The Papers of President Daryl Chase, 1954-1968, represent one of the more complex record series in University Archives, a reflection of the fact that the University, concurrently with the State and Nation, underwent historic and unprecedented change during his tenure as tenth President of Utah State University.

The transition from "Ag College" to a State University is reflected in the Chase papers, as the institution significantly increased its enrollment, and evolved from a training facility to a research institution. Burgeoning enrollments also brought a more disparate student body to campus. Significant increases to the International student body, for instance, engendered both opposition and support for racial diversity. The issue of Civil Rights that affected the national consciousness during the 1960s is mirrored at the University, and forms an undercurrent of concern for Chase's administration, which is revealed in his papers.

The physical campus enlarged in response to growth in enrollment and research. New research facilities, dormitories, recreational facilities, and buildings to showcase the fine arts are all part of the historical transformation entwined within the Chase Papers.

The papers are organized alphabetically and systematically arranged chronologically. Chase's papers were accessioned into University Archives shortly after his retirement in 1968, the first presidential papers attained directly from the President's Office. It is assumed that the papers were maintained in their original filing order.