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UC Davis University Timeline

YearStudentsAdministrationClassesActivities
1907Research and teaching in entomology beginsFirst public event, October: State Farmers Institute
1908Arthur Cleghorn, Principal (1908-1910)First courses offeredFirst farmer’s short courses in fall.
190918 enrollees;
5 University students;

Short course attendance: 125.
January opening of Farm School.

First Picnic Day, May 22; more than 2,200 people attend.
1910Undergraduates: 77
Graduate: 0
Leroy Anderson, Superintendent (1910-1913)UC President Benjamin Wheeler and Stanford President David Starr Jordan speak at Picnic Day.
1911Undergraduate: 110
Graduate: 1

Capon Club founded.

Yearbook, Agricola (later El Rodeo) published.

First four graduates of the Farm School.
1912Undergraduate: 168
Graduate: 0

Associated Students of University Farm established.

Estimated school costs for 8 months: $250.
Students assume responsibility for Picnic Day.
1913Undergraduate: 123
Graduate: 1

Farm School admission age raised to 18.

Students build their own track.

Phi Alpha Iota founded.
Hubert Van Norman named director of University Farm (1913-1919).College of Agriculture reorganized.

Dean Thomas Hunt.
Ministers’ Week with more than 700 ministers attending.

First University-owned automobile: Ford Model T bought for Dean’s use.
1914Undergraduate: 160
Graduate: 1

First women students, spring semester.

First boys’ Agricultural Club convocation at Davis.
Smith-Lever Act establishes Agricultural extension Service.
1915Undergraduate: 353
Graduate: 1

Weekly newspaper, The Weekly Agricola, published (September 29, 1915 to May 10, 1916)
Vegetable Crops Department establishedOpening of all-weather road to Sacramento.
1916Undergraduate: 181
Graduate: 1

The Weekly Agricola renamed University Farm Agricola (September 22, 1916 to November 15, 1922).

Agricola (yearbook) renamed Farm Rodeo.
UC takes majority of awards at Chicago International Livestock Show.
1917Undergraduate: 55
Graduate: 1
America enters WW I in April; enrollments fall precipitously.

Smith-Hughes Act establishes vocational agricultural education in high schools.

Harry & I at the University Farm published.
1918Undergraduate: 13
Graduate: 1

Women admitted to Farm School.
Food Science & Technology Department established; Beginnings of ag teacher training at Davis.Major tractor and implement show at the University Farm.Flu outbreak on campus.Armistice signed, World War I ends.
1919Undergraduate: 576
Graduate: 1

Disabled veterans receive vocational training at University Farm.

Enrollment reaches nearly 600, including Australian soldiers.

Fraternities founded:
Kappa Tau (became Alpha Gamma Rho)

Beta Phi (established in 1919, chartered in 1920)

CalphaPhilo DelphosZeta Xi
Thomas Tavernetti, Acting Dean (1919-1921)Courses in winemaking at Berkeley dropped, but viticulture continues at Davis.Prohibition starts with passage of 18th Amendment.
1920Undergraduate: 559
Graduate:
College of Agriculture faculty study reorganization of curriculum.Financial problems at the University.

Agricultural groups meet with the Regents to appeal for better conditions at the University Farm.

UC livestock win trophies at Chicago International Livestock Show
1921Undergraduate: 431
Graduate: 2
College of Agriculture begins internal reorganization.Legislature appoints Special Commission on Agricultural Education
1922Undergraduate: 418
Graduate: 2

Four-year degree work initiated at Davis.Students officially adopt “Honor Spirit.”

University Farm Agricola renamed California Aggie.Golden Egg Club established.

Horticultural Round Table established.

Blue and Gold Dairy Club established.Golden Hoof Club established.
Claude Hutchison, Director (1922-1925)

Faculty doubles in size.
University Farm becomes Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture, 4-year undergraduate program offered

Farm School starts 2-year nondegree curriculum

Landscape Horticulture Department established
UC livestock Judging team successfully competes at Portland International Livestock Show.
1923Undergraduate: 315
Graduate: 6

Cosmopolitan Club established (later called International Forum).
1924Undergraduate: 254
Graduate: 4
Departments of Botany and Chemistry established.

Library: collection contained 2,000 volumes.
1925Undergraduate: 270
Graduate: 12

The name Mustangs is associated with the football team (California Aggie, October 21).
Walter Howard becomes director (1925-1937)Military Science Department establishedGraduate instruction begins with 12 students working in conjunction with Berkeley.

Far West Conference organized for intercollegiate sports.
1926Undergraduate: 267
Graduate: 19
Agricultural Engineering program established

Zoology Department established
1927Undergraduate: 260
Graduate: 26
Frederick L. Griffin becomes superintendent of nondegree instruction (1925-1954).Mathematics and Physics Department established

Plant pathology Department established
1928Undergraduate: 335
Graduate: 15

Farm Rodeo (yearbook) renamed El Rodeo.
Celeste Turner (Wright) becomes first regular woman faculty member and first Ph.D. in humanities at Davis.
1929Undergraduate: 415
Graduate: 21

Marching band formed (Paul Dozier-President, Embert Bond-vice president, George Winters-librarian, Martin Liljedahl-secretary, Leon Milsner-business manager.

Football team wins Far Western Championship
1930Undergraduate: 440
Graduate: 27

Sorority established: Tau Kappa
Director Howard goes to EnglandRobert Sproul becomes UC PresidentSnowstorm blankets campus; first snow since 1916.

Aggie Judging Team takes first place at Pacific International Livestock Show in Portland.
1931Undergraduate: 417
Graduate: 24
1932Undergraduate: 397
Graduate: 49
1933Undergraduate: 354
Graduate: 34

Boxing team wins Pacific Coast Intercollegiate competition (coached by ranch foreman, Heine Sevier).

Marching band: Dick Jones-Librarian
Pomology Department moved from Berkeley to Davis
1934Undergraduate: 475
Graduate: 32

Female students on campus organize the Cal Aggie Women’s Association.
1935Undergraduate: 722
Graduate: 50
Viticulture & Enology moved to Davis
1936Undergraduate: 902
Graduate: 47
1937Undergraduate: 923
Graduate: 44
Knowles Ryerson (1937-1952) becomes Director
1938Undergraduate: 1,006
Graduate: 72

Cal Aggie Mustangs basketball team wins Far Western Conference Championship.

Marching band: Perry Miller became first drum major.
I.F. “Crip” Toomey, former football coach, appointed first athletic director.Campus renamed the College of Agriculture at Davis, and is organized into four major programs:
Animal Production, Plant Production, Dairy Industry, and Home Economics.
1939Undergraduate: 1,107
Graduate: 75

Women students increase to 168.

Davis football team defeats Berkeley varsity team.

Basketball team again wins Far Western Conference Championship.

Marching band: Mary Jeanne Gilhooly-drum major, Bing Taylor-manager
1940Undergraduate: 1054
Graduate: 67

Marching band: Mary Jeanne Gilhooly-drum major, Martin Glashoff-manager
Division of Chemistry holds first patents for entire University.
1941Undergraduate: 873
Graduate: 64

Marching band: Mary Jeanne Gilhooly-drum major
California Legislature authorizes the establishment of a school of veterinary medicine.
1942Undergraduate: 298
Graduate: 17

Marching band: Mary Jeanne Gilhooly-drum major
First Faculty Research Lecture Award.Four-year degree program offered in Home Economics.
1943Undergraduate: 2
Graduate: 5
Instruction discontinued, campus becomes training school for Army Signal Corps (Camp Kohler).
1944Undergraduate: 27
Graduate: 5
Animal Breeding Genetics established
1945Undergraduate: 544
Graduate: 37
Non-degree courses resume in March; degree programs resume in October.
1946Undergraduate: 1,516
Graduate: 87

Veterans flock back to college.

Marching band: Evelyn Rowe-drum major
School of Veterinary Medicine established.

Plant Pathology major introduced.

Library: became State documents selective repository.
1947Undergraduate: 1,601
Graduate: 85

Two-thirds of the students are war veterans.

Memorial Union fund drive launched.

Marching band: Evelyn Rowe-drum major
Division of Physical Education created with five instructors.Committee on Scholarships and Prizes appointed.
1948Undergraduate: 1,486
Graduate: 111

First four-year graduation ceremonies at Davis, 300 receive degrees.

Marching band: Don Verrue-president, Hap Reeves-secretary, Ric Pearson-manager, Evelyn Rowe-drum major
Groundbreaking for Veterinary Medicine building in April; 42 students enter in the fall.Bixby Work-Learn Program begins with $250,000 grant.The Strayer Report on higher education in California completed.

The Walker Report details the expansion of Davis and Riverside.
1949Undergraduate: 1,518
Graduate: 152

Aggie Mustangs win triple crown in the Spring Far Western Conference, taking championships in swimming, boxing and track.

Marching band: Henry Metsler-manager, Evelyn Rowe-drum major
1950Undergraduate: 1,289
Graduate: 236

First Ph.D. in Botany conferred.

Marching band: Don McClure-first student director, Curt Storr-drum major
Genetics Department establishedPopulation of City of Davis is 3,557
1951Undergraduate: 1,029
Graduate: 314

University Chorus formed.
College of Letters and Science established with five departments offering bachelor’s degree.

College of Agriculture established independent of Berkeley.

Mathematics Department established.

Poultry Department moved to Davis.

80,000 volumes in the Library.
1952Undergraduate: 1,068
Graduate: 323

University Concert Band formed.

First Vet. Med. graduates.
Stanley Freeborn (1952-1958) named Provost of Davis campus

First faculty appointments in L&S
Geology Department established

History Department established

Physics Department established

Agricultural Economics Department established
1953Undergraduate: 1,122
Graduate: 349

First graduate degrees awarded at Davis awarded.
First Masters program in water science and engineering in the nation
1954Undergraduate: 1,220
Graduate: 379
1955Undergraduate: 1,492
Graduate: 407
Soils and plant nutrition programs moved from Berkeley to Davis.
1956Undergraduate: 1,663
Graduate: 453
Economics Department establishedRegents approve master plan for UCD growth to 5,000 students.
1957Undergraduate: 1,810
Graduate: 474
Graduate degrees offered in Home Economics
1958Undergraduate: 1,791
Graduate: 552

University Symphony founded.
Provost Freeborn (1958-1959) named first Chancellor.Departments of Art and Music established

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics established

.Philosophy and Sociology Departments established
1959Undergraduate: 1,813
Graduate: 609
Emil Mrak (1959-1969) named second Chancellor.Electron microscope laboratory establishedRegents declare UC Davis is a general campus with authority to add new majors, schools
and colleges and expand its graduate programs.
1960Undergraduate: 2,157
Graduate: 719
Education Department established

Political Science Department established

University Arboretum established
1961Undergraduate: 2,606
Graduate: 853
Graduate Division established

Dramatic Art and Speech Department established

College of Engineering established
1962Undergraduate: 3,107
Graduate: 951
Institute of Governmental Affairs established

Agricultural Toxicology Laboratory established

National Center for Primate Biology established.
1963Undergraduate: 3,567
Graduate: 1,284
1964Undergraduate: 4,789
Graduate: 1,551
School of Law established

Anthropology Department established

Geography Department established

Soils & Plant Nutrition Department established separately at Davis

Agricultural History Center established

Computer Center established

Fine Arts & Museology Laboratory established

Food Protection & Toxicology Center established

International Agriculture Center established
1965Undergraduate: 5,901
Graduate: 1,822
Crocker Nuclear Laboratory established

Institute of Ecology established

Radiobiology Laboratory established

French and Italian Department established

German & Russian Department established

Spanish & Classics Department established
1966Undergraduate: 6,681
Graduate: 2,225
1967Undergraduate: 7,363
Graduate: 2,547
1968Undergraduate: 8, 296
Graduate: 2,884
1969Undergraduate: 9,081
Graduate: 3,239
1970Undergraduate: 9,641
Graduate: 3,300
1971Undergraduate: 10,055
Graduate: 3,666
1972Undergraduate: 10, 924
Graduate: 3,894
1973Undergraduate: 11,292
Graduate: 4,076
1974Undergraduate: 11,659
Graduate: 4,334
1975Undergraduate: 12,224
Graduate: 4,637
1976Undergraduate: 12,225
Graduate: 4,769
1977Undergraduate: 12,042
Graduate: 4,794
1978Undergraduate: 12,111
Graduate: 4,836
1979Undergraduate: 12,581
Graduate: 4,965
1980Undergraduate: 13,262
Graduate: 5,108
1981Undergraduate: 13,460
Graduate: 5,436
1982Undergraduate: 13,556
Graduate: 5,222
1983Undergraduate: 13,434
Graduate: 4,999
1984Undergraduate: 13,916
Graduate: 5,104
1985Undergraduate: 14,128
Graduate: 5,209
1986Undergraduate: 14,061
Graduate: 5,338
1987Undergraduate: 15,140
Graduate: 5,091
1988Undergraduate: 16,134
Graduate: 5,102
1989Undergraduate: 16,711
Graduate: 5,209
1990Undergraduate: 18,022
Graduate: 5,296
1991Undergraduate: 17,295
Graduate: 5,233
1992Undergraduate: 16,887
Graduate: 5,198
1993Undergraduate: 16,502
Graduate: 5,094
1994Undergraduate: 16,779
Graduate: 5,012
1995Undergraduate: 17,421
Graduate: 4,951
1996Undergraduate: 18,183
Graduate: 5,003
1997Undergraduate: 18,435
Graduate: 5,054
1998Undergraduate: 18,707
Graduate: 5,136
1999Undergraduate: 18,815
Graduate: 5,220
2000Undergraduate: 19,727
Graduate: 5,347
2001Undergraduate: 20,637
Graduate: 5,539
2002Undergraduate: 22,079
Graduate: 5,900
2003Undergraduate: 22,603
Graduate: 6,242
2004Undergraduate: 22,161
Graduate: 6,346
2005Undergraduate: 21,821
Graduate: 6,335
2006Undergraduate: 22,423
Graduate: 6,395