TCNJ History

Title: Alumni Association/Office of Alumni Affairs, 1889-1993

Creator: The Alumni Association/Office of Alumni Affairs

Arrangement Note: This series is arranged into six series:

Series 1: Executive Board Minutes, Reports, and Reunions

Series 2: Constitutions of the Alumni Associations

Series 3: North NJ Alumni Association Minutes and Reports

Series 4: Financial Records

Series 5: Publications

Series 6: Alumni Directories

Extent: 6.0 boxes, 4 linear feet; two bound volumes

Series 1: Executive Board Minutes, Reports, and Reunions, 1889-1988

The Executive Board Minutes consist of minutes and agendas, reports, rosters, reunion programs and brochures, and financial reports. From 1889-1961, the minutes were handwritten in four journals. Typed transcriptions of these handwritten minutes were made from 1939-1961. Both the journals and typed transcriptions are included with this series.

This series also includes annual reports from 1940-1973. These reports were given at the annual business meeting of the Association, which was part of the annual reunion generally held in May. The annual report replaced the Executive Board minutes for that month. This series also contains the roster of the Executive Board that lists the addresses, phone numbers, committees, and members of the board (1972-1988). Additionally, the report of the executive secretary (1945­-1956) details the work done by the Alumni office.

Finally, the series contains reunion information including programs, brochures, and planning documents.

Series 2: Constitutions, 1951, 1979, 1980, 1985-1987

The original constitution of the Alumni Association from 1889 can be found in the beginning of the journal containing Executive Board Minutes from 1889-1933 (see Series 1 above). This series also contains a constitution from the Morris County Chapter of the Alumni Association.

Series 3: Minutes of the North New Jersey Alumni Association, 1939-1965

• Annual Reports, 1939-1965
• Executive Board Minutes, 1940-1965
• Executive Board Rosters, 1944-1961

The North New Jersey Alumni Association (NNJAA) was a regional offshoot of the Association based at Hillwood Lakes that began meeting in 1895 and their organizations are similar. Annual reports comparable to those of the Alumni Association were given at yearly meetings held in hotels throughout North New Jersey. Certain years are also accompanied by a small pamphlet discussing the gathering. The Executive Board of the NNJAA met every few months, and minutes of these meetings from 1940-1965 have been included. Additionally, Executive Board rosters containing phone numbers, addresses, and names of executive board members from 1944-1961 also have been included. The NNJAA was dissolved in 1966 due to lack of interest. There also is mention of other regional associations in Southern New Jersey and along the Jersey Shore. Series 2 in this collection contains an undated constitution from the Morris County Chapter of the Alumni Association.

Series 4: Financial Records, 1889-1972

• Three ledgers covering dues and expenses, 1889-1950
• One ledger covering trust funds, 1943-1972
• One ledger covering the finance committee, 1940-1964

Three primarily hand-written ledgers from 1889-1950 cover mainly dues paid by members, and related expenses and balance sheets. Another ledger entitled "Trust Funds" and dated from 1943-1972 provides balances and transactions of trust funds maintained by the Alumni Association. The fifth ledger records the minutes, reports, and financial statements of the finance committee from 1940-1964. Much of the information in this series is summarized in annual financial reports found in Series 1 above.

Series 5: Publications, 1928-2008, with gaps

• Trenton Alumni Bulletin, 1928-1932
• Alumni Review, 1959-1981
• Accent, 1981-1986
• Alumni Extra, 2006-2008

The Trenton Alumni Bulletin had its premier issue in January 1928. Published monthly by the Alumni Association, the average issue was 4-6 pages. The Bulletin contained notices of meetings and summaries of minutes and reports, announcements, faculty notes, calendars of events, brief articles, personals, and, in later issues, class notes.

From 1932 until 1958, all alumni news was published in two columns of The Signal. In March 1959, the Alumni Association began publishing the Alumni Review. (Note: the first issues were entitled Alumni News). The Review, averaging 8 pages, contained brief articles, announcements, alumni notes, personals, and photographs. Beginning in 1983, the Alumni Review was incorporated into the Accent, which was published by the Office of College Relations.

Series 6: Alumni Directories, 1988, 1993

The Alumni Directories consist of listings of alumni alphabetically by name, by class year, and geography. The 1993 volume also lists by occupation. A typical listing includes name, year of graduation, major(s), occupational address, residential address, and phone numbers. Geographical listing is organized by state/town or country. Both the 1988 and the 1993 volumes also contain a brief description of the College and of the Alumni Association, a guide to making charitable contributions to the College, and a listing of Alumni Citation winners dating from 1940. The 1988 volume also includes a listing of the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame winners, 1981-1987.

Processed by: John Hein, Spring 1996; John Riddle, Summer 1997