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The University of North Carolina at Asheville
Timeline of Major University
Milestones
1927 September 12: First 86
students (men and women) attended Buncombe County Junior College
College was part of the Buncombe County School System and was located in the new
Biltmore High School (just south of I-40 in Biltmore)
Tuition was free
1929 Great Depression caused
tuition to be charged. College would accept vegetables, eggs, milk, and general
produce to pay tuition.
First graduating class (Roy Taylor, valedictorian)
Merges with closed Asheville City College and changes name to Biltmore
College
1934 Because of the growing
Depression, the Buncombe County School System withdraws financial support for
the college and the campus moves to city-operated David Millard Junior High
School (present site of Beverly Hanks Realtors on College Street, downtown).
City School System provides financial support for the college
Faculty turns over authority for college’s management to a Board of Trustees
1936 College chartered as
Asheville-Biltmore College to recognize new financial/administrative
connection with the Asheville City School Board (still known as Biltmore College
is popular parlance)
College is first accredited by the US Department
of Education
1940 Because of population
pressures in the City School System, the college is forced to move to the
Asheville Normal and Teacher’s School (present site of Memorial Hospital Campus
on Biltmore Avenue, south of downtown)
1942 In pursuit of its “own”
campus, the college moves to the former County Home for Children (present site
of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church on Merrimon Ave, north of downtown)
1947 First
parking lot built (80 cars)
Alumni Association founded under direction of first valedictorian, Roy Taylor
’29
1948 Representative Roy Taylor
’29, introduces first state legislation to charter a state-supported college in
Buncombe County
1949 Increased enrollment forces
college to move to Seely’s Castle on Sunset Mountain (just north of the
expressway cut). The castle had been a private residence for John and Evelyn
Seely, E.W. Grove’s son-in-law and daughter.
New names were contemplated for the college including Castle College and
Overlook College.
As a result of the move to the mountain the Asheville-Biltmore comes to be
called the “College in the Sky.”
1957 Becomes first two-year
college in North Carolina to receive state funds. Is the originator of North
Carolina’s community college system.
1958 Enrollment increase leads to
exploration of new campus location. Sites considered included the eighth floor
of City Hall, the municipal golf course, and the Beaver Lake area. Decision was
made to stay at Seely’s Castle. Asheville citizens voted solidly in favor of a
bond referendum to expand the campus on the mountain.
Under the presidency of Glen Bushy, the Board of Trustees reconsiders relocation
and purchases 161 acres from attorney Landon Roberts and others in Woolsey Dip
on the site of the Civil War Battle of Asheville.
1959 Groundbreaking for what would
later be called Phillips Hall on the new campus.
1961 First
classes held at new campus in the Fall.
First African-American student enrolled
Humanities Program founded
1963 Asheville-Biltmore College
becomes a senior institution authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees.
1964 Because of the move to a
baccalaureate institution, there are no graduates
1965 D. Hiden Ramsey Library
dedicated. First building to be named. During dedication speech Governor Dan
Moore states that it was his desire for Asheville-Biltmore to become a North
Carolina’s public liberal arts college.
Only one graduate (Trudy
Wong). She is believed to be the only graduate of the short-lived 3-year
baccalaureate degree program
1966 The 66 in ’66 were the first
four year graduates from Asheville-Biltmore College
First African-American graduate (Francine Delaney)
1967 First
residence halls open (later known as the Governor’s Village)
1969 College joins the University
of North Carolina System (along with UNCW and UNCC) and is chartered at The
University of North Carolina at Asheville. (The other 10 joined in 1972)
1970 First Commencement held at
steps of D. H. Ramsey library. Is the first class to receive UNC Asheville
degrees.
Enrollment crosses 1000 for first time
1979
Enrollment crosses 2000 for first time
1982
Enrollment crosses 2500 for first time
1984 Women’s
basketball wins National NAIA title
Honors Program Founded
1985 UNC
Asheville joins the NCAA and the Big South Conference
First fraternity (Pi Lambda Phi) and sorority (Alpha Xi Delta)
chartered
1986 UNC
Asheville becomes a NCAA Division I school
First National Conference on Undergraduate Research held at UNC Asheville
1987 North
Carolina Center for Creative Retirement founded
1988 Receives first national press
attention when named among “the very best” of America’s “high-quality,
low-priced” colleges in Changing Times Magazines
1991 First
Masters of Liberal Arts graduate (Leah Karpen)
Last Rockmont held
1992
Officially recognized as one of the nation’s first public liberal arts
colleges
First Lawn Party held (at time known as UNCAMont)
1996 Tenth National Conference on
Undergraduate Research held at UNC Asheville
1997 First Founders Day held
2001 UNC Asheville’s Alma Mater
is dedicated
2004 University welcomes largest
freshmen class ever 700+
University reaches
largest enrollment ever 3450+
2006 Twentieth National Conference
on Undergraduate Research held at UNC Asheville
2007
University celebrates 80th anniversary
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