ACES poster collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: BVU-0021

Staff Only

Content Description

Posters featuring ACES performers and events from 1988 to 2009.

Dates

Creation: 1984-2009

History

Any dates not listed in this description are currently unrecorded, lost, or otherwise unknown. The Academic and Cultural Events Series (ACES) program began in the fall semester of 1988 and the required student attendance of events ended in the fall semester of 2018. When the program began, it was restricted to the student body of Buena Vista College and was later opened to the public. Tim O'Brien, author of "If I Die in a Combat Zone", is believed to be the first speaker in the ACES program on September 6, 1988. The series was initially structured to be coordinated by faculty, beginning with Dr. Zabel, who was the executive vice president and dean of faculty in 1988. As coordinator of the ACES program's lecture series, Dr. Zabel oversaw the approval process for ACES events being offered for college credit. Hal Closson was the forum director and director of student activities, later serving as coordinator for the special events of the newly established program, such as concerts or other performances, until his retirement in 1994. Freshmen were initially required to attend ten events in the Academic and Cultural Events Series per semester, over both semesters each year, to receive one credit. Three credits were required for graduation. This requirement was so burdensome that, by 1994, students were calling for the program to be abolished. The requirement shifted during the 1990s, then requiring 8 ACES events (2 Academic, 3 Cultural, and 3 of the students' choice) per semester. Near the end of the program, the mandatory attendance requirement was lowered to two Cultural and two Academic/Scholarly events per semester, with four semesters of ACES attendance being mandatory. The semesterly ACES requirement was halved at some point before the beginning of the 2016 school year. Before this decision, students were required to attend four Scholarly and four Cultural events per semester. The ACES program was officially discontinued on September 24, 2018. Anyone enrolled in the ACES program at the time was "dis-enrolled", the requirement for graduation was lifted, and students were encouraged to continue attending events. The email alerting the student body was cited as stating, "Over the last few years, ACES programming has been faced with ever-increasing program costs and decreased funding. This has made it ever more difficul to bring in top performers" as the primary reasoning behind the termination of the ACES program. Events in the ACES program continue to be held with optional student attendance.

Extent

2.6 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Posters are arranged chronologically with up to 5 posters per folder.

Physical Description

This collection includes paper posters, cardstock or similar material posters, posters affixed to a foam backing, and photographic or photograph-like posters and advertisements. The largest poster is 26 inches wide by 36 inches tall. The smallest posters are 8 inches wide by 10 inches tall.