The early years of publicity for Massachusetts Agricultural College were primarily focused on agriculture and home economics. During the Massachusetts State College period, new public relations programs were proposed in an attempt to broaden coverage of the entire college. Robert McCartney served as UMass News Editor from 1948-1953 and as Director of Publications and News from 1953-1956 when he went to the University of Maryland as Director of University Relations. The central Public Relations staff of University of Massachusetts in 1961 consisted of a news and publications editor. In addition, the College of Agriculture had its own five professionals (director, news, radio, television and publications editors). In 1961, President Jown W. Lederle authorized the position of Assistant News and Publications Editor based on the assumption that there would be need for greater publicity and more publications as the University prepared for its centennial year in 1963. Over the next five years, the University's public relations program grew as the University expanded at the rate of 1500 students per year. The two members of the News and Publications office divided their functions into news and publications. The staff in the agricultural communications area was then incorporated into the University's public relations area with subsequent personnel shifts. All of these units reported informally to the Secretary of the University. Robert McCartney returned to UMass in 1964 as Secretary of the University of Massachusetts and Director of University Relations. In a major reorganization in 1969, Joseph Marcus was made a vice chancellor, with repsonsibilities for Public Relations, Alumni, Special Programs, and Continuing Education. Marcus left the position after one year and the concept of a vice chancellor to manage the public relations area was abandoned. After Oswald Tippo became chancellor (1970), he named Daniel Melley as Director of Public Affairs, with responsibility for news, publications, Photo Center, and managerial responsibility for WFCR radio. In the fall of 1973, the Public Affairs Office completed a total reorganization, which separated the editorial and design/production duties within publications. In 1983 the position of Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Development was created. This name changed in 1993 to Vice Chancellor for University Advancement to oversee public affairs, alumni relations and development.

This record group comprises materials gathered from several offices whose purpose has been and continues to be production of broad view, University-based publications and publicity, primarily news clippings, press releases, brochures, guidebooks, newsletters, bulletins, weekly newspapers, semi-monthly feature publications, special publications and photographic negatives. Most fully documented series of this record group are News Bureau (News Office) (1922-), Campus Chronicle (1985-), UMass Magazine (1996-), and its eight predecessors (1903-1996), Publications Office (1946-) and Photographic Services (1962-). News Bureau (News Office) series comprises a number of publicity collections some of which are listed or indexed; news releases by month (1956-1963); press packets (1964-1980) with access provided by a subject list; subject files of former News Director, Dan Melley (1961-1967, 1973); subject files (1967-1995); subject list (1984-1989); and University Library Mass Transformation subject files (1986-1987). Commonwealth Journal (1981-1987) is indexed for the years 1982-1983. A good source for general articles about the campus can be found in Publicity About UMass (1866-) series. The Photo Center negative collection (1956-), is listed on a searchable database in Special Collections and Archives.

The Public Affairs record group is organized into series, which are primarily arranged alphabetically by unit title or subject. Individual publication titles are arranged chronologically within their own sub-series. Included are the following publications: Chancellor's Monthly Press Briefings (1978-1980), Chancellor's Annual Review of NewsClips (1991), and Commonwealth Research Reports (1981-1984), Campus Guidebooks (1927-), University Newsletter (1968-1970), Weekly Bulletin (1912-1926), Executive Bulletin (1926-1956), University Bulletin (1956-1985), brochures (1916-), Contact (1975-1989), UMass (1983, 1984), Science Journal (1979-1994), University Notebook (1980-1981), Tips (1987-1988) and News Summary (1993-1994). Commonwealth Journal (1981-1987), is arranged by date of production.