History of Auburn University in Timeline

Auburn University is a public land-grant research university located in Auburn, Alabama. As the second-largest university in the state with over 34,000 students and 1,330 faculty members, it is one of Alabama's two flagship public universities. Auburn is classified as an 'R1: Doctoral University – Very High Research Activity', signifying its commitment to research and advanced studies.

1913: National Champions

Auburn's 1913 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1913: Origin of "War Eagle" Saying

During a pep rally in 1913, the term "war" led to a student yelling "War Eagle" after an eagle emblem fell on his military hat.

1913: First Perfect Season

In 1913, Auburn's football team had its first perfect season, going 8-0 and claiming a second SIAA conference championship and the first national championship in school history.

1914: National Champions

Auburn's 1914 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1914: Another Origin of "War Eagle" Saying

During a game against the Carlisle Indian Team in 1914, Auburn began repeating "bald eagle" to tire out a player and the crowd mistook this and began yelling "War Eagle", leading to Auburn's player, Lucy Hairston, to yell "War Eagle" at the end of the game.

October 1, 1918: API students join U.S. Army

On October 1, 1918, almost all able-bodied male students at API, aged 18 or older, volunteered to join the United States Army for brief on-campus military service as part of the Student Army Training Corps.

1929: Initial Campus Master Plan

In 1929, Auburn's initial campus master plan was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.

1937: First Bowl Appearance

In 1937, Auburn's football team made its first bowl appearance in the sixth Bacardi Bowl played in Havana, Cuba.

1940: API participates in "crash" program for engineers

In 1940, API joined the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT) program to address the shortage of engineers and scientists needed for defense industries.

1941: API trains U.S. military personnel

In 1941, API began training U.S. military personnel on campus.

1945: API trains U.S. military personnel

In 1945, API concluded training U.S. military personnel on campus; between 1941 and 1945, 32,000 troops attended the university.

1952: Cannon Lathe presented to Auburn

In 1952, a cannon lathe used to manufacture cannons for the Confederate Army during the Civil War was presented to Auburn by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity.

1954: Fight song "War Eagle" written

In 1954, the fight song "War Eagle" was written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman.

1955: "War Eagle" becomes Auburn's official fight song

In 1955, "War Eagle", written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman, was introduced at the beginning of the football season and has served as Auburn's official fight song since then.

1957: National Champions

Auburn's 1957 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1958: National Champions

Auburn's 1958 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1959: Aubie the Tiger's first appearance

In 1959, Aubie the tiger, Auburn's mascot, made his first appearance on the October 3 gameday football program versus Hardin-Simmons College. He was created by Phil Neel.

1960: Name changed to Auburn University

In 1960, the school's name was changed to Auburn University to reflect its diverse academic offerings and expanded curriculum.

1960: Auburn Granted University Status

Recognizing that the school had expanded beyond its agricultural and mechanical roots, in 1960 the Alabama Legislature granted it university status and renamed it Auburn University.

1963: Auburn University remains racially segregated

In 1963, Auburn University remained racially segregated, admitting only white students.

1964: First African-American student admitted

In 1964, Auburn University began integration with the admittance of its first African-American student, Harold A. Franklin.

1967: Southern Humanities Review Publication

In 1967, Auburn's literary journal, the Southern Humanities Review, began publication at the university. It was produced by members of the English faculty, graduate students in English, and the Southern Humanities Council.

1967: Alabama Legislature charters Montgomery campus

In 1967, the Alabama Legislature established an additional Auburn University campus in Montgomery, operating under the Auburn University Board of Trustees.

1967: First degree granted to an African-American

In 1967, the first degree was granted to an African-American student at Auburn University.

1971: Pat Sullivan Wins Heisman Trophy

In 1971, Auburn player Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy.

1972: Jim Kennedy graduates from Auburn

In 1972, Jim Kennedy graduated from Auburn with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

1973: Auburn University Rugby Football Club Founded

In 1973, the Auburn University Rugby Football Club was founded. It competes in Division 1 of the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference.

1980: Auburn Wrestling SEC Title and Historic Season

In 1980 Auburn's wrestling team, coached by Tom Milkovich, had a historic season, winning the SEC title en route to placing Top 10 nationally. However, the varsity program was discontinued after the 1980-81 season due to the emergence of Title IX and the decline of wrestling in the SEC.

1980: Tiger (War Eagle VI) born

In 1980, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, was born in captivity.

1981: Auburn Wrestling finishes in the Top 10 nationally

At the end of the 1980-1981 NCAA Wrestling season, Auburn University became the first SEC team to place Top 10 in the country, coached by Tom Milkovich. The team claimed the SEC title, boasted three All-Americans, and had 6 NCAA qualifiers.

1982: First NCAA Appearance

In 1982, the Auburn University women's basketball team made their first appearance in the NCAA women's basketball tournament, only to lost in the first round.

1982: Dominance in Women's Swimming

Since 1982, only eight teams have claimed national championships in women's swimming and diving.

1983: National Champions

Auburn's 1983 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1985: Bo Jackson Wins Heisman Trophy

In 1985, Auburn player Bo Jackson won the Heisman Trophy.

1986: Tiger Given to Auburn University

In 1986, Tiger, later known as War Eagle VI, was given to Auburn University.

1987: Outright Title

In 2004 Auburn won the school's first outright title since 1987.

1988: National Championship Games

Auburn played in three consecutive national championship games from 1988 to 1990.

1989: Conference Title

In 2004 Auburn won the school's first conference title since 1989.

1989: SEC Championship

The women's golf program won an SEC Championship in 1989.

1990: National Championship Games

Auburn played in three consecutive national championship games from 1988 to 1990.

1992: SEC Conference Division

Since the division of the conference in 1992, the AU football team has won eight western division championships and made six trips to the SEC Championship game.

1993: National Champions

Auburn's 1993 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

1993: Undefeated Season on Probation

In 1993, Auburn went 11-0 under Terry Bowden, but was on probation and not allowed to play in the SEC Championship game.

1996: SEC Championship

The women's golf program won an SEC Championship in 1996.

1997: Men's NCAA Championship

As of 2009, the Auburn men also won eight NCAA national championships in 1997.

1998: Spirit arrives at Auburn

In 1998, Spirit, a bald eagle with an injured beak, was given to Auburn University for rehabilitation after being found as a baby.

1999: SEC Dominance

Auburn and Georgia each won nine straight (five Auburn, four Georgia) between 1999 and 2007.

1999: Economics Department ranked 123rd in the world

In 1999, Auburn's Economics Department was ranked 123rd in the world by the Journal of Applied Econometrics.

2000: Ongoing construction period begins

Around the year 2000, Auburn University began a period of ongoing construction.

2000: Spirit's First Pregame Flight

In 2000, Spirit, a bald eagle, made his first pregame flight at Auburn University. He is the only bald eagle to have flown in the pregame flight program.

2000: Tiger's first flight at Auburn

In 2000, Tiger flew for the first time before an Auburn football game, facing Wyoming.

2000: SEC Championship

The women's golf program won an SEC Championship in 2000.

2001: Samuel L. Ginn donates to College of Engineering

In 2001, Samuel L. Ginn donated $25 million to the College of Engineering at Auburn and announced plans to raise an additional $150 million.

2001: First African-American Student in White Sorority

In 2001, the first African-American student was initiated into a historically white sorority at Auburn.

2002: NCAA Finals Finish Second

In 2002, Auburn's women's golf team finished second in the NCAA finals.

2002: Tiger Flies at 2002 Winter Olympics

In 2002, Tiger flew at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

2003: Tom Slater Named Head Coach

After a disappointing 2003-2004 season, former Auburn assistant coach Tom Slater was named head coach.

2003: Decrease in African American faculty percentage

In 2003, Auburn University decreased its African American faculty percentage to 4.3%.

2003: Won WNIT

In 2003, Auburn won the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

2003: NCAA Championships

In 2003, Auburn's swimming and diving program had consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

2004: Tom Slater Named Head Coach

After a disappointing 2003-2004 season, former Auburn assistant coach Tom Slater was named head coach.

2004: Coach Joe Ciampi Retires

At the end of the 2003-2004 season, Coach Joe Ciampi retired. Auburn hired former Purdue and U.S. National and Olympic team head coach, Nell Fortner.

2004: Football Season SEC Championship

Auburn completed the 2004 football season with a 13-0 record, winning the SEC championship.

2004: National Champions

Auburn's 2004 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

2004: Samuel Mockbee receives AIA Gold Medal

In 2004, Auburn alumnus Samuel Mockbee, known for his work with the Rural Studio, received the AIA Gold Medal.

2004: Thach Avenue closed to vehicular traffic

In 2004, a significant portion of Thach Avenue was closed to vehicular traffic due to growing interaction issues between pedestrians and vehicles.

2004: Marching Band Wins Sudler Trophy

In 2004, the Auburn University Marching Band received the Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy, the most prestigious collegiate marching band award.

October 2005: Women's Golf Ranked #3 Nationally

In October 2005, Auburn's women's golf team was named the #3 team nationally out of 229 total teams since 1999 by GolfWeek magazine.

2005: Men's NCAA Championship

As of 2009, the Auburn men also won eight NCAA national championships in 2005.

2005: "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign began

In 2005, Auburn began a $500 million "It Begins at Auburn" growth campaign, the most successful in school history.

2005: Roosevelt Drive closed to vehicular traffic

In 2005, a similarly sized portion of Roosevelt Drive was closed to vehicles.

2005: Science Center complex completed

In 2005, the Science Center complex, including chemistry labs, classrooms, and a lecture hall, was completed.

2005: Drafted Players

The 2004 team was led by quarterback Jason Campbell, running backs Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, and cornerback Carlos Rogers, all subsequently drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.

May 2006: PEMBA Program Ranked 9th Nationally

In May 2006, Modern Healthcare ranked Auburn University's Physicians Executive M.B.A. (PEMBA) program ninth in the nation among all degree programs for physician executives. Among M.B.A. programs tailored specifically for physicians, AU's program was ranked second.

September 2006: Jordan-Hare Stadium Ninth Largest

As of September 2006, Auburn's Jordan–Hare Stadium had a capacity of 87,451, ranking as the ninth-largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA.

2006: Settlement of legal challenges regarding faculty diversity

In 2006, Auburn University settled legal challenges related to the underrepresentation of African Americans in its faculty.

2006: NCAA Championships

In 2006, Auburn's swimming and diving program had consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

2006: Switchgrass biofuel mentioned in State of the Union Address

In 2006, David Bransby's work on switchgrass as a biofuel was mentioned in the State of the Union Address.

2006: Tiger's Retirement

In 2006, Tiger retired after the Georgia game.

2006: Equestrian team wins national championship

In 2006, the Auburn equestrian team won its first national championship, with key performances from Kelly Gottfried and Whitney Kimble at the Varsity Equestrian Championships in Albuquerque.

2006: Women's Track and Field Wins National Title

In 2006, the Auburn women's track and field team won its first national title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, scoring 57 points.

2007: NCAA Championships

In 2007, Auburn's swimming and diving program had consecutive NCAA championships for both the men and women.

December 13, 2008: Gene Chizik Hired as Head Coach

On December 13, 2008, it was reported that Gene Chizik had been hired as Auburn's new head coach.

2008: Olympics

Auburn's most famous swimmer is Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines, and also Brazilian César Cielo Filho, bronze(100m freestyle) and gold medal(50m freestyle) at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

2008: John Pawlowski Replaces Tom Slater

In 2008, John Pawlowski replaced Tom Slater as head coach for baseball.

2008: Equestrian team wins Hunt Seat National Championship

In 2008, the Auburn equestrian team won the Hunt Seat National Championship, with strong performances in over fences riding.

2008: Shelby Center for Engineering Technology opens

In the spring of 2008, Phase I of the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology opened, with classes starting in the Summer 2008 term. Also, a new Student Center opened in 2008.

2009: Men's SEC Championship

As of 2009, the Auburn men have won the SEC Championship fifteen out of the last sixteen years, including the last thirteen in a row, and also won eight NCAA national championships (1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009).

November 2010: Toomer's Corner trees poisoned

In November 2010, following Auburn's Iron Bowl victory over Alabama, an Alabama fan poisoned the live oak trees at Toomer's Corner.

2010: National Champions

Auburn's 2010 team has been recognized as national champions by various ranking organizations.

2010: Auburn Defeats South Carolina

In 2010, Auburn defeated South Carolina 56-17 in the 2010 SEC Championship Game, claiming the school's eleventh conference championship.

2010: Cam Newton Wins Heisman Trophy

In 2010, Auburn player Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy.

2011: BCS National Championship Win

In 2011, Auburn defeated Oregon 22–19 in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game to secure the school's second national championship. The Tigers finished the 2010 season with a 14–0 record.

2011: Auburn ranked fourth among peer public universities

In the 2011 edition of U.S. News & World Report, Auburn was ranked fourth among the pre-2024 merger peer public universities.

2012: African-American faculty representation

As of 2012, African-Americans comprised 4.1% of Auburn University's full-time faculty.

2013: African-American undergraduate representation

As of 2013, African-Americans comprised 7.35% of Auburn University's undergraduate students.

2013: SEC West Win

In 2013, Auburn had two miraculous finishes in the final minute against Georgia and Alabama to win the SEC West.

2014: BCS National Championship Game

Auburn fell short in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game to the Florida State Seminoles 34–31 in Pasadena, California.

2014: Campus Recreation Center Receives Recognition

In 2014, Athletic Business named Auburn's campus recreation center as one of its Facilities of Merit.

2014: Death of Tiger (War Eagle VI)

In 2014, Tiger, also known as War Eagle VI, died at the age of 34.

April 2015: FAA approves Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight School

In April 2015, Auburn University received the nation's first FAA approval to operate a new Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight School.

2016: Replacement trees at Toomer's Corner removed

In 2016, the replacement trees at Toomer's Corner were removed after a fire.

August 2017: Mell Classroom Building completed

In August 2017, the Mell Classroom Building was completed and attached to the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.

2017: "Because This is Auburn" campaign raises over $1.2 billion

By 2017, the university raised over $1.2 billion in the "Because This is Auburn" campaign, being the first university in Alabama to raise over $1 billion as well as the most successful fundraising campaign in school history.

2017: New trees planted at Toomer's Corner

In 2017, new replacement trees were planted at Toomer's Corner, following the removal of previous replacements.

2018: Auburn's total net assets reach $778.2 million

By 2018, Auburn's total net assets had risen to $778.2 million.

2018: Speaker Series to promote racial diversity

In 2018, Auburn University began a speaker series called Critical Conversations, aimed at promoting racial diversity.

2018: First Person of Color President of White Greek Organization

In 2018, an African-American student became the first person of color president of a historically white Greek organization on Auburn's campus.

2019: Ranked Happiest Students

In 2019, Auburn University was ranked first by The Princeton Review as having the happiest students on college campuses.

2019: Equestrian team wins national championship

In 2019, the Auburn equestrian team won another national championship, adding to their list of achievements.

2019: Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center finished

In 2019, the Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center, including classrooms, study spaces, a wind-tunnel laboratory, and meeting spaces, was completed, and a new Graduate Business Building opened.

2020: Greek Life Membership Numbers

As of Fall 2020, Auburn's total Greek population is 7,541 members, or about 33.6% of all undergraduate students.

2020: Auburn ranked LGBTQ-unfriendly

In 2020, Auburn University was ranked the 6th most LGBTQ-unfriendly campus by The Princeton Review.

2020: Harold A. Franklin belatedly awarded master's degree

In 2020, Harold A. Franklin was belatedly awarded his master's degree in history after completing his thesis years prior, but was initially denied the degree at the time.

2021: Auburn Plainsman Primarily Online

As of 2021, The Auburn Plainsman is primarily an online publication, though some special editions are still carried out in print.

2021: Central Dining Hall Opens

In 2021, Auburn opened the $26 million Central Dining Hall. The dining hall spans 48,000 square feet with capacity for more than 800 seats and eight different meal stations.

August 2022: Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center completed

In August 2022, the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, combining instructional space with food venues and hotel spaces, was completed.

November 2022: Hugh Freeze Named Football Head Coach

In November 2022, Auburn named Hugh Freeze as the new football head coach.

2024: Southeastern Conference composed of 15 members

In 2024, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), of which Auburn is a charter member, is composed of 15 members.

2024: New College of Education Building Scheduled to Open

The new College of Education building, which includes collaborative classrooms, instructional laboratories, up-to-date technology, and administrative spaces for faculty and staff, is scheduled to open in 2024.

2025: U.S. News & World Report Ranks Auburn

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report ranked Auburn as tied for the 105th best national university overall in the U.S.

2025: STEM+Ag Complex scheduled to open

The new 265,000 square foot $200 million STEM+Ag Complex, which represents Auburn's largest-ever investment in academic facilities, is scheduled to open in 2025.