Idaho State University - History

History

On March 11, 1901, Governor Frank W. Hunt signed Senate Bill 53, thus establishing the Academy of Idaho, contingent upon private land donations being made for its site. The Academy of Idaho was officially opened in Pocatello on May 1, 1901². By 1910, enrollment had reached nearly 300 students, and the academy had purchased four additional city blocks in Pocatello to help meet its growing needs.

In 1915, the Academy of Idaho was renamed Idaho Technical Institute. The end of World War I brought an influx of students to the school, and enrollment surged to over 1,000. The early 1920s saw the beginning of competition in intercollegiate athletics. At this time the institute adopted the Bengal as the school mascot; head football coach Ralph Hutchinson (1920–27) was an alumnus of Princeton; a school with orange and black theme colors and a tiger mascot.

In 1927 the school was renamed again, this time as the University of Idaho - Southern Branch. In 1947 it was renamed for the fourth time, to Idaho State College and became a four-year school. The following year, enrollment reached 2,000.

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.

On April 10, 1952 ten employees of Idaho State College organized the Idaho State College Federal Credit Union with just $5 each, to provide a cooperative system of low-cost loans for coworkers. On October 28, 1963 the Credit Union was renamed the Idaho State University Federal Credit Union to reflect the college’s new name.

In 1963, the school was renamed for the fifth and final time to Idaho State University, reflecting its new status as a full four-year public university. In the ensuing years, ISU continuously expanded both its enrollment and the programs it offered. The presidency of Richard L. Bowen, from 1985–2005, is particularly regarded as an era of growth: as of 2006, ISU had colleges in arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, health, pharmacy, and technology. However, 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.

On July 1, 2006, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Houston System and Vice President of the University of Houston Arthur C. Vailas became president of the university, replacing Michael Gallagher—who had served as president on an interim basis since Bowen's retirement in 2005. In February 2011 the Idaho State University faculty voted no confidence in Vailas and called for his resignation. 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, as the Idaho State Board of Education decided to suspend the university's faculty senate. As a result, in June 2011, the American Association of University Professors censured the ISU.