Organizing a PIRG

uancpirg Inventory of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group records, 1970-1983 Processed by: Emily Glenn; machine-readable finding aid created by: Emily Glenn University ArchivesDuke University

Durham, N.C., U.S.A.

Aleph Number: 003258686

Machine-readable finding aid derived from automated markup system. Date of source: April 2003 Processed by Emily Glenn April 2003; Finding Aid encoded by Emily Glenn, University Archives, Duke University, April 2003 Description is in English. 05-26-2006 PUBLIC "-//University Archives//TEXT (US::NDD::::North Carolina Public Interest Research Group records )//EN" "uancpirg.xml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Inventory of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group records, 1970-1983 University Archives Duke University Durham, North Carolina 27708-0202 USA

Descriptive Summary North Carolina Public Interest Research Group records, 1970-1983. North Carolina Public Interest Research Group. 5 Linear Feet, 5,000 Items (3 boxes) University Archives, Duke University. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult University Archives, Duke University. Contains the records of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, a social and environmental action student group formed in 1972 at Duke University. Types of materials include correspondence, minutes, agendas, reports, notes, fliers, pamphlets, newsletters, handbooks and financial materials. Major subjects include Duke University, student political activity, student movements, political campaigns, consumer advocacy, Durham, N.C., lobbying, environmental protection in North Carolina, and the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group. Materials range in date from 1970 to 1983. English. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.

In off-site storage; 24 hours advance notice is required for use.

Use Restrictions

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], North Carolina Public Interest Research Group records, University Archives, Duke University.

Provenance

Transfer; 1984; 84-4

Transfer; 1975; 75-61

Processing Information

Processed by Emily Glenn

Completed April 2003

Encoded by Emily Glenn, April 2003

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

Historical Note

Since the 1960s, college students in North Carolina have worked on goals of justice, social equality, and wise use of natural resources. Despite their understanding and commitment to these ideals, students often found their efforts frustrated by unresponsiveness in government and by the constraints of their academic role. The two major limitations that students faced were the lack of expertise required to deal with increasingly complex social problems, and the difficulty of maintaining continuous involvement due to breaks in the academic year.

The North Carolina Public Interest Research Group (NCPIRG) was created to facilitate activism on North Carolina's campuses. NCPIRG was founded in fall of 1971 by a group of students at Duke University, after hearing a speech by consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Duke University acted as the first headquarters for NCPIRG. Organizing efforts at nearby University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of North Carolina at Greensboro were turned down by administrators and trustees. In spring of 1972, students from St. Andrews College successfully organized and joined NCPIRG. By 1976, Davidson College and Wake Forest University had also formed chapters.

NCPIRG was funded and controlled by member schools. Students contributed a portion of their student fees to support NCPIRG as a campus group. NCPIRGs used the fee collection system as a stable means of guaranteed support. But, since NCPIRG viewed mandatory fees by themselves as an unacceptable means of support, they chose to offer a refund period to students. The refund provides students with a choice and makes NCPIRG directly accountable to students. This refund system was at times exploited by anti-PIRG groups on campuses.

The State Board of Directors was the major decision-making body for NCPIRG. The State Board was responsible for hiring professional staff, allocating funds, and setting research and project priorities for the year. School delegates reported their activities and exchanged ideas with each other at State Board meetings. The State Board provided continuity in staffing and support from experienced professionals.

NCPIRGs focused on environmental, social and political concerns. Some of the campaign topics of early NCPIRGs were high utility rates, nuclear weapons and defense spending, the draft, pollution, fair renting policies, and recycling. Because all PIRG members were students, PIRGs also focused on student rights, such as voting while living on campus, earning a full refund for rent deposit, student financial aid, campus-area grocery prices, and banking interest rates. Some of the most notable projects of NCPIRGs were land use pattern investigations in the North Carolina mountains, lobbying for changes in a local expressway, and organizing citizen testimony before the North Carolina Utilities Commission. They also assisted in the formation of the Brown Lung Association and sponsored the Generic Drug Substitution Act in 1979.

The Duke University PIRG, the most active of the NCPIRG chapters during the 1970s and early 1980s, organized the following workshops and events: Labor and Medical Center Employee Unions (1979), Truth in Testing (1979), Free University (1979-1980), and supported the Duke Draft Coalition.

As of 2003, NCPIRG is active and headquartered in Chapel Hill, N.C. NCPIRG does not currently have student-body sponsored chapters at North Carolina colleges or universities.

Collection Overview

Contains the records of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, a social and environmental action student group formed in 1972 at Duke University. Types of materials include correspondence, minutes, agendas, reports, notes, fliers, pamphlets, newsletters, handbooks and financial materials. Organized into the following series: Series 1. North Carolina college and university chapters, 1970-1982; Series 2. NCPIRG statewide administration and activities, 1970-1982; Series 3. National administration and activities, 1974-1980.

Subject Headings

These and related materials may be accessed under the following subject headings in the Duke University Libraries online catalog.

Consumer Advocacy. Duke University--Students--Societies, etc. Duke University--Students--Political activity. Durham (N.C.)--History. Environmental protection--North Carolina. Lobbying. North Carolina Public Interest Research Group. Political campaigns--North Carolina. Public interest--Societies, etc. Student movements. Students--Political activity. Contents of Collection North Carolina college and university chapters, 1970-1982.

Contains the records of NCPIRG campus groups at colleges and universities in North Carolina. Types of materials include correspondence, constitutions, bylaws, notes, and clippings. Clippings and correspondence reflect the attitudes and values of students on college campuses during the 1970s-1980s.

1 Appalachian State University General establishment and correspondence, 1973-1974 Clippings, 1973-1974 Bennett College General establishment, ca. 1975 Correspondence and notes, ca. 1978-1980 Duke University Establishment and administration materials Constitution and bylaws, 1970 History, 1971-1972 Organizational materials, ca. 1977 Correspondence and notes, 1971-1974, 1977-1978 Meeting agendas, minutes, and notes, ca. 1973-1981 General environmental concerns, ca. 1974 Summer internships, 1978 Campaigns Utility rates and deposits, 1973-1976 Beverage container recycling, 1974 No Nukes/Kudzu Alliance, 1978 Labor and Medical Center Employee Unions, 1979 Truth in Testing, 1979 Free University, 1979-1980 Duke Draft Coalition, 1979-1981 Nestle boycott, 1980 Printed materials Newsletter, ca. 1980 Fliers, posters, and pamphlets, 1971-1977, 1978-1982 Clippings, 1971-1973, 1974-1977 West End Community Action Group Grant proposals and correspondence, 1979-1980 General meetings notes and fliers, ca. 1978-1981

Includes Phoenix festivals, Vista activities, and clippings

Newsletter, The West End Times, 1978-1981 Elon College Establishment, 1976 Correspondence, 1975-1980 General activities, 1975-1981 Student papers, ca. 1976 Guilford College General materials, undated Meredith College General materials, 1973 North Carolina State University Establishment, 1976 Correspondence, ca. 1976-1977 Clippings, 1976, undated St. Andrews College Establishment, ca. 1975 Correspondence and activities, 1975-1976 Clippings, ca. 1972-1975 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Establishment and history, 1974 General materials, ca. 1974 University of North Carolina at Charlotte Establishment, 1975 Correspondence, 1975-1977 General activities and notes, 1975-1976 Clippings, 1975-1976 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Constitution and bylaws, ca. 1973 Correspondence and activities, 1973-1986, 1981 Greensboro office space, 1982 Clippings, 1975-1982 Wake Forest University Constitution and bylaws, 1973 Correspondence, 1973-1978 General activities and notes, 1973-1978 Clippings, 1973-1978 Western Carolina University General materials, 1976 NCPIRG statewide administration and activities, 1970-1982.

Contains establishment, administration, and activities materials of North Carolina PIRGs. Includes articles and correspondence regarding student fees and PIRG funding, petitions, meeting minutes, agendas, and reports, and clippings.

1 General administration Constitution and bylaws, 1972

Also contains general establishment materials.

General history, ca. 1983 NCPIRG contracts with colleges and universities, 1974-1975 2 Solicitation licenses, 1977-1982 Annual reports, 1973, 1977 Organizing a PIRG, ca. 1972-1974 Funding a PIRG and collecting student dues, ca. 1972-1974 Employment and Manpower trainees, 1975 Campaigns, 1976-1979 Background materials, ca. 1979 Student voter registration, correspondence and general materials, 1976 Student voter registration, clippings, 1976 Watauga County voter registration, 1976 Anti-PIRG bill, 1977 Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence of NCPIRG Correspondence and notes, 1972-1975 Minutes, agendas, and reports, 1972-1973 Spring Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence, 1973 Fall-1974 Spring Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence, Summer 1974 Minutes, agendas, reports, 1974-1975 Minutes, agendas, reports, 1975 Clippings and other materials, 1975-1976 Minutes, agendas, reports, 1976 January -1976 July Minutes, agendas, reports, 1976 August-1977 March Minutes, agendas, reports, 1977 March-1978 August Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence, 1978 September-1979 April Policy notebook, correspondence, other notes, 1978-1979 Minutes, agendas, reports, 1979 August-1980 May Clippings, 1979-1980 Minutes, agendas, reports, 1980 June-1981 April Clippings and other materials, 1980-1981 Minutes, agendas, reports, and correspondence, 1981 October-1982 June Clippings and other materials, 1981-1982 Financial Materials General financial materials, 1973-1974 General financial materials, correspondence, 1974-1975 3 Budgets 1974-1975 General financial materials, correspondence, 1975-1976 Monthly reports, 1975 September-1976 September General financial materials, correspondence, 1976 October-1978 February General financial materials, correspondence, 1978-1979 General financial materials, correspondence, 1979-1981 Audit summaries, 1973-1981 Lobbying expenses, 1977-1981 Budgets and notes, 1979-1982 Printed materials, working papers, and reports Davidson College, Urban Sociology course papers, 1976 Fliers, 1978-1982 Pamphlet layout, ca. 1980-1982 Canvasser's handbook, 1971 NCPIRG Advocate, 1973-1981 Outreach, 1978 PIRG Perspectives column and press releases Of the People, 1978-1979 The Insider, 1979-1981 Research reports, 1970-1975 Research reports, 1976-1981 Clippings in support of NCPIRG, 1979-1981 National PIRG governance materials, 1973-1980.

Contains materials relating to the national governance and organization of state PIRGs. Materials include records of PIRG representative networking and solidarity in political action.

3 Governing council materials, 1979-1980 Correspondence and reports, 1978-1980 Oppositions to PIRGs, 1973-1977 [2 folders] Letters of endorsement, 1972-1980 Governing council, 1979-1980 National PIRG conference, Colorado, 1978 National PIRG conference, Virginia, 1979 Clippings, 1974-1980 Office of the Chancellor. Environmental Concerns Committee records. University Archives, Duke University. ECOS records. University Archives, Duke University. Small Collections: Environmental Center folder. University Archives, Duke University.