University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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and more, and cliques and factions necessarily arose to separate the once homogeneous mass of students. It was difficult to take any united action and the reputation of the University was at the mercy of any lawless or thoughtless few, without there being any central and authoritative bodv to take action toward control or regulation. The first definite step toward student self-government as a system was taken on March 16, 1887, when The Associated Students of the Colleges of Letters and Sciences of the University of California was founded. The I! hie and Gold of the Class of 1888 thus chronicles the fact : An organization of the student body has been perfected and we may soon expect to see a university spirit and that unanimity and harmony of action which can alone bring strength. As the adoption of the junior plug some eight or nine vears previously had marked the merging of individual and club spirit into class spirit, so the establishment of the Associated Students, with their own officers and committees, marks the merging of the class spirit and separate interests into the general interests of the University. At first the Associated Students had for their sphere the control of all student activities and interests, both general and athletic. The definiteness of its control was, however, not great; and about 1891 or 1892 the athletic interests, which had grown large and influential, were removed from their charge and placed under a new body, the Athletic Association, where they remained until a still stronger growth and attendant confusion caused the abolition of the Athletic Association and the making of the Associated Students again supreme over all student affairs in 1899. In the next year the 20

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prerogative and duty led to the abridgment of, or trespass upon, what the students considered in an indefinite way to be their individual or public liberties, that criticism became at all vehement. Tust so long as the membership of the University remained small, just so long was it possible to continue amicably on such a basis. When the number of students increased into thousands, when the membership of the Faculties doubled and trebled and multiplied many fold, and when the equipment of the University was augmented in proportion, then came the crux. Difficulties, both internal and external, assailed the student body as well as the Faculty and caused the men who were chosen to guide affairs much anxious thought. They, in turn, led others to think with them, and from thinking they turned to planning, and finally out of planning came action. One action led to another and one after another different portions of student affairs have been subject to thoughtful consideration and control. The result is that few now remain for settlement in other than detail, for all have come under some general control, the proper point of view has been .blished. and the necessary and efficient machinery has been devised and installed for dealing with any and all matters relating to student interests. In the earlier days, the number of students was small and largely made up of men. At that time all were able to know one another well and it was simple to arrange common interests. As time went on, however, the numbers became larger and larger: the proportion of women in the student body in- creased ; fraternities, clubs, and athletic interests came in to divide the student bodv more

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constitution was again revised and practically the present conditions inaugurated. The task of carrying out the terms of the constitution and other matters decided upon by the Associated Students was placed in the hands of the officers elected by the whole membership and certain others selected in a definite way. This body was. and still is, known as the Executive Committee of the Associated Students of the University of California. By the revision of 1900. absolute financial control of athletics was given to the Executive Com- mittee, and in 1901 the first graduate manager was appointed. In 1901-02 a Rally Committee was appointed to organize and regulate this important side of student activity. In 1902-03 the Executive Committee, realizing that still further extension of its activity and responsibility was called for, appointed a Student Control Committee. which was replaced in the following year by an Honor Committee, which still exists. The year 1904-05 was marked by especially vigorous discussion as to the responsibilities of the student body in suppressing harmful disorders and of the duty and wisdom of co-operating with the Faculty in this matter. As a result, there was proposed to the Associated Students, and approved by them, a scheme for accomplishing this, and in 1906 there was appointed a ' ' Students ' Com- mittee on Student Affairs to consider all matters connected with discipline 21