This collection contains the personal papers of Charles A. Schweighauser relating to his time as a professor for the Environmental Studies, Astronomy, and English programs at Sangamon State University (later University of Illinois-Springfield) and as the Director of the university’s observatory. It includes correspondence, memoranda, program and project proposals, meeting minutes, syllabi, assignment and exam prompts, photographs, and audiovisual materials relating to his extremely varied work while at the university. The collection is divided into seven series: Sangamon State University Administration, Environmental Studies Program Administration, Astronomy, Courses Taught, Documentaries, Environmental Work, and Scholarly Activity.

Series I: Sangamon State University Administration, 1964-1995 contains material relating to the administration of Sangamon State University, including correspondence, memoranda, reports, and project proposals. Subjects include oversight by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Clayville Rural Life Center, personnel files, events, and program development. Arranged alphabetically.

Series II: Environmental Studies Program Administration, 1971-1988 contains program proposals, documentation of committee meetings, research on environmental programs at other universities, program evaluations, and related files concerning the Environmental Studies Program [originally named the Environments and People Program]. Arranged chronologically.

Series III: Astronomy, 1972-2007 contains material relating to Schweighauser’s interest in astronomy. It is divided into three sub-series: Astronomy and Physics Program, Administration, the National Undergraduate Research Observatory, and Observatory and Planetarium.

Series III, Sub-series A: Astronomy and Physics Program Administration, 1972-2008 contains material relating to the development of the program at Sangamon State University, the courses offered, program policies, related programs and careers, and guest speakers. It includes correspondence, memoranda, program proposals, meeting minutes, and related materials. Arranged chronologically.

Series III, Sub-series B: National Undergraduate Research Observatory (NURO), 1987-1991 relates to the institution based in Flagstaff, AZ, which aimed to provide astronomical research facilities to students and faculty from colleges and universities which could not support their own facilities. Materials include correspondence, dues information, information for students, and minutes from NURO conferences. Arranged chronologically.

Series III, Sub-series C: Observatory and Planetarium, 1974-2007 contains material relating to the planning, funding acquisition, and administration of the Observatory and Planetarium at Sangamon State University, as well as events held at the facilities and scholarly work on the subject of astronomy. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, product research, project proposals, Schweighauser’s newspaper column ‘Astronomy from A to Z’ which was later adapted into a book, photographs from events, press releases, and a small number of cassettes and artifacts relating to events held for Halley’s Comet and the Voyager I Saturn encounter. Arranged chronologically.

Series IV: Courses Taught, 1973-2006 contains files relating to courses Schweighauser taught for the Environments and People (ENP), Environmental Studies (ENS), Physical Sciences (PHS), Astronomy and Physics (ASP), English (ENG), Literature (LIT), and Public Affairs Colloquium (PAC) programs. Materials include syllabi, lecture notes, quizzes and exams, assignment prompts, book requests, and similar. Arranged chronologically according to the term during which the course was taught.

Series V: Documentaries, 1975-2005 contains materials relating to Sangamon Prairies: A Sense of Place and Sangamon River: A Sense of Place, two projects Schweighauser worked on examining the ecology, culture, economy, and history of the region. Paper files include correspondence, memoranda, meeting notes, proposals, and funding requests and largely relate to the earlier Sangamon Prairies project. Media contains footage of the Sangamon river, local landmarks, and interviews relating to the Sangamon River project. Paper files are arranged chronologically; media is arranged according to identification number.

Series VI: Environmental Work, 1970-1988 contains files relating to the environment, including work files for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and research and reference materials on air pollution, water quality, chemicals and hazardous waste, and related subjects. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, newsletters, meeting minutes, conference files, reports, and published environmental studies. Arranged alphabetically.

Series VII: Scholarly Activity, 1975-1992 contains materials which relate to Schweighauser’s work as an academic but do not fall directly under any other series. This includes correspondence, reports, and proposals related to presentations and speeches, conferences attended, workshops taught, and consultancy work. Arranged alphabetically.