A Timeline History of UW-La Crosse

1905	Thomas Morris sponsors a bill in the state assembly to locate a normal school in La Crosse. The legislature is convinced, allocates $10,000 to purchase a site.
1908	Main Hall constructed.
1909	Fassett A. Cotton named first president of La Crosse Normal School, which opens its doors for the purpose of training public elementary and secondary school teachers.
1910	The first campus newspaper is published; it's called "The Racquet."
1911	The basketball team takes the State Normal School crown. *The first yearbook is published and named, "The Racquet," the same name as the student newspaper. The annual will keep that name until 1931 when it changes to "The La Crosse."
1912	The Physical Education Club is formed; it eventually becomes the longest continuous organization in the school's history.
1913	Regents authorize training of teachers in physical education as a specialty; the School of Physical Education is formed.
1915	Josephine M. Jones is appointed as the first Dean of Women.
1916	Wittich Hall is completed after construction is interrupted by World War I. Faculty approve the organization of a six-member student council.
1923	La Crosse Normal celebrates its first Homecoming, defeating Lawrence University, 14-9.
1925	Ernest A. Smith becomes the second president.
1926	George M. Snodgrass becomes the third president.
1927	La Crosse Normal is renamed the La Crosse State Teachers College and is authorized to grant four-year teaching degrees in physical education and secondary education.
1928	The college is accredited by North Central Association as a teacher-training institution.
1931	La Crosse State Teachers College Association is formed, governed by a student council of five men and five women with junior or senior status. *The college is divided into divisions of elementary education, secondary education, and physical education. *Homecoming's "Hanging of the Lantern" tradition begins over the south entrance to Graff Main Hall at the suggestion of English teacher Orris O. White who said "We'll hang the lantern in the old college tower...You won't need to look for the key - the door will be open."
1934	The college celebrates its 25th anniversary with an enrollment of 645.
1937	Students adopt the name "Indians" for athletic teams. In 1989, the name for men's athletic teams is changed to "Eagles." Women's teams, known as the "Roonies" since the inception of intercollegiate competition in the early 1970s, become the "Eagles" in 1990.
1938	Campus heating plant is constructed.
1939	Rexford S. Mitchell becomes the fourth president. *Campus School opens. Students brought sleds, wagons, bicycles, and an old wheelbarrow to move equipment from Main Hall to the new building, later renamed Morris Hall.
1941	The school year is shortened from 40 weeks to 33 weeks to help answer the need for wartime workers.
1942	Expanded academic offerings include a joint physical education and recreation minor.
1943	Student government reorganizes into a Campus Controls Council of 20 elected full-time students.
1944	Women's Self Governing Association forms to regulate all matters pertaining to women students.
1951	La Crosse State Teachers College becomes Wisconsin State College, La Crosse. *Wilder Hall becomes the first campus residence hall. *Regents authorize granting bachelor's of arts and bachelor's of science degrees in the liberal arts.
1952	Health education is added as a minor.
1956	The first master's of science degree is offered.
1957	Students and faculty work "all day and into the evening" Feb. 4 for Operation Booklift, a line carrying books from Graff Main Hall to the university's first library, the Florence Wing Library, named for the school's first librarian.
1958	Reuter Hall opens as the first men's residence hall.
1959	The college celebrates 50 years, with enrollment at 1,821. *Cartwright Center is constructed as the student center. Additions are added in 1964 and 1984. *Trowbridge Hall opens as a women's residence hall. *Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy speaks to a packed Graff Main Hall Auditorium.
1961	First institution-wide general education program takes effect.
1962	White Hall, a residence hall for men, opens.
1963	Regents authorized master's degrees in elementary education. *Baird Hall is constructed as a residence hall for women.
1964	The college is designated a state university; its name changes to Wisconsin State University- La Crosse. The university is then organized into Colleges of Education; Physical Education; and Arts, Letters, and Sciences. *Laux Hall is constructed as a men's residence hall and Anna Wentz Hall as a women's residence hall. *Ralph Wall becomes band director and forms the Marching Chiefs. The marching band keeps that name until 1990, when it becomes the "Screaming Eagles," to reflect the name change of athletic teams a year earlier.
1965	Construction completed on Mitchell Hall and Cowley Hall. *The faculty senate is established.
1966	Samuel G. Gates becomes the fifth president. *Whitney Center construction is completed. *Residence halls - Coate Hall for men, Angell and Drake halls for women - open. *Through work of the faculty senate official instructional departments form renaming the School of Elementary and Secondary Education to the School of Teacher Education
1967	Sanford Hall for men and Hutchison Hall for women open as residence halls. *Separate colleges for education, health-recreation physical education, and letters and sciences are created.
1969	On April 14, more than 60 staff and students move the university library to the new $2.5 million Eugene W. Murphy Library.
1970	The Student Coordinating Committee is established as the new student government. *The first annual La Crosse State University Alumni Association meeting is held. *Master's of arts in teaching is offered as a new graduate program. *The former library building is renovated and renamed Wing Communication Center, housing audiovisual and the mass communications department.
1971	Through a merger, the university becomes part of the University of Wisconsin System with the name changing to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. *Kenneth E. Lindner becomes the sixth president and then the first chancellor (because of the merger, the position is converted to chancellor). *The School of Business is initially created under the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences. *"Dorm life" becomes "Residence Hall life." *Amid a snowstorm, campus radio station WLSU goes on the air, as scheduled, at 2 p.m. Jan. 4.
1972	Mitchell Hall adds a track, pool, dance studios, human performance lab, offices, tennis courts, and handball courts. *Laux and Drake Halls become the first co-ed residence halls. *First annual minority studies conference is held. *The first "Campus Previews," today known as "Campus Close-Ups," are held for recruiting purposes.
1973	Last year of operation for the Campus School as it is renamed Thomas Morris Hall and becomes the center of the elementary and secondary education programs. *A cardiac rehabilitation program is started as a joint effort between the medical profession in La Crosse and the College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.
1974	The Marching Chiefs perform at the Orange Bowl. *Construction is completed on the Fine Arts Building, later renamed the Center for the Arts, and North Hall, later named Wimberly Hall. *Division of University outreach becomes the first organizational attempt to meet the continuing needs of non-traditional students. *A Career Planning Center and Placement Office, today known as Career Services, is organized. *More than 1,500 students gathered in "the pit" between Angell and Hutchison Halls see a group of people run by in nothing but sweat socks and tennies, a "Streaking" fad in spring.
1975	UW-L Student Association forms to succeed the Campus Controls Council. *Master's degrees in business administration and education-professional development are offered.
1976	Reading center is developed for the purposes of teacher training, reading skill improvement for UW-L students, and assistance for area residents with reading problems.
1977	Master's degree programs are added in health education, cardiac rehabilitation, and recreation. The women's studies program is initiated.
1979	Noel R. Richards becomes the second chancellor, the institution's seventh leader.
1980	The School of Business and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation are reorganized into individual colleges.
1981	With the addition of land to the north in the marsh, the campus acreage enlarges. *The American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business accredits the College of Business Administration.
1984	UW-L celebrates 75 years with a variety of activities, including an outdoor pageant recreating opening ceremonies of the Normal School. Enrollment is 9,109.
1985	Reuter Hall, the last traditional all-male residence hall on campus, goes coed when the fall semester begins.
1986	The university enrolls a record 9,659 students. With UW System-mandated enrollment downsizing, the record is not expected to ever be exceeded.
1988	The physical education and microbiology programs are named as centers of excellence by the Board of Regents. *The university purchases Veterans Memorial Stadium from the city for $1.00.
1989	After lengthy debate, the name for men's athletic teams is changed to "Eagles."
1990	The National Athletic Training Association re-accredits the undergraduate athletic training program. *The women's athletic teams adopt the Eagles nickname.
1991	Judith L. Kuipers becomes chancellor, and the institution's eighth leader and first woman at the helm. *Reorganization of the general education program takes place. *The State Building Commission approves Murphy Library addition, a student life building, and the Cleary Alumni and Friends Center.
1992	The university becomes one of the founding members of the La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium, a collaboration with Viterbo College, Western Wisconsin Technical College, Franciscan Skemp Healthcare and Gundersen Lutheran to provide medical education, research and training.
1993	The university receives re-accreditation in the College of Business Administration by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business and of the teacher education programs by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
1994	Under Chancellor Kuipers' strategic plan, "Forward Together," the university reorganizes colleges and departments into the College of Business Administration, College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, College of Science and Allied Health, College of Liberal Studies, School of Arts and Communication, School of Education, and Graduate Studies. *UW-L's first World Wide Web site goes online.
1995	The Cleary Alumni & Friends Center, and the Murphy Library addition and remodeling projects are finished.
1996	The women's sports program and the College of Business Administration celebrate 25 years. *Construction begins on the student life center, which opens in 1997 as the Recreational Eagle Center.
1997	The undergraduate research program is implemented with a $20,000 starting fund. *The Hoeschler clock tower is finished and becomes the new home for the traditional hanging of the lantern during Homecoming. *Main Hall is renamed the Maurice O. Graff Main Hall, honoring the long-time retired vice chancellor.
1998	Groundbreaking occurs for the $27 million Health Science Center, a building funded through state and local funding via the La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium.
1999	The national Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education re-accredits the School of Education's undergraduate and graduate programs.
2000	Chancellor Judith Kuipers resigns to become president of The Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif. *Provost Douglas Hastad is appointed interim chancellor. *Grand opening of the Archaeology Building and Laboratories, a $380,000 renovation of the campus' original power plant. *The La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium opens its doors. *The name of North Hall is changed to W. Carl Wimberly Hall, honoring the longest-serving academic vice chancellor in the UW System who served the campus from 1953-1992.
2001	Douglas Hastad was named the university's ninth chancellor on a unanimous vote by the UW System Board of Regents March 9. Inauguration was held April 2002. *University athletic teams earn four national championships- NCAA III indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross country, and the women's National Collegiate Gymnastics Association title. *Flood waters cancelled baseball and softball games on the university's diamonds during the Mississippi River's third-highest crest of 16.41. *The $9.9 million renovation to Wing Technology Center was dedicated Sept. 13. *A master's degree in software engineering is offered, the only such program in Wisconsin or Iowa, and one of 50 nationwide. *Students, faculty and staff responded to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., by holding a candlelight vigil that evening.

Information provided by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse University Relations Office