Rally Committee

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protectors of the California spirit and traditions since 1901

 

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UCRC History

The California Rally Committee was founded in 1901 as a men's group to plan and stage rallies on the University of California campus, replacing the chaotic rallies of spontaneous mobs that were more like riots than celebrations of spirit. Under the leadership of the first Chairman, Alex Adler, and his successor, Robert Sibley, the Rally Committee members quickly became known for their hard work and unselfish attitudes in all projects they undertook.

In 1910, the Rally Committee originated at the Big Game, an activity called "bleacher stunts." The activity, which was to be known later as "card stunts," was so successful that it was later performed by many schools around the country. Card stunts eventually became so time consuming that a separate group, called the Card Stunts Committee, was formed to manage them.

In 1927, the Rally Committee was designated as the official guardians of all campus traditions (except for The Axe). The Rally Committee was also put in charge of the rooting section, making sure that all men sitting in the rooting section wore shirts and blue and gold reversible caps.

In 1933, The Stanford Axe was made a perpetual trophy to be awarded to the winner of the Big Game. Rally Committee, as the official guardian of California spirit and traditions, was chosen to act as the Custodian of The Stanford Axe.

In 1939, the Women's Rally Committee was formed. It eventually took over the functions of the California Rally Committee during the years of World War II, as most of the men on campus were fighting in the war. Following the war, the California Rally Committee reformed.

In the fall of 1963, the senior class donated the California Victory Cannon to the University. Since then, the task of operating and maintaining the cannon has been that of the Rally Committee. In 1969, the Women's Rally Committee took over the management of card stunts from the defunct Card Stunts Committee.

In 1973, the ASUC Senate refused to fund student groups that were segregated by gender. As a result, the all-male California Rally Committee and the all-female Women's Rally Committee merged to form the University of California Rally Committee. Despite problems that occured during this union, the Rally Committee succeeded under the leadership of Co-Chairmen George Hendrickson and Lynn Nakada.

In 1988, the Rally Committee and the other spirit groups became a part of the Department of Recreational Sorts in addition to the ASUC. In 1992, the Department of Recreational Sports, Women's Athletics, and Men's Athletics were merged, making the Rally Committee and other spirit groups a part of the Athletic Department until 1996.

In 1997, Rally Committee absorbed the spirit group, the Californians. In 2002, the Executive Committee was expanded to a size of twenty members. To this date, the Rally Committee is still part of the ASUC and is the oldest and one of the highest funded ASUC groups.

Taken from the UC Rally Committee Information Book, 2005