Arts & Sciences History

Meet our first graduates: The Class of 1877.

A Look Back Through Time

In celebration of 150 years of Arts & Sciences, we look back at the history of our college. Note that this timeline is a work in progress. We welcome your suggestions and feedback.

1873-1923

1873

The College of Liberal Arts is founded. Reverend John W. Lindsay, lecturer of Roman literature, is appointed as the first dean. The new college is housed in two refurbished townhouses across from the State House at 18-20 Beacon Street. The old Granary Burying Ground rests in the rear. A decade later, one of the townhouses is remodeled into the dignified “Claflin Building,” which still exists today.

1873

The College of Liberal Arts is founded. Reverend John W. Lindsay, lecturer of Roman literature, is appointed as the first dean. The new college is housed in two refurbished townhouses across from the State House at 18-20 Beacon Street. The old Granary Burying Ground rests in the rear. A decade later, one of the townhouses is remodeled into the dignified “Claflin Building,” which still exists today.
1873

Twenty-two students (eight women and fourteen men) enroll in the first semester of CLA. They hail from lower to middle-class backgrounds across New England, commute to campus each day by horse-drawn street cars, and attend daily chapel services. Many take a working lunch to help pay their $60 tuition fee. In their first two years, they take required courses in Classical History, Rhetoric, and Mathematics. They also take four required language courses (Greek, Latin, German, and French).

1873

Twenty-two students (eight women and fourteen men) enroll in the first semester of CLA. They hail from lower to middle-class backgrounds across New England, commute to campus each day by horse-drawn street cars, and attend daily chapel services. Many take a working lunch to help pay their $60 tuition fee. In their first two years, they take required courses in Classical History, Rhetoric, and Mathematics. They also take four required language courses (Greek, Latin, German, and French).
1873

Sara Emerson is the first woman to recite in class at CLA. After graduating, she goes on to earn a PhD from Yale and later serves on the faculty at Wellesley College.

1873–79

The School of Oratory, housed in the same building as CLA and sharing some of the same faculty, includes faculty member “Prof. A. Graham Bell,” who teaches Culture of the Speaking Voice. A paid year’s leave allows Prof. Bell to perfect a medium for transmission of speech over wires. The first public transmission is from that building to the Atheneum Reading Room.

1874

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, a notable Reconstruction-era novelist, becomes the first woman to teach for CLA. She serves as a part-time Lecturer of Representative Modern Fiction.
1874

The School of All Sciences (later, Graduate School) opens. John W. Lindsay is appointed acting dean. (Mark Hopkins, ex-President of Williams College, was offered the role, but was unable to accept.)
1876

Borden Parker Bowne, at the age of twenty-nine, is hired to fill the esteemed position of Chair of Philosophy. He becomes a preeminent philosopher and the progenitor of an influential school of thought called Personalism.

1876

Borden Parker Bowne, at the age of twenty-nine, is hired to fill the esteemed position of Chair of Philosophy. He becomes a preeminent philosopher and the progenitor of an influential school of thought called Personalism.
1877

Thirty-two students earn bachelor’s degrees from CLA in its first class of graduates, including some transfer students who grafted onto that first cohort in later years. Many go on to graduate school and later enter the Methodist Ministry. Five became teachers, seven entered business, and there was one judge, one doctor, one editor, one accountant, and one farmer.

1877

Thirty-two students earn bachelor’s degrees from CLA in its first class of graduates, including some transfer students who grafted onto that first cohort in later years. Many go on to graduate school and later enter the Methodist Ministry. Five became teachers, seven entered business, and there was one judge, one doctor, one editor, one accountant, and one farmer.
1877

Helen Magill, who was the only female in her class at Boston Public Latin school, earns her PhD in Greek. She is the first woman to earn a doctorate in the United States. She and James Barclay Hall are the first two students to graduate with PhDs from Boston University.

1877

Helen Magill, who was the only female in her class at Boston Public Latin school, earns her PhD in Greek. She is the first woman to earn a doctorate in the United States. She and James Barclay Hall are the first two students to graduate with PhDs from Boston University.
1880

Marion Talbot graduates with her Bachelor of Arts degree. Talbot would organize the Associate of Collegiate Alumnae, now known as the America Association of Collegiate Women. She would go on to serve in a longstanding role as both the Dean of Women and the faculty head of the Department of Household Administration for the University of Chicago.

1880

Marion Talbot graduates with her Bachelor of Arts degree. Talbot would organize the Associate of Collegiate Alumnae, now known as the America Association of Collegiate Women. She would go on to serve in a longstanding role as both the Dean of Women and the faculty head of the Department of Household Administration for the University of Chicago.
1881

Alice Stone Blackwell, daughter of famous suffragist Lucy Stone, graduates from the College of Liberal Arts with honors. While a student, she served as class president and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She was an ardent suffragist and wrote many tracts in support of the movement. Decades later, she served as a University Trustee, and in 1945, BU awarded her with an honorary degree.

1881

Alice Stone Blackwell, daughter of famous suffragist Lucy Stone, graduates from the College of Liberal Arts with honors. While a student, she served as class president and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She was an ardent suffragist and wrote many tracts in support of the movement. Decades later, she served as a University Trustee, and in 1945, BU awarded her with an honorary degree.
1882

By the spring term of 1882, enrollment in CLA grew from the original 22 students to a total of 144 students. Having outgrown 20 Beacon Street, the College used proceeds from the Isaac Rich bequest to purchase the vacant First Baptist Church at 12 Somerset Street. The church’s 219-foot spire was removed, and the façade was renovated in the Renaissance style. CLA moved into 12 Somerset Street, renamed as Jacob Sleeper Hall, in time for the fall term.

1882

By the spring term of 1882, enrollment in CLA grew from the original 22 students to a total of 144 students. Having outgrown 20 Beacon Street, the College used proceeds from the Isaac Rich bequest to purchase the vacant First Baptist Church at 12 Somerset Street. The church’s 219-foot spire was removed, and the façade was renovated in the Renaissance style. CLA moved into 12 Somerset Street, renamed as Jacob Sleeper Hall, in time for the fall term.
1882

William E. Huntington, Professor of Ethics and History, becomes the 2nd Dean of CLA. Huntington had earned his PhD from Boston University and had taught there for many years. Known for his gentle, compassionate personality, students called him “the dear Dean.” He would later serve as the 2nd President of Boston University.

1882

William E. Huntington, Professor of Ethics and History, becomes the 2nd Dean of CLA. Huntington had earned his PhD from Boston University and had taught there for many years. Known for his gentle, compassionate personality, students called him “the dear Dean.” He would later serve as the 2nd President of Boston University.
1882

The college hires its first scientist, astronomer Judson B. Coit, as an assistant professor of mathematics. Colt also teaches astronomy courses, and takes students out to observe the sky from the middle of Boston Common. He eventually becomes a professor of astronomy.

1882

The college hires its first scientist, astronomer Judson B. Coit, as an assistant professor of mathematics. Colt also teaches astronomy courses, and takes students out to observe the sky from the middle of Boston Common. He eventually becomes a professor of astronomy.
1883

Louisa Holman Richardson graduates from CLA. She later earned a Masters and Doctors degree from Boston University, won a Fellowship from the AAUW, and was the Dean of Women at Ohio Wesleyan University. After her marriage to Everett O. Fisk, she became a Trustee of Boston University and founded the BU Women’s Council.

1883

Louisa Holman Richardson graduates from CLA. She later earned a Masters and Doctors degree from Boston University, won a Fellowship from the AAUW, and was the Dean of Women at Ohio Wesleyan University. After her marriage to Everett O. Fisk, she became a Trustee of Boston University and founded the BU Women’s Council.
1884

President William F. Warren is appointed acting dean of the School of All Sciences.
1887

John Wesley Edward Bowen, a student of historical theology, Greek, and Latin, was the second person of African descent, and the first person born a slave, to earn a doctorate in the United States.
1887

James Geddes, Jr., becomes instructor in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. He also teaches a course in Phonetics. In the early-20th century, Geddes helps to spearhead a linguistic movement to create a universal alphabet for dictionaries of numerous languages, an apparent precursor to the international phonetic alphabet we know today.

1887

James Geddes, Jr., becomes instructor in French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. He also teaches a course in Phonetics. In the early-20th century, Geddes helps to spearhead a linguistic movement to create a universal alphabet for dictionaries of numerous languages, an apparent precursor to the international phonetic alphabet we know today.
1887

Henry C. Sheldon, Professor of Systematic Theology, was appointed acting dean of the School of All Sciences.
1888

Borden P. Bowne is appointed as the first dean of the School of All Sciences. He remained in the post until his death in 1910. Under Dean Bowne, the School of All Sciences was renamed the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

1888

Borden P. Bowne is appointed as the first dean of the School of All Sciences. He remained in the post until his death in 1910. Under Dean Bowne, the School of All Sciences was renamed the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
1889

The College’s course catalogue is classified into groups for the very first time “to facilitate insight into their vital unity and organic connections.” Groupings included: (1) Oriental Languages and Civilizations, (2) Languages, Literatures, and Civilization of Ancient Greece and Rome, (3) English Language, Literature and History, (4) Languages, Literature, and History of Modern Continental Europe, (5) Philosophy and Ethics, (6) History, (7) Economics, Law and Social Science, (8) Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy, (9) Chemistry, Biology, and Geology, and (10) Life, Personal Development, Expression.

1889

The College’s course catalogue is classified into groups for the very first time “to facilitate insight into their vital unity and organic connections.” Groupings included: (1) Oriental Languages and Civilizations, (2) Languages, Literatures, and Civilization of Ancient Greece and Rome, (3) English Language, Literature and History, (4) Languages, Literature, and History of Modern Continental Europe, (5) Philosophy and Ethics, (6) History, (7) Economics, Law and Social Science, (8) Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy, (9) Chemistry, Biology, and Geology, and (10) Life, Personal Development, Expression.
1890

As early as 1890, Dean William E. Huntington teaches a required, 1-credit course for first-year students entitled, “Collegiate Life and Work.” The course is taught by later Deans of the College up and through the late 1930s. When Dean Warren taught the course, it covered “the workings of the College; the history and organization of Boston University; the aims and methods of study; and the field of knowledge.”

1890

As early as 1890, Dean William E. Huntington teaches a required, 1-credit course for first-year students entitled, “Collegiate Life and Work.” The course is taught by later Deans of the College up and through the late 1930s. When Dean Warren taught the course, it covered “the workings of the College; the history and organization of Boston University; the aims and methods of study; and the field of knowledge.”
1891

The Class of 1891 creates a yell: “B.U. Boom la la! / Nonaginta Una! / Ya! Ya! Ya!”
1892

284 out of the 938 students enrolled at Boston University are CLA students.
1895

Malvina M. Bennett, member of the second CLA Class of 1878, returns to CLA as its first full-time woman faculty member. One year later, she is promoted from Instructor to the Snow Professor of Elocution and Oratory.

1895

Malvina M. Bennett, member of the second CLA Class of 1878, returns to CLA as its first full-time woman faculty member. One year later, she is promoted from Instructor to the Snow Professor of Elocution and Oratory.
1896

The Men’s Club of 1896 was founded “on account of the comparative weakness in numbers of the male contingent of the College of Liberal Arts.”
1899

Boston University’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter founded.
1903

A BU Beacon report states that although study in France would be good for students, most prefer to go to Germany because it is beneficial for their careers.
1903

BU hires Agnes Knox Black to serve as the next Snow Professor of Elocution and Oratory. Prof. Black graduated with her undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto then went on to graduate school for elocution in Philadelphia. Before BU, she worked at the University of Toronto, the University of Edinburgh, and Emerson College.

1903

BU hires Agnes Knox Black to serve as the next Snow Professor of Elocution and Oratory. Prof. Black graduated with her undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto then went on to graduate school for elocution in Philadelphia. Before BU, she worked at the University of Toronto, the University of Edinburgh, and Emerson College.
1905

The College of Liberal Arts offers 13 courses of instruction: Oriental Languages; Greek Language and Literature; Latin Language and Literature; English Language and Literature; Romance Language and Literature; Germanic Language and Literature; Philosophy and Education; History; Economics, Social Science, and Law; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Bible Study, Elocution, Lectures; Music.

1905

The College of Liberal Arts offers 13 courses of instruction: Oriental Languages; Greek Language and Literature; Latin Language and Literature; English Language and Literature; Romance Language and Literature; Germanic Language and Literature; Philosophy and Education; History; Economics, Social Science, and Law; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Bible Study, Elocution, Lectures; Music.
1906

Evening and Saturday classes for the instruction of teachers are established.
1907

Majors and Minors were introduced into the College’s curriculum for the first time as a counter-balance to free electives.
1907

CLA acquired the Harvard Medical School Building at 688 Boylston Street near the new Boston Public Library in Copley Square. The new quarters were considerably larger for a school that now enrolled over 500 students. It included larger classrooms and more space for a library and laboratories, especially for science departments (previously housed at MIT at 525 Boylston Street). The central foyer was paved with marble and featured large granite columns that supported the floors above; student referred to the space affectionately as “the Marble” and it became a gathering place for rallies, Christmas sings, and alumni reunions.

1907

CLA acquired the Harvard Medical School Building at 688 Boylston Street near the new Boston Public Library in Copley Square. The new quarters were considerably larger for a school that now enrolled over 500 students. It included larger classrooms and more space for a library and laboratories, especially for science departments (previously housed at MIT at 525 Boylston Street). The central foyer was paved with marble and featured large granite columns that supported the floors above; student referred to the space affectionately as “the Marble” and it became a gathering place for rallies, Christmas sings, and alumni reunions.
1908

A year later, an annex was constructed on the east side of “688” and named Jacob Sleeper Hall. It included a 700-seat Assembly Hall, a women’s study, and a large gymnasium with indoor track and swimming pool.

1908

A year later, an annex was constructed on the east side of “688” and named Jacob Sleeper Hall. It included a 700-seat Assembly Hall, a women’s study, and a large gymnasium with indoor track and swimming pool.
1910

The School of All Sciences is renamed the Graduate School. The matriculation fee is $10 for a master's degree and $25 for a PhD. William E. Huntington is also appointed dean of the Graduate School.
1910

Upon raising $400,000 in endowment, three professorships are created in College of Liberal Arts.
1910

The new position of Men’s Secretary is created with the intent to advance the interests of men in the College of Liberal Arts and to draw interest from prospective students. Everett Lord, AB 1900, AM 1906, is the first incumbent.

1910

The new position of Men’s Secretary is created with the intent to advance the interests of men in the College of Liberal Arts and to draw interest from prospective students. Everett Lord, AB 1900, AM 1906, is the first incumbent.
1910

HUB Editor-in-Chief Emily Donnell Lord writes, “Unique among New England colleges is the personal interest that the Boston University professor has in his students.” She claims that BU faculty talk things over with students and actually enjoy class time.

1910

HUB Editor-in-Chief Emily Donnell Lord writes, “Unique among New England colleges is the personal interest that the Boston University professor has in his students.” She claims that BU faculty talk things over with students and actually enjoy class time.
1911

Judson Coit is appointed as acting dean of the Graduate School.
1911

The department of religion is founded and is the first of its kind in the US
1913

The College of Liberal Arts Department of Education is founded. A majority of CLA graduates go into teaching.
1913

The College of Business Administration (later the School of Management, later the Questrom School of Business) is established as a separate school with Everett Lord as the first dean. The idea for a separate school first emerged as part of the plan to encourage more men to attend BU.

1913

The College of Business Administration (later the School of Management, later the Questrom School of Business) is established as a separate school with Everett Lord as the first dean. The idea for a separate school first emerged as part of the plan to encourage more men to attend BU.
1914

After discussion of a need for a dean/advisor of women, Agnes Black, professor of elocution, is appointed Advisor of Women.
1918

World War I: CLA is very involved in war work. It provides training for women to become sick room assistants, has groups of students working with faculty volunteers to study issues related to the war; offers a course on Red Cross work; collects books for soldiers; women students knit sweaters for soldiers. CLA student council passes resolutions condemning Germany and support President Wilson.

1918

World War I: CLA is very involved in war work. It provides training for women to become sick room assistants, has groups of students working with faculty volunteers to study issues related to the war; offers a course on Red Cross work; collects books for soldiers; women students knit sweaters for soldiers. CLA student council passes resolutions condemning Germany and support President Wilson.
1918

The 1918 flu pandemic was full blown by fall and Boston University was forced to postpone registration four times. CLA faculty resorted to sending reading assignments by postal mail. Class finally began in late October on an abbreviated 12-week schedule.

1918

The 1918 flu pandemic was full blown by fall and Boston University was forced to postpone registration four times. CLA faculty resorted to sending reading assignments by postal mail. Class finally began in late October on an abbreviated 12-week schedule.
1920

CLA freshman wear red caps or braids with red ribbons as part of a “hazing” tradition.
1922

An annual "Stunt Night" is held by CLA sororities on March 17th and men are invited for the first time. There is a performance of "Nevertheless," a hypnotist. a fortune teller, and an impression of a circus barker.

1922

An annual "Stunt Night" is held by CLA sororities on March 17th and men are invited for the first time. There is a performance of "Nevertheless," a hypnotist. a fortune teller, and an impression of a circus barker.
1923

CLA celebrates its 50th anniversary and President Murin gives an address that proudly details the accomplishments of women at BU.
1923

Waitstill Hastings Sharp from Hingham, Massachusetts, graduates from CLA where he studied Economics and English. Sharp is a Fellow of The Professor Augustus Howe Buck Educational Fund, which provided scholarships to students “of unusual promise, but with insufficient means, to receive a very much more thorough education than they could otherwise obtain.” Sharp went on to earn graduate degrees at Harvard and became a Unitarian minister. He and his wife, Martha, dedicated their lives to saving scores of threatened Jews and refugees fleeing Nazi occupation across Europe, and were honored among only a handful of gentiles in Yad Vashem’s list of “The Righteous Among the Nations.” His story has been immortalized in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary, Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War.

1923

Waitstill Hastings Sharp from Hingham, Massachusetts, graduates from CLA where he studied Economics and English. Sharp is a Fellow of The Professor Augustus Howe Buck Educational Fund, which provided scholarships to students “of unusual promise, but with insufficient means, to receive a very much more thorough education than they could otherwise obtain.” Sharp went on to earn graduate degrees at Harvard and became a Unitarian minister. He and his wife, Martha, dedicated their lives to saving scores of threatened Jews and refugees fleeing Nazi occupation across Europe, and were honored among only a handful of gentiles in Yad Vashem’s list of “The Righteous Among the Nations.” His story has been immortalized in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary, Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War.

1924-1973

1924

Alice T. Fraser, Class of 1924, assembles a scrapbook, which contains a superlative voting sheet, photos from 1924, newspaper clippings, and photos of reunions.
1926

Daniel L. Marsh is inaugurated as the 4th President of Boston University. He would serve in the role for the next 25 years. Marsh was a 1908 graduate of the School of Theology and also held degrees from Northwestern University. He and his wife, Harriet (Truxell) Marsh, took courses at CLA while attending BU as students.

1926

Daniel L. Marsh is inaugurated as the 4th President of Boston University. He would serve in the role for the next 25 years. Marsh was a 1908 graduate of the School of Theology and also held degrees from Northwestern University. He and his wife, Harriet (Truxell) Marsh, took courses at CLA while attending BU as students.
1927

Members of CLA’s very first Class of 1877 return to Boston University to celebrate their 50th Class Reunion.
1928

After two years and four months, a faculty committee completes its general review of CLA degree requirements and revises the curriculum by scrapping the Major and the Minor in favor of “Fields of Concentration” made up of “Principal” and “Related” courses. One faculty member, Professor Emil Carl Wilm, protested that the new curriculum was “weak, apologetic, and largely irrational.”

1928

After two years and four months, a faculty committee completes its general review of CLA degree requirements and revises the curriculum by scrapping the Major and the Minor in favor of “Fields of Concentration” made up of “Principal” and “Related” courses. One faculty member, Professor Emil Carl Wilm, protested that the new curriculum was “weak, apologetic, and largely irrational.”
1928

Named in honor of Arts & Sciences alum Harriet E. Richards, the "HER House," initiative is launched to provide women an opportunity to attend BU by providing room and board.
1929

A group of eight women in the CLA Class of 1927 formed their own sisterhood and named it "Die Esel Verein," which means "The Donkey Club" in German. They created newsletters for each other to keep in touch after graduation. Thanks to Mildred Lewis, one of the members, many copies from 1929 and beyond have been archived.

1929

A group of eight women in the CLA Class of 1927 formed their own sisterhood and named it "Die Esel Verein," which means "The Donkey Club" in German. They created newsletters for each other to keep in touch after graduation. Thanks to Mildred Lewis, one of the members, many copies from 1929 and beyond have been archived.
1930

Proposals are drawn up for several new BU buildings, including one that would eventually become the CAS building.
1931

Four women and eight men are added to the All-BU Hall of Fame.
1932

CLA Class of 1932 creates their "Last Will and Testament."
1933

CLA continues to offer Saturday and late afternoon classes for students, adults, and teachers who would find the timing more accessible for their economic or scheduling considerations.
1934

Student registration surpasses 10,000 at BU. For the first time in years there are more men registered than women in CLA.
1935

Sophmores hold their annual dance at Hotel Statler with professors and their wives chaperoning. The party goes from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
1936

Founding of the Department of Psychology, drawing together numerous departments.
1937

Ralph W. Taylor is appointed Dean of CLA on June 10. He succeeds William Marshall Warren who had been dean for 50 years. Dean Taylor graduated from CLA with a bachelor's degree in 1911 and a master's degree in 1922.

1937

Ralph W. Taylor is appointed Dean of CLA on June 10. He succeeds William Marshall Warren who had been dean for 50 years. Dean Taylor graduated from CLA with a bachelor's degree in 1911 and a master's degree in 1922.
1939

The "Boston Stump" is highlighted in the BU centennial publication as a structure chosen to be the central hallmark of the new campus. It would be a reproduction of a tower that stood in Boston, England. The tower never came to be, but its mark can be seen above some doorways when entering the CAS building today.

1939

The "Boston Stump" is highlighted in the BU centennial publication as a structure chosen to be the central hallmark of the new campus. It would be a reproduction of a tower that stood in Boston, England. The tower never came to be, but its mark can be seen above some doorways when entering the CAS building today.
1940

A mock up is made for the new CLA campus
1940

In the midst of a national focus on general education, CLA ceased requiring students to take Greek and Latin. Instead, it revised its program of study to include a required course in English Composition and a requirement that every student demonstrate proficiency in one Foreign Language. The College then continued its “distribution requirement” and proclaimed that “both for self-development and social usefulness every student requires a measure of understanding in three great fields of knowledge.” Students thereby took 12 credits in the field of “Literature and the Arts,” 12 credits in the “Natural Sciences and Mathematics,” and 15 credits in the “Social Sciences.”

1940

In the midst of a national focus on general education, CLA ceased requiring students to take Greek and Latin. Instead, it revised its program of study to include a required course in English Composition and a requirement that every student demonstrate proficiency in one Foreign Language. The College then continued its “distribution requirement” and proclaimed that “both for self-development and social usefulness every student requires a measure of understanding in three great fields of knowledge.” Students thereby took 12 credits in the field of “Literature and the Arts,” 12 credits in the “Natural Sciences and Mathematics,” and 15 credits in the “Social Sciences.”
1942

Boston University Committee on War Relations established to “give assistance and information to our men in matters pertaining to the war”
1943

Women's Auxiliary Air Corp holds a recruiting event at the BU College of Liberal Arts with business, advertising, and educational leaders present.
1944

CLA plans for a post-war curriculum including, especially, a better foreign area and language curriculum, with higher standards and more intense courses. Students are expected to do two hours of preparation for each hour of lecture.

1944

CLA plans for a post-war curriculum including, especially, a better foreign area and language curriculum, with higher standards and more intense courses. Students are expected to do two hours of preparation for each hour of lecture.
1945

BU Alumni Roll Call Dinner is held, starting the campaign to raise $1,000,000 to build a new College of Liberal Arts Building.
1946

Canned soup, meat, milk, and over $100 are collected for European countries at a food drive held at the College of Liberal Arts.
1946

Department of Sociology founded.
1947

Reverend Waitstill Sharp, who is the overseas Director of American Relief for Czechoslovakia, is the guest speaker for the annual BU CLA Alumni Association meeting.
1948

On the occasion of its 75th anniversary, a new building for the College of Liberal Arts on the Charles River Campus is dedicated. A stained-glass window on the west end of the building honors Dean William Edward Huntington.

1948

On the occasion of its 75th anniversary, a new building for the College of Liberal Arts on the Charles River Campus is dedicated. A stained-glass window on the west end of the building honors Dean William Edward Huntington.
1950

CLA Biology faculty use BU labs in an attempt to find cancer. Newspapers report promising findings.
1951

Enrollment in Russian language has increased by 100% since the start of the Korean War.
1953

The African Studies department is founded. It is one of the United State's first programs for promoting African language and area studies. Howard Thurman (1899-1981) becomes BU's Dean of Marsh Chapel.

1953

The African Studies department is founded. It is one of the United State's first programs for promoting African language and area studies. Howard Thurman (1899-1981) becomes BU's Dean of Marsh Chapel.
1954

The Creative Writing Program is established.
1955

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) receives his PhD from Boston University. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his leadership in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.
1956

The Boston University Women's Guild is established. The guild sponsors events to bring women of BU’s faculty and staff together and to raise money for the Guild Scholarship Fund, awarded to women graduate students over the age of 30.

1956

The Boston University Women's Guild is established. The guild sponsors events to bring women of BU’s faculty and staff together and to raise money for the Guild Scholarship Fund, awarded to women graduate students over the age of 30.
1958

An itinerary for BU CLA Freshman Parent's Day. It includes tours of campus, presentations from faculty, and a buffet.
1959

A new salary schedule is made to increase faculty salaries to as much as $16,000.
1960

The Center for Philosophy & History of Science is founded as an independent research center within Boston University’s College of Arts of Sciences. One of the oldest one centers for philosophy & history of science in North America, the Center’s mission is to build bridges between the humanities and sciences by promoting interdisciplinary research into the historical, philosophical, ethical, and social factors that govern the theory and practice of science.

1960

The Center for Philosophy & History of Science is founded as an independent research center within Boston University’s College of Arts of Sciences. One of the oldest one centers for philosophy & history of science in North America, the Center’s mission is to build bridges between the humanities and sciences by promoting interdisciplinary research into the historical, philosophical, ethical, and social factors that govern the theory and practice of science.
1960

The tradition of upperclassmen giving BU women beanies begins.
1964

Dr. Martin Luther King donated his personal papers and manuscripts, which are now a part of the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research, to the BU library which was under construction at the time.
1965

BU CLA holds an international talent show with tickets for $1. The profit goes towards scholarships and loans for international students.
1968

Howard Zinn, professor of political science, travels to North Vietnam to arrange for the release of captured pilots. He says that North Vietnam will negotiate when the bombing stops.
1969

The African American studies program is founded by Adelaide Cromwell. It is the first graduate program of its kind in the country.
1970

The Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program rose to prominence in the coming decade. It was initiated after a recognition of a lack of women's studies across the university's disciplines.
1972

The Boston University Prison Education Program is founded by CLA Professor Elizabeth Barker. It is the oldest in the US.

1973-present

1974

Stephen Joel Trachtenberg becomes an associate professor of political science and a temporary dean of CLA under his duties as the associate vice president of the university. He serves at BU for 8 years.

1974

Stephen Joel Trachtenberg becomes an associate professor of political science and a temporary dean of CLA under his duties as the associate vice president of the university. He serves at BU for 8 years.
1975

Elie Wiesel accepts a permanent appointment as the Andrew W. Mellow Professor in the Humanities with his base in the University Professors Program and the Department of Religion.
1976

Division of General Studies in the College of Liberal Arts is closed.
1976

Saul Bellow, later University Professor and Professor of English, wins Nobel Prize in literature.
1978

BU reports that the number of freshman admitted to the college exceeded expectations and reports that within 3 years the percentage of freshman that commute to class has dropped from 23% to 10% .
1978

The term “divisional studies” is first used as a replacement for distribution requirements.
1979

Sheldon Glashow, Distinguished Research Professor of Physics and University Professor, wins Nobel Prize in Physics.
1979

In April, a large number of CLA faculty go on strike. Some BU students protest with the faculty as a sign of their support.
1980

Some students of the class of 1970 come to the commencement of 1980 to make up for their cancelled ceremony 10 years before. It was a stormy day and most came braced with rain jackets and umbrellas for the downpour.

1980

Some students of the class of 1970 come to the commencement of 1980 to make up for their cancelled ceremony 10 years before. It was a stormy day and most came braced with rain jackets and umbrellas for the downpour.
1981

BU awarded $1 Million to strengthen the humanities programs in the College of Liberal Arts. The Playwriting Program is founded by Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott in 1981.
1982

Founding of the Department of Archaeology, the only stand-alone archaeology program in the United States. Archaeology later becomes a Program.
1983

Founding of the Department of Computer Science.
1984

CLA achieves the $100 million mark in grants.
1985

A measles outbreak forces officials to cancel public events and ban spectators at upcoming sports events.
1985

CAS offers its first research intensive marine semester, providing hands-on laboratory and field experience for undergraduate and graduate students from BU and visiting institutions. Courses take place on-campus, at field sites in New England, and in Belize. Marine Science becomes a major in 2008.

1985

CAS offers its first research intensive marine semester, providing hands-on laboratory and field experience for undergraduate and graduate students from BU and visiting institutions. Courses take place on-campus, at field sites in New England, and in Belize. Marine Science becomes a major in 2008.
1986

Elie Wiesel, professor of humanities, wins the Nobel Peace Prize. A political activist and Holocaust survivor, Wiesel is author of Night, a renowned memoir that describes his experiences during his imprisonment in several concentration.

1986

Elie Wiesel, professor of humanities, wins the Nobel Peace Prize. A political activist and Holocaust survivor, Wiesel is author of Night, a renowned memoir that describes his experiences during his imprisonment in several concentration.
1988

Founding of the Center for Space Physics and the Program in Biostatistics.
1989

CAS launches an optional Core Curriculum to introduce students to “classic works in literature and the arts, great ideas in science, and the significant social events of the modern world.” Centered around weekly lectures and small discussion classes, “The Core” introduces students to enduring texts, art, and ideas that help them engage critically with the world.

1989

CAS launches an optional Core Curriculum to introduce students to “classic works in literature and the arts, great ideas in science, and the significant social events of the modern world.” Centered around weekly lectures and small discussion classes, “The Core” introduces students to enduring texts, art, and ideas that help them engage critically with the world.
1989

Founding of the Department of International Relations.
1990

The Boston Globe reports on a new "core curriculum" program for students to gain a "holistic experience in the liberal arts."
1991

The Department of Latin American Studies is founded.
1992

Derek Walcott, professor of English, wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.
1994

Founding of the graduate program in molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry.
1995

Stan Sclaroff, future BU CAS dean, joins CLA faculty. He will work at the College under both names of College of Liberal Arts and College of Arts & Sciences.
1995

A 4th divisional area of study (Mathematics and Computational Sciences) is first introduced. It’s further stipulated that at least one divisional course completed in the division of natural sciences include a laboratory component.

1995

A 4th divisional area of study (Mathematics and Computational Sciences) is first introduced. It’s further stipulated that at least one divisional course completed in the division of natural sciences include a laboratory component.
1996

The College of Liberal Arts is renamed the College of Arts & Sciences.
1997

Professor of English and Creative Writing Robert Pinsky is named U.S. Poet Laureate.
1998

BU enters into a partnership with the Lowell Observatory in Arizona to operate the Perkins Telescope, which had been used in the 1960s and 70s for groundbreaking research on the properties of dark matter. BU becomes the sole operator of the telescope in 2019.

1998

BU enters into a partnership with the Lowell Observatory in Arizona to operate the Perkins Telescope, which had been used in the 1960s and 70s for groundbreaking research on the properties of dark matter. BU becomes the sole operator of the telescope in 2019.
1999

Founding of the Institute for Astrophysical Research.
2001

The CAS Writing Program is founded to help BU undergraduates develop writing and communication skills essential both to their full participation in the intellectual life of the university and to their future personal, professional, and civic lives. Today, the Writing Program offers more than 350 seminars each semester.

2001

The CAS Writing Program is founded to help BU undergraduates develop writing and communication skills essential both to their full participation in the intellectual life of the university and to their future personal, professional, and civic lives. Today, the Writing Program offers more than 350 seminars each semester.
2005

The Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies is founded.
2006

Founding of the Institute for Muslim Societies and Civilizations.
2007

Virginia Sapiro is appointed the 12th dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and dean of the graduate school—the first woman to occupy those positions.
2008

Founding of the BU Center for the Study of Asia. Founding of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program in CAS.
2009

A CAS Task Force on the First Year Experience submits a report that provides a blueprint for future development of a first-year experience to support student integration and success.
2013

Bombs explode at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Among the witnesses, injured, and helpers are many BU students, faculty, and staff. Statistics graduate student Lingzi Lu is killed by the explosion, and a fellowship fund is established in her name.

2013

Bombs explode at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Among the witnesses, injured, and helpers are many BU students, faculty, and staff. Statistics graduate student Lingzi Lu is killed by the explosion, and a fellowship fund is established in her name.
2014

Cinema and Media Studies Program created.
2014

Founding of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies within the College of Arts & Sciences, incorporating the former Department of International Relations and the many BU area studies programs. Adil Najam is appointed the first dean.

2014

Founding of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies within the College of Arts & Sciences, incorporating the former Department of International Relations and the many BU area studies programs. Adil Najam is appointed the first dean.
2015

Ann Cudd is named Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.
2018

Alexandria O. Cortez (CAS’11) is the youngest woman to be appointed to the U.S. Congress at age 29.
2018

Linguistics founded as an independent department.
2019

Stan Sclaroff is appointed the 14th dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and dean of the graduate school.
2020

In March, the BU Campus is shut down and students are sent home indefinitely due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2020

BU Center for Antiracist Research is founded by Ibram X. Kendi, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of history and the University’s Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities. The following year, Kendi is named a 2021 MacArthur Fellow.

2020

BU Center for Antiracist Research is founded by Ibram X. Kendi, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of history and the University’s Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities. The following year, Kendi is named a 2021 MacArthur Fellow.
2021

BU Center for the Humanities hosts inaugural “One and the Many” program, serving local Boston high school students.
2022

CAS announces new major in African American & Black Diaspora Studies and a new interdisciplinary major in Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Studies.
2023

The BU Center for Computing and Data Science building, nicknamed "The Stack of Books" and "Jenga Building" by students, opens as the new home of the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics & Statistics. The building is first used to host class in the spring 2023 semester.

2023

The BU Center for Computing and Data Science building, nicknamed "The Stack of Books" and "Jenga Building" by students, opens as the new home of the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics & Statistics. The building is first used to host class in the spring 2023 semester.