The Cornell Chapter of Acacia Fraternity Collection

Since beginning the history project, I have felt a need to find a way to secure the Cornell Chapter's history. Many of the records of the corporation and the chapter have been scattered and lost over time, and we are indeed fortunate to possess what we have. In some cases, luck has played a greater role in the continuance of the chapter's records than prior proper planning.

In the spirit of the History Project, I propose creating the Cornell Chapter of Acacia Fraternity Collection to be housed at the Carl A. Kroch Library Rare and Manuscripts Collection in the John M. Olin Library. The boxes pictured alongside me would supplement the existing Acacia Corporation Records now a part of the library's collection. Before donating these records, I would create physical and digital reproductions to be housed at the chapter house and on secure file servers or hard disks. While the archives, once donated, cannot be retrieved from the library, they may be accessed during library operations throughout the school year. Restrictions can be placed on who may access the collection, but in the spirit of open inquiry, I believe most of the collection should be made available to the general public. In my examination of the fraternity's history, there is very little we should seek to hide.

I plan on bringing this question to a formal vote at the annual meeting of the corporation. I would hate to see the chapter's past be subjected to the uncertainties of the future that are inherent in a fraternal living arrangement. Here's to creating the next 100 years of the fraternity's history!

Fraternally,

Hoover #1063