The Columbia College Archives are an outgrowth of the Columbia College Alumnae Association Historical and Archives Committee, which was established in 1971 in order to collect and preserve documents and artifacts relative to the history of Columbia College. At the March 18, 1978 meeting of the Historical and Archives Committee, and with the concurrence of the Executive Committee of the Alumnae Association, the following were agreed upon: the College Librarian become an ex-officio member of the committee; the collection be transferred to the library for maintenance and storage; the College administration officially support the activities of the Committee. In a memorandum of April 24, 1978, Dr. Ralph Mirse, President of Columbia College, agreed that this committee should collect and preserve papers and documents of the institution. The official name of the originating committee was changed in 1981 to the Archives Committee of the Alumnae Association.