Idaho State University

Swanson Hall was the first permanent building on campus On March 11, 1901, Governor Frank W. Hunt signed Senate Bill 53, to establish the Academy of Idaho , contingent upon private land donations being made for its site. Theodore F. Turner, mayor of Pocatello, settled the issue (Battle of the Blocks) by securing a permanent location for the academy. The Academy of Idaho officially opened its doors on September 22, 1902. [ 8 ] Theodore Swanson, a member of the board of trustees, secured the services of John W. Faris as the first administrator, with the title of principal. By 1910, enrollment had reached nearly 300 students, and the academy had purchased four additional city blocks in Pocatello to meet its growing needs. The Academy of Idaho was renamed Idaho Technical Institute in 1915. The end of World War I brought an influx of students to the school, and enrollment surged to more than 1,000 students. In the early 1920s, the institution officially adopted the Bengal as the school's mascot. Ralph Hutchinson was head football coach from 1920 to 1927, and he pushed to establish the tiger mascot and incorporate orange and black as the official colors. Hutchinson was an alumnus of Princeton , a university with a tiger mascot. The institution was renamed in 1927, this time as the University of Idaho –Southern Branch , and continued as a two-year school, overseen by John R. Nichols. an executive dean. During World War II , Idaho 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 . [ 9 ] After Nichols left in 1946, Carl McIntosh , an associate professor of speech, was named the acting executive dean in January 1947. That March, the school was elevated to four-year status and officially became Idaho State College .

[ 10 ] At the age of 32, McIntosh was appointed the first president of Idaho State College, [ 11 ] and he was one of the youngest college presidents in the United States. [ 12 ] Although McIntosh was not originally interested in being an administrator, once the school became an independent college, he decided to remain president and see the institution through its early growing pains. [ 13 ] Idaho State College was accredited as a four-year degree granting institution in December 1948, after much work by McIntosh and the faculty. Enrollment reached 2,000 in 1949. McIntosh left ISC in 1959 to become president of Long Beach State College , and he was succeeded by Donald E. Walker. On July 1, 1963, ISC was renamed for the fifth and final time to Idaho State University , [ 14 ] reflecting its new status as a four-year public university. [ 15 ] In the ensuing years, Idaho State continuously expanded both its enrollment and the programs it offered. The presidency of Richard (Dick) Bowen , [ 16 ] from 1985 to 2005, is particularly regarded as an era of growth. Bowen served as the president of Idaho State for 20 years, and Connie, his wife, dedicated her time to cultivating community relationships and enhancing long-standing campus traditions. During their tenure at ISU, the Bowens brought several projects forward, including the Stephens Performing Arts Center and Rendezvous Center. [ 17 ] Bowen resigned after a vote of no confidence from the faculty, who were angered by generous pay raises for administration members in the midst of calls for fiscal austerity. Arthur Vailas , former vice chancellor of the University of Houston System and vice president of the University of Houston in Texas , became president of Idaho State on July 1, 2006. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] He succeeded Michael Gallagher , who had served as interim president for one year during the transition.

[ 19 ] [ 21 ] In February 2011, a majority of ISU faculty voted no confidence in Vailas and called for his resignation. [ 22 ] This was also followed by a vote of no confidence by the students. Although Vailas faced mounting criticism and pressure from faculty and students to step down, he refused to resign and campus tension intensified. In February 2011, the Idaho State Board of Education decided to suspend the University's faculty senate . [ 23 ] As a result of the move, in June 2011, the American Association of University Professors censured ISU. [ 24 ] In June 2019, the AAUP removed Idaho State from the list of sanctioned institutions. [ 25 ] Vailas announced his retirement in August 2017, but he continued to serve as president until the expiration of his contract on June 17, 2018. [ 26 ] He was succeeded by Kevin D. Satterlee .

The elevation of its main campus in Pocatello is approximately 4,550 feet (1,390 m) above sea level . Idaho State, along with the Idaho National Laboratory and other Idaho universities, worked to establish the Center for Advanced Energy Studies in 2007. Renovation of the ESTEC building began in summer 2007, after a team from ISU's College of Technology, Idaho National Laboratory, and Partners for Prosperity received grants totaling more than $2.5 million. [ 27 ] In fiscal year 2011, ISU underwent a reorganization designed to allow for better interdisciplinary research and collaboration. The School of Performing Arts was created to allow students to collaborate, learn, and perform at the next level. The Kasiska Division of Health Sciences, which includes the College of Pharmacy and College of Health, was reorganized to provide interdisciplinary education while serving the community through ISU's 18 clinics. In 2011, ISU purchased the $3.6 million former Ballard Medical facility and The ISU Research and Innovation in Science and Engineering Complex (RISE) was created. At that time, research was focused on a Crystal Growth Laboratory (it can grow giant crystals to support nuclear science and engineering programs), High Power Laser/Optics Laboratory, Imaging Laboratory, and a Human Interactive Environment Simulation Laboratory. [ 28 ] RISE was eventually closed, and the facility underwent a remodel to become the William M. and Karin A. Eames Advanced Technical Education and Innovations Complex, [ 29 ] which is home to many College of Technology programs.