Cox Commission records, 1957-1971

Online content

Some materials from this collection are available online.
Show only online content

Creator:
Columbia University. Fact Finding Commission
Extent:
7 linear feet 7 record cartons
Language:
English .
Scope and content:

This collection consists of the work conducted by the Fact Finding Commission appointed to investigate the disturbances at Columbia in April and May 1968. The materials include the audio-tapes, unorganized and uncorrected transcripts, and the final transcripts of the testimony from the hearings held from May 7 to July 25, 1968. There are also the general exhibits used in the hearings and a collection of printed materials (newspapers and magazines) covering the events of 1968.

Biographical / historical:

Organized at the request of the Executive Committee of the Faculty, the Fact Finding Commission was composed of five members and chaired by Harvard law professor Archibald Cox. The Cox Commission, as it became known, was given the mandate to establish a chronology of events leading up to and including the Columbia crisis, and to inquire into the underlying causes of those events. The Commission held twenty-one days of hearings starting in May 1968, heard testimony from seventy-nine witnesses, and compiled 3,790 pages of transcript. The report, published in a paperback edition on September 26, 1968, stressed the lack of effective channels of communication between administration, faculty, and students, and endorsed implicitly the Executive Committee's idea for a representative University Senate.

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

The RBML cannot provide access to original time-based media material which has not been first been reformatted for preservation. Researchers are welcome to examine archival time-based media items and decide whether they wish to place an order for Audio/Video reformatting. If copyright and/or condition restrictions apply, it may not be possible to digitize a requested item. Please note that A/V reformatting is handled by an outside vendor and typically takes 6-8 weeks.

Terms of access:

Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred citation:

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Cox Commission records (Box and Folder numbers), University Archives, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Location of this collection:
University Archives Home Page
6th Floor East Butler Library
535 West 114th Street
New York, NY 10027, USA
Before you visit:
Researchers interested in viewing materials in the RBML reading room must must book an appointment at least 7 days in advance. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to 5 items per day.
Contact:
uarchives@columbia.edu