It took a long time for ASU to achieve the "U" in its name and, next month, the ASU Alumni Association is commemorating this important event.
The year 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of Arizona State University … kind of.
Although Arizona State was established in 1885, it wasn't considered a university until 1958. Instead, it was primarily a teacher's college.
The annual Founders Day ceremony on March 18 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the institution receiving university status, said Jeff Holeman, ASU's director of communications.
The ceremony will also honor the classes of 1956 to 1959 for their efforts to make the name change happen, he added.
Before Arizona State became a full-fledged university, it was called Arizona State College, and its primairy area of study was for those who wished to enter the teaching field, said Rob Spindler, University archivist.
Originally, incoming students who agreed to pursue teaching upon graduating were offered free tuition, he added.
However, the school was being approached by a number of businesses that were looking for qualified graduates.
"There was a great deal of pressure on [the school] to expand its curriculum to address the needs of the growing area," Spindler said. "And to enable Phoenix to attract businesses so the economy could expand."
Students in the Phoenix area also wanted to earn college degrees close to where they lived, instead of going down to Tucson to attend UA, Spindler said.
Arizona State College's president, Grady Gammage, realized there was a need to expand the school, Spindler said, but also knew that the Arizona Board of Regents was opposed to the change because it was mostly comprised of University of Arizona graduates and citizens of Tucson.
"I was definitely a supporter [of the change]," said Jack Fuchs, former chemistry teacher who began teaching at the then-college in 1952. "How could you work at ASC and not be a supporter?"
Fuchs said a college is a much more restrictive environment, and it covers less territory in terms of academics. It also hinders the research aspect of a school.
"There was no real research component that ASC had, and there could never be too much because the faculty was occupied with teaching," Fuchs said.
All of this changed when Gammage defied ABOR and eventually was able to get a name-change bill on the ballot, Spindler said.
On Nov. 4, 1958, Arizona citizens voted overwhelmingly to support the change and Arizona State College became Arizona State University.
Reach the reporter at: charlsy.panzino@asu.edu.
