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New School Office of Communications, George Calderaro records

 Record Group
Identifier: NS-03-01-03

Abstract

This record group consists of video recordings, clippings, publicity samples, advertising materials, and topical office files, which include a large number of press releases, created by George Calderaro in his capacity as director of publicity for what is, as of 2019, The New School's Schools of Public Engagement. Calderaro led the New School Communications Office (later subsumed into the Marketing and Communications unit), from 1995 to 2005.

Dates

  • 1975 - 2005
  • Majority of material found within 1995 - 2005

Creator

Extent

14.6 Cubic Feet (8 boxes (including 83 videocassettes), 6 oversize boxes, 4 folders)

83 VHS Cassettes

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

These files primarily document what is often referred to as The New School's "founding division" degree and continuing education programs. They were created, received by, or transferred to George Calderaro during his time as director of The New School Communications Office. Some records pre-date Calderaro. This may be because they were transmitted to Calderaro as historical reference materials, or the files were transferred from his predecessor's Nancy Pugliese's office and incorporated into Calderaro's working files.

Records include binders of news clippings about The New School's departments and programs, as well as print advertising campaign documentation, and sample publicity materials. Office files, organized topically, include clippings (originals and photocopies); correspondence in the form of letters, memoranda, and printed e-mail messages; and sample printed materials, such as brochures, postcards, press releases, and programs. Files may pertain to general New School-related advertising and publicity materials or those produced to promote a particular event, such as an open house, or a series of events, such as the annual Gay and Lesbian Film Festival or a specific program such as the Institute for Retired Professionals or the Vera List Center for Art and Politics. Video recordings, primarily VHS tapes, document a partnership between The New School and the MSG Network, as well as focus groups and demo tapes for New School-sponsored programs, including an early distance learning platform using home computers.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use, although no access copies of audiovisual materials are currently available. Researchers desiring access and willing to pay a digitization fee may do so upon consultation with The New School Archives. Please contact archivist@newschool.edu for appointment.

Conditions Governing Use

To publish images of material from this collection, permission must be obtained in writing from the New School Archives and Special Collections. Please contact: archivist@newschool.edu.

Historical Note

Prior to the consolidation of university-wide public relations functions under a single administrative unit titled Marketing and Communications as of 2018, The New School's founding division (known as Schools of Public Engagement in 2018), maintained its own public relations office. George Calderaro was the director of this office from 1995 until 2005. The New School Communications Office was a successor unit to The New School Publicity Office.

Calderaro was hired in the summer of 1995 following an influential report on The New School's marketing strategy issued by the Cambridge Group. Previous to joining The New School, Calderaro was director of communications for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. He was also a founding member and a member of the organizing committee of Night Without Light, a symbolic 15-minute blackout in New York and other cities, started on December 1, 1990 as a memorialization of the victims of AIDS. Night Without Light was launched by Visual AIDS, a group of artists and art professionals concerned about AIDS, founded in 1988.

Arrangement

Arranged in 4 series: 1. Binders, 1992-2001; 2. Campaign portfolios, 1979, 1991-2001; 3.Topical files, 1975-2005; 4. Audiovisual materials, 1977-2002.

Custodial History

These records were stored in The New School's 66 West 12th Street building between 2005 and their transfer.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred to the New School Archives by Pam Tillis, director of public programs for The New School for Public Engagement, 2012. Tillis located and transferred a second, smaller grouping of Calderaro's records in 2014.

Related Materials

Earlier records documenting public relations functions at The New School will be found in the New School Publicity Office records (NS.03.01.05), the New School press release collection (NS.03.01.07), the New School Office of Public Information (NS.03.01.08), the New School Development and Public Relations Office records (NS.03.02.02), the Albert Landa records (NS.03.02.07), and the Malcolm Carter University Communications Office records (NS.03.01.06). Later public relations and university-wide marketing records will be found in the New School Marketing and Communications records (NS.03.01.04).

Four video cassettes originally transferred with these records will be found in the Vera List Center for Art and Politics audiovisual collection (NS.07.02.03).

Title
Guide to the New School Office of Communications, George Calderaro records
Status
Completed
Author
New School Archives and Special Collections Staff
Date
January 17, 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin