History of Stanford University in Timeline

Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university located in Stanford, California. Founded in 1885 by Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, it was established in memory of their son, Leland Jr. It is renowned for its academic strength, particularly in technology, science, and entrepreneurship. Situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford has strong ties to the tech industry and is a leading institution for research and innovation. Its graduates have founded numerous successful companies, contributing significantly to technological advancements and economic growth. Stanford is also known for its beautiful campus and competitive admissions.

1906: San Francisco Earthquake Damages Campus

In 1906, Stanford University's campus suffered significant damage as a result of the San Francisco earthquake, causing financial strain.

1906: San Francisco Earthquake Causes Major Damage

In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake caused major damage to Stanford University, leading to the demolition of a new library and gymnasium, and the irreparable loss of original features in Memorial Church and the Quad.

1908: Stanford University School of Medicine Established

In 1908, Stanford University School of Medicine was established through the acquisition of Cooper Medical College in San Francisco.

1908: Law department transitions into professional law school

Starting in 1908, Stanford's law department transitioned from an undergraduate curriculum into a professional law school.

1917: Graduate School of Education becomes professional graduate school

In 1917, the Stanford University Graduate School of Education became a professional graduate school, growing out of the Department of the History and Art of Education.

1917: Construction of the Thomas Welton Stanford Gallery

In 1917, the Thomas Welton Stanford Gallery was built to serve as a teaching resource for the Department of Art & Art History and as an exhibition venue.

1919: Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace Started

In 1919, The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace was started by Herbert Hoover to preserve artifacts related to World War I.

1919: Lou Henry Hoover House

The 1919 Lou Henry Hoover House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1923: Law School Accreditation

In 1923, Stanford's law school received accreditation from the American Bar Association.

1925: Stanford Graduate School of Business Founded

In 1925, the Stanford Graduate School of Business was founded at the urging of Herbert Hoover.

1930: Adoption of the Indian Mascot in 1930

In 1930, Stanford's sports teams were known as the Indians.

1937: Hanna-Honeycomb House

Frank Lloyd Wright's 1937 Hanna–Honeycomb House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1944: Sororities Banned

In 1944, University President Donald Tresidder banned all Stanford sororities due to extreme competition.

1947: KZSU Radio Station Founded

In 1947, KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM, the student-run radio station, started as an AM radio station.

1949: Wallace Sterling Becomes President

In 1949, Wallace Sterling became the President of Stanford University.

1949: White Memorial Fountain

White Memorial Fountain is a memorial for two brothers in the class of 1949, William White and John White II.

1951: Prince Lightfoot as Official Mascot from 1951

From 1951, Prince Lightfoot (portrayed by Timm Williams, a member of the Yurok tribe) was the official mascot.

1951: Stanford Research Park Established

In 1951, Stanford Research Park was established in Palo Alto, marking it as the world's first university research park.

1952: White Memorial Fountain

White Memorial Fountain is a memorial for two brothers, one of whom died shortly after in 1952.

1956: William Shockley Nobel Prize

In 1956, William Shockley, co-inventor of the silicon transistor, received the Nobel Prize for Physics.

1959: School of Medicine moves to Stanford campus

In 1959, the Stanford University School of Medicine relocated to the Stanford campus.

1962: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Established

In 1962, the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory was established to perform research in particle physics.

1964: White Memorial Fountain Installed

White Memorial Fountain (also known as "The Claw") was installed in 1964 and designed by Aristides Demetrios.

1968: Wallace Sterling Leaves Presidency

In 1968, Wallace Sterling's tenure as President of Stanford ended, during which he oversaw the growth of the university.

1969: Installation of Mobile Homes at Manzanita Park in 1969

In 1969, 118 mobile homes were installed as "temporary" housing at Manzanita Park.

1970: Establishment of Columbae

In 1970, Columbae was established as a "theme" house at Stanford, focusing on Social Change Through Nonviolence.

1971: Stanford Prison Experiment

In 1971, the Stanford prison experiment was criticized as unethical.

1972: Official Nickname Change to Cardinal in 1972

From 1972, Stanford's official nickname was the Cardinal, but there was ongoing debate about the mascot and team name.

1972: Removal of Indian Mascot in 1972

In 1972, Native American students and staff successfully lobbied University President Richard Lyman to abolish the "Indian" name and mascot, perceived as offensive. The teams reverted unofficially to the name "Cardinal".

1972: Removal of the Indian Symbol and Name in 1972

In 1972, President Richard Lyman dropped the Indian symbol and name after objections from Native American students and a vote by the student senate.

1972: Establishment of Synergy

In 1972, Synergy was established as a "theme" house at Stanford, focusing on Exploring Alternatives.

1973: Phi Sigma Fraternity Became a Self-Op in 1973

In 1973, Phi Sigma, formerly Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, at 1018 Campus Drive, transitioned into a Self-Op.

1974: Murder of Arlis Perry

In 1974, Arlis Perry was murdered in Stanford Memorial Church; the case was not solved until 2018.

1975: Student Referendum Against Restoring the Indian in 1975

A 1975 student referendum at Stanford was against restoring the Indian as the mascot. The 1975 vote included new mascot suggestions, many alluding to the industry of Leland Stanford, the school's founder.

1976: Consecutive NCAA Team Championship Years Begin

In 1976, Stanford began a streak of winning at least one NCAA team championship each academic year, a streak that lasted for 48 consecutive years.

1976: Fire Protection Contract with Palo Alto Fire Department

Since 1976, fire protection has been provided by contract with the Palo Alto Fire Department.

1977: Sorority Ban Lifted

In 1977, following Title IX, the Board of Trustees lifted the 33-year ban on sororities.

1978: Theodore Streleski Murder

In 1978, Theodore Streleski murdered his faculty advisor.

1981: Misuse of Government Funds

In 1981, the misuse of government funds resulted in severe penalties for the school's research funding.

1981: Debate over Mascot and Team Name Until 1981

Until 1981, there was debate among students and administrators concerning what the mascot and team name should be.

1987: The Stanford Review Founded

In 1987, The Stanford Review, a conservative student newspaper, was founded.

1988: The Thinker granted residence at Stanford

In 1988, an original bronze cast of Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" was granted residence at Stanford by art collector B. Gerald Cantor, with the university expected to attain full ownership sometime in the future.

1991: Installation of Mobile Homes at Manzanita Park until 1991

Until 1991, 118 mobile homes were installed as "temporary" housing at Manzanita Park.

1992: President Donald Kennedy Resigns

In 1992, President Donald Kennedy resigned due to the misuse of government funds.

1994: NACDA Directors' Cup Awarded

Beginning in 1994, Stanford was awarded the NACDA Directors' Cup for 25 consecutive years.

1995: Founding of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

In 1995, Edward Zalta, a senior researcher at Stanford, founded the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, a leading online academic resource on philosophy.

1995: NACDA Directors' Cups Begin

In 1995, Stanford began a streak of winning 25 consecutive NACDA Directors' Cups, awarded annually to the most successful overall college sports program in the nation.

2003: Stanford Ranked Second in the World by ARWU in 2003

From 2003, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) ranked Stanford second in the world (after Harvard).

2006: Stanford Receives 4.5 Billion

In 2006, Stanford received $4.5 billion.

2008: Land Use

As of 2008, 60% of Stanford's land remained undeveloped.

2010: Percentage of First-Generation Students in 2010

In 2010, 15% of undergraduates were first-generation students.

2012: Lake Lagunita Condition

As of 2012, Lake Lagunita was often dry and the university had no plans to artificially fill it.

2012: Need-Based Financial Aid Awarded

In 2012, Stanford awarded $126 million in need-based financial aid to 3,485 students, with an average aid package of $40,460.

2012: Relationship Between Clougherty and Lonsdale

In the spring of 2012, Elise Clougherty and Joe Lonsdale entered into a relationship when she was a junior and he was her mentor in a Stanford entrepreneurship course.

2013: Clougherty Files Charges Against Lonsdale

By the spring of 2013, Elise Clougherty had broken off the relationship with Joe Lonsdale and filed charges at Stanford that Lonsdale had broken the Stanford policy against consensual relationships between students and faculty and that he had sexually assaulted and harassed her.

2013: Stanford Named "Dream College" in 2013

From 2013, polls of college applicants done by The Princeton Review showed that Stanford was the most commonly named "dream college" for students.

2013: On-Campus Housing in 2013

In 2013, 89% of undergraduate students lived in on-campus university housing at Stanford, where housing is guaranteed for all four years.

October 2014: Windhover Contemplation Center Dedicated

In October 2014, the Windhover Contemplation Center was dedicated, providing a spiritual sanctuary for students and staff. The center displays the "Windhover" paintings by Nathan Oliveira.

2014: Stanford University Libraries in 2014

By 2014, Stanford University Libraries (SUL) comprised twenty-four libraries, including the Hoover Institution Library and Archives, a research center focused on 20th-century history. SUL held over 9.3 million volumes, nearly 300,000 rare books, 1.5 million e-books, 2.5 million audiovisual materials, 77,000 serials, and millions of microform and digital resources.

2014: Opening of the Anderson Collection

In 2014, Stanford opened the Anderson Collection, a new museum focused on postwar American art. This museum was founded through the donation of 121 works by food service moguls Mary and Harry Anderson.

2014: Reports of Rape Ranking

In 2014, Stanford was ranked tenth highest in the nation in "total of reports of rape" on their main campus, with 26 reports of rape.

2014: Campus Rape Reports

In 2014, a reporter from The Washington Post analyzed campus rape reports and found that Stanford was one of the top ten universities in campus rapes, with 26 reported that year.

February 2015: Elise Clougherty Files Lawsuit Against Joe Lonsdale

In February 2015, Elise Clougherty filed a sexual assault and harassment lawsuit against venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale.

2015: Graduate Student Population Living on Campus in 2015

By 2015, 55 percent of the graduate student population lived on campus. Stanford also subsidizes off-campus apartments for graduate students.

2015: Tuition Policy Changes

For undergraduates admitted starting in 2015, Stanford waives tuition, room, and board for most families with incomes below $65,000.

2015: Demolition of Meyer Library

In 2015, Meyer Library was demolished and Lathrop Library was established in its place, holding various student-accessible media resources and housing one of the largest East Asia collections with 540,000 volumes.

2015: Completion of Newer Dorms at Manzanita Park in 2015

In 2015, newer dorms Castano, Kimball, Lantana, and the Humanities House, were completed at the site of the mobile homes in Manzanita Park.

2015: Campus Climate Survey Results

In Stanford's 2015 Campus Climate Survey, 4.7 percent of female undergraduates reported experiencing sexual assault and 32.9 percent reported experiencing sexual misconduct.

2015: Sexual Assault by Brock Turner

On the night of January 17–18, 2015, Chanel Miller was sexually assaulted by Brock Turner. Two Stanford graduate students witnessed the attack and intervened.

March 2016: Brock Turner Conviction

In March 2016, Brock Turner was convicted on three felony charges for sexually assaulting Chanel Miller.

June 2016: Brock Turner Sentencing

In June 2016, Brock Turner received a jail sentence of six months and was declared a sex offender for sexually assaulting Chanel Miller.

2016: Oversight of Independent Laboratories

By 2016, the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research oversaw eighteen independent laboratories, centers, and institutes.

2016: Sports at Stanford in 2016

In 2016, Stanford had sixteen male varsity sports and twenty female varsity sports, nineteen club sports, and about 27 intramural sports. The Stanford Tree is the Stanford Band's mascot and the unofficial mascot of Stanford University.

2016: Biohub Medical Science Research Center Founding

In 2016, Stanford, along with UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco, became part of the Biohub, a new medical science research center. This was founded with a $600 million commitment from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and pediatrician Priscilla Chan, aiming to design advanced-level healthcare units.

2016: Rio de Janeiro Olympics

In the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Stanford-affiliated athletes won 27 medals.

2017: Graduation Rate for the Class of 2017

The four-year graduation rate for the class of 2017 cohort was 72.9%, and the six-year rate was 94.4%.

2018: NACDA Directors' Cups End

In 2018, Stanford's streak of winning 25 consecutive NACDA Directors' Cups, awarded annually to the most successful overall college sports program in the nation came to an end.

2018: Arlis Perry Murder Solved

In 2018, the 1974 murder of Arlis Perry in Stanford Memorial Church was solved.

2018: Degrees awarded in 2018-2019

In the 2018–2019 school year, Stanford awarded 1,819 undergraduate degrees, 2,393 master's degrees, 770 doctoral degrees, and 3270 professional degrees.

2019: Admission Decisions

As of 2019, Stanford considers extracurricular activities, talent/ability and character/personal qualities as 'very important' in making first-time, first-year admission decisions.

2019: Stanford Ranked 1st in Innovation in 2019

In 2019, Stanford University achieved the 1st place on Reuters' list of the World's Most Innovative Universities, marking its fifth consecutive year at the top.

2019: Stanford Enrollment Numbers for 2019-2020

Stanford enrolled 6,996 undergraduate and 10,253 graduate students in the 2019–2020 school year. Women made up 50.4% of undergraduates and 41.5% of graduate students.

2020: Tokyo Olympics

In the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Stanford-affiliated athletes won 26 medals, which was more than any other university.

2020: Stanford Enrollment Numbers for 2019-2020

Stanford enrolled 6,996 undergraduate and 10,253 graduate students in the 2019–2020 school year. Women made up 50.4% of undergraduates and 41.5% of graduate students.

2020: Stanford Named "Dream College" in 2020

Until 2020, polls of college applicants done by The Princeton Review showed that Stanford was the most commonly named "dream college" for students.

2021: Faculty Size

By 2021, Stanford University had 2,288 tenure-line faculty, senior fellows, center fellows, and medical faculty on staff.

2021: Faculty Senate Representatives

In 2021, the Faculty Senate was made up of 54 elected representatives of the faculty.

2021: Research Expenditure

Stanford's research expenditure in fiscal years of 2021/22 was $1.82 billion and the total number of sponsored projects was 7,900.

January 1, 2022: NCAA Individual Championships

As of January 1, 2022, Stanford athletes have won 529 NCAA individual championships. No other Division I school is within 100 of Stanford's total.

2022: Rhodes Scholars

By 2022, 128 Stanford students or alumni have been named Rhodes Scholars.

2022: Stanford Apologizes for Discriminating against Jewish Applicants

In 2022, Stanford issued its first institutional apology to the Jewish community after an internal task force confirmed that the university deliberately discriminated against Jewish applicants.

2022: Dual-Enrollment Computer Science Program Started

In 2022, Stanford started its first dual-enrollment computer science program for high school students from low-income communities.

2022: Stanford Ranked #1 by Washington Monthly in 2022

In 2022, Washington Monthly ranked Stanford at the 1st position in their annual list of top universities in the United States.

2022: Stanford Ranked as Top "Dream College" in 2022

In a 2022 survey by The Princeton Review, Stanford was ranked 1st among the top ten "dream colleges" of America, considered the ultimate "dream college" by both students and parents.

January 2023: Lake Lagunita Refilled by Heavy Rains

In January 2023, heavy rains refilled Lake Lagunita at Stanford to up to 8 feet of depth.

August 2023: Stanford's Endowment

As of August 2023, Stanford's endowment, including real estate and other investments, was valued at $36.5 billion.

September 2023: Richard Saller Becomes Interim President

In September 2023, Richard Saller became the interim president of Stanford University.

October 2023: Jenny Martinez Becomes Provost

In October 2023, Jenny Martinez became the fourteenth provost of Stanford University.

2023: Consecutive NCAA Team Championship Years End

In 2023, Stanford's streak of 48 consecutive years of winning at least one NCAA team championship each academic year came to an end.

2023: Accreditation Review

Stanford was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges with the latest review in 2023.

April 4, 2024: Jonathan Levin Appointed as Thirteenth President

On April 4, 2024, the board of trustees announced that Jonathan Levin would become the thirteenth president of Stanford University on August 1, 2024.

May 23, 2024: NCAA Team Championships

As of May 23, 2024, Stanford University has won 136 NCAA team championships, which is more than any other school.

August 1, 2024: Jonathan Levin Becomes President

Jonathan Levin will become the thirteenth president of Stanford University on August 1, 2024.

2024: Stanford's Ranking in The Wall Street Journal

As noted in The Wall Street Journal's 2024 rankings, Stanford is among the top universities, consistently jockeying for the leading positions.

2024: Top Rankings for Business and Law Schools in 2024

In 2024, Stanford Graduate School of Business was consistently ranked as the most selective and best business school by Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, Stanford Law School was ranked as one of the two most selective and best law schools, according to U.S. News & World Report.

2024: Stanford Ranked Second in the World by ARWU in 2024

Until 2024, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) ranked Stanford second in the world (after Harvard).

2026: Class of 2026 Enrollment

Of those students accepted to Stanford's Class of 2026, 1,736 chose to attend, of which 21% were first-generation college students.

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