The story
History
Creation and early history
Initially named the Northern Arizona Normal School, the institution opened on September 11, 1899, with 23 students, two faculty members – one, Almon Nicholas Taylor, who was also the school president – and "two copies of Webster's International Dictionary bound in sheepskin" as teaching resources. It was one of about 180 "normal schools" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. Some closed but most steadily expanded their role and became state colleges in the early 20th century and state universities in the late 20th century.
The first graduating class, in 1901, consisted of four women who received credentials to teach in the Arizona Territory. In 1925, the Arizona State Legislature allowed the school, which was then called the Northern Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC), to grant bachelor of education degrees. In 1929, the school became Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff. Also in 1929, the Great Depression struck the nation, and the ASTC found new meaning in community outreach. Rather than collapsing, the school endured through the depression. In fact, Grady Gammage, the school president at the time, described higher education as "a 'depression industry' that fared well in hard times." Despite financial difficulties, enrollment increased from 321 students to 535 students between 1930 and 1940, and graduate work was introduced in 1937.
ASTC provided an education during economically trying times, often creating jobs to help students afford their education; they worked in the school-owned dairy farm, in the campus kitchen and dining hall, and as newspaper deliverers. The self-sufficiency of the college helped conserve monetary resources, and it was a major contributor to the local economy of the surrounding Flagstaff community, injecting almost a half-million dollars in 1938.
ASTC was known for its diverse student body and ethnic tolerance. In fact, the first Hopi to receive a college degree was Ida Mae Fredericks in 1939. Students came from rural farms, mining families, the East Coast, and points between. During the depression, fraternities and clubs sprang up, reflecting the diversity of backgrounds and interests.
World War II impacts
During World War II, NAU was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission. Enrollment at the university dropped sharply at the beginning of World War II, dropping to 161 in 1945. However, the end of World War II brought increased enrollment as returning veterans continued their education.
The end of the war also expanded programs beyond teaching degrees, especially in the fields of art and science. To reflect this growth, the school changed its name to Arizona State College at Flagstaff in 1945 and, in 1958, became Arizona State College. Also in 1958, the world-renowned forestry program was started.
Transition to Northern Arizona University
With further growth over the next two decades, the Arizona Board of Regents granted Arizona State College university status as Northern Arizona University in 1966. The university received authorization to offer Doctors of Philosophy and Education in 1968, with the first doctoral candidates graduating in 1973.
In 2007, the business college was renamed The W. A. Franke College of Business, with entrepreneur Bill Franke as the namesake of the new 111,000 sq ft (10,300 m2) business complex.
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2015 shooting
On October 9, 2015, Steven Edward Jones, an 18-year-old freshman at Northern Arizona University, shot four people, killing Colin Charles Brough and severely injuring three others, in a parking lot outside of Mountain View Hall on the Flagstaff Mountain campus.
Jones was charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault. He pleaded not guilty, taking responsibility for the shooting but saying that he acted in self-defense.
2020s to present
In 2022, José Luis Cruz Rivera became the university's 17th president. In 2023, the university announced the establishment of NAU Health initiative, which will include the creation of a medical school through the College of Medicine.
Recreation services
The John Haeger Health and Learning Center features include an indoor jogging track, a 38-foot climbing wall, a large weight room, a multipurpose gym, a cardio theatre, and 123,000 square feet of recreation opportunities. The center also includes all of the on-campus medical services and the offices for Disability Resources on campus.
From Wikipedia’s article on Northern Arizona University, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4