University of Minnesota System - History

History

Presidents of the U of M
Number Name Dates
1st William Watts Folwell 1869–1884
2nd Cyrus Northrop 1884–1911
3rd George Vincent 1911–1917
4th Marion Burton 1917–1920
5th Lotus Coffman 1920–1938
6th Guy Stanton Ford 1938–1941
7th Walter Coffey 1941–1945
8th James Morrill 1945–1960
9th O. Meredith Wilson 1960–1967
10th Malcolm Moos 1967–1974
E. W. Ziebarth 1974–1974 (interim)
11th C. Peter Magrath 1974–1984
12th Kenneth H. Keller 1984–1985 (interim)
1985–1988
Richard J. Sauer 1988–1989 (interim)
13th Nils Hasselmo 1989–1997
14th Mark G. Yudof 1997–2002
15th Robert H. Bruininks 2002–2011
16th Eric W. Kaler 2011–present

The University of Minnesota was founded in Minneapolis in 1851 as a college preparatory school, seven years prior to Minnesota's statehood. As such, the U enjoys much autonomy from other operations of the state government. The school was closed during the American Civil War, but reopened in 1867. Minneapolis businessman John Sargent Pillsbury is known today as the "Father of the University", and aided the campus through financial troubles as a regent, state senator, and governor. The Morrill Land Grant Colleges Act also helped provide funding for the U.

In 1869 the school reorganized and became an institution of higher education. William Watts Folwell served as the U's first president. An official residence known as Eastcliff has been used by six university presidents since 1958. The 20-room house, originally built by lumber baron Edward Brooks, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

During the traditional autumn through spring year, classes are not held on Thanksgiving Day or the Friday after, and the school traditionally has an extended break covering Christmas and New Year's Day. Classes don't resume in January until the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A week-long spring break occurs after the eighth week of the spring term, which sometimes coincides with Easter.

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