Malcolm Carter became director of The New School's university communications in 1985. The Malcolm Carter University Communications records document the three primary areas of activity over which Carter had oversight: advertising and marketing; public relations; and publications. Materials include memoranda, letters, reports, and printed materials, encompassing the range of Carter's activities.

This collection encompasses material related to the overall administration of The New School from 1928-2008. It includes reports, financial papers, board of trustees meeting agendas and minutes, and documents prepared for accrediting by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The bulk of the files date from the late 1940s-early 1960s and the 1990s-2000s. Of note is "The New School Study" of 1952, also known as the "Swift Report."