter Farrell was appointed Director of the Centre of Biomedical Engineering. Growth of the centre was rapid. Within a few years the centre had attracted considerable interest in its research activities and received extensive funding from industry, government and private research foundations. Its international reputation in artificial organs research meant that already in 1979 most of its funding for artificial organs research came from sources outside the university (AMA Gazette, 19 July 1979). In 1980 the centre offered postgraduate programs in biomedical engineering for students with either an engineering/ scientific or medical background; it also co-ordinated biomedical engineering research in schools of the university and in hospitals in biomechanics, medical instrumentation, cardiology, physiology and rehabilitation engineering. The centre's growth and success meant that in 1980 it was suggested by senior staff that the Centre for Biomedical Engineering should be located within a faculty to put on it on a more permanent footing. The faulty of Engineering, which had coordinated all the centre's activities since its establishment, was suggested as an appropriate home. In 1981 the centre became a faculty unit within the faculty of Engineering. The position of Director, Centre for Biomedical Engineering in the faculty unit, faculty of Engineering, was established and Professor Peter O'Farrell was seconded to that position effective from 8 May 1981. Administratively within the faculty the unit operated and was treated like any other school. A review of research centres at UNSW by Professor Alan Gilbert in 1990 defined the role of research centres at the university. The Centre for Biomedical Engineering lay outside the guidelines of research centres in respect to the teaching function it provided. Resulting from this the centre sought to have its name changed to the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. At its meeting on 5 July 1994 the Academic Board resolved that it be recommended that Council approve the proposed change of status of the centre. Council at its meeting on 29 August 1994 resolved as follows: (CL94/72)(b) That Council approve the proposed change of status of the Centre for Biomedical Engineering to the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. The head of school in 2008 was Associate Professor Anne Simmons. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - in year of 01/01/1974-
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    On February 11, 1980 Laurie Dillon was appointed as the first University Archivist. This meant that papers and documents stored throughout the university could now be brought together in a suitable environment. Initially located within the Vice-Chancellor's Unit and on the lower ground floor of the Chancellery, the Archives moved to its current location on level 1 of the UNSW Library in May 1987 where it now has 24-hour climate controlled storage conditions. At the time of his appointment Mr Dillon commented that establishing an archive means a sense of maturity in an organisation. You get a feeling of looking back at history. The archival resources of the university however did not simply materialise overnight. Since its foundation in 1949 several officers had been responsible for the care, custody and control of the university's inactive records including the historian, Dr Isadore Brodsky. In 1959 Allan Horton - later University Librarian - had written a report that called for the appointment of an archivist and the establishment of an archival program. In his report Mr Horton also recommended that an oral history program should be created that threw light on the history of the establishment of the university, of the various schools, and of the courses provided. He revisited the issue of a university archives and the need to employ a professional archivist again after Dr Brodsky retirement in June 1969 and this report sowed the seeds for later developments. In 2005 the University of New South Wales Archives proudly celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. It took a few more years before most of Allan Horton's vision could be realised but today the UNSW Archives is one of the premier university archives in the country. Its oral history program has thrived since the first interview was conducted with Mr Tay Cunningham, Warden of the University Union, in April 1980. Today this program continues to prosper with the generous assistance of the U Committee. The total number of interviews now stands at over 200 and, as Allan Horton had predicted many years ago, they throw a great deal of light on the history of the university as well as other important aspects of its rich heritage. In May 2006 the Records Administration Section and the University Archives were merged into a new Records and Archives Office. Paul Macpherson was appointed as Manager of the unit and reported to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). (Origins 2006: 6) Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 11/02/1980-c.. 31/05/2006