History of University of Arizona in Timeline

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University of Arizona

The University of Arizona, established in 1885 in Tucson, is a public land-grant research university and the first university in the Arizona Territory. Governed by the Arizona Board of Regents, it comprises 22 colleges and schools, including Eller College of Management, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, and Colleges of Medicine in Phoenix and Tucson, plus the James E. Rogers College of Law. As of fall 2023, the university enrolled over 53,000 students.

2 days ago : Nine Arizona Wildcats Selected in MLB Draft, Tied for Fifth-Most in Program History.

Nine Arizona Wildcats were selected in the MLB Draft, tying for the fifth-most selections in program history. The draft featured live updates and analysis of the Day 2 picks.

1904: First baseball season

In 1904, the University of Arizona baseball team had its first season.

1914: Origin of the Wildcats Nickname

In 1914, the athletic teams of the University of Arizona were nicknamed the Wildcats, derived from a football game against Occidental College.

1914: Football team deemed the Wildcats

In 1914, the football team, originally known as "Varsity", was deemed the "Wildcats".

1915: Rufus Arizona introduced

In 1915, Arizona's first mascot was a real desert bobcat named "Rufus Arizona".

1919: Campus Master Plan

In 1919, John Lyman conceived a campus master plan modeled after the University of Virginia. In the early 1930s, Roy Place updated the campus master plan.

1919: Berger Memorial Fountain Founding

In 1919, the Berger Memorial Fountain at the west entrance of Old Main, honoring UA students who died in World War I, was founded.

1924: Recognition by the Association of American Universities

In 1924, during Cloyd Marvin's tenure as president, the University of Arizona was recognized by the Association of American Universities.

1927: Construction of Main Library

In 1927, the Arizona State Museum buildings were constructed, with one of them serving as the main library. They were designed by Roy Place, a prominent Tucson architect, with red brick facades.

December 7, 1941: Sinking of the USS Arizona

December 7, 1941, is symbolic of the battleship USS Arizona's sinking at Pearl Harbor.

1945: Publication of Arizona Quarterly begins

Since 1945, the university has published Arizona Quarterly, an academic literary journal.

July 1946: Arrival of USS Arizona Bell on Campus

In July 1946, a bell housed on the USS Arizona, rescued from the ship after the attack on Pearl Harbor, arrived on campus to have a permanent home in the clock tower of the Student Union Memorial Center.

1951: Opening of Original Student Union Memorial Center

In 1951, the original 270,000-square-foot Student Union Memorial Center opened.

1952: "Bear Down, Arizona!" song created

In 1952, Jack K. Lee created the music and lyrics for the fight song "Bear Down, Arizona!", which became accepted as the unofficial fight song.

1956: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship title series

In 1956, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1959: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship title series

In 1959, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1962: Honors College Founding

In 1962, the Honors College started with an acceptance of seventy-five students.

1963: Tanita reaches NCAA finals

In 1963, Robert M. Tanita was a nationally ranked collegiate wrestler who reached the NCAA finals tournament as WAC champion.

1963: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship title series

In 1963, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1975: North Carolina appearance in NCAA Tournament

North Carolina had 27 consecutive appearances from 1975 to 2001 in the NCAA Tournament.

1976: Main Library opens

In 1976, the Main Library opened, serving as the library system's reference, periodical, and administrative center; most of the main collections are housed here.

1976: National championship title in baseball

In 1976, the baseball team captured a national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1976: Construction of Main Library

In 1976, the main library was built on the east side of campus near the sports stadiums, clustering optical and space sciences buildings in the area.

1979: Inception of Icecats

In 1979, the school's club hockey team, formerly known as the Icecats, was started.

1980: National championship in synchronized swimming

In 1980, a national championship for synchronized swimming was won in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

1980: National championship title in baseball

In 1980, the baseball team captured a national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1981: Doug Towne wins NCAA Individual Champion in Men's Swimming

In 1981 Doug Towne became Arizona's first NCAA Individual Champion in the sport of Men's Swimming, when he won the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships.

1981: National championship in synchronized swimming

In 1981, a national championship for synchronized swimming was won in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

1982: UCLA's win

In 1982, Arizona men became the first team to claim a first-time title since UCLA's win.

1982: Vance Johnson won the NCAA long jump

In 1982, football standout Vance Johnson won the NCAA long jump.

1983: Lute Olson Hired as Head Coach

In 1983, Lute Olson was hired as the head coach of the men's basketball team, marking the beginning of a successful era for the program.

1984: National championship in synchronized swimming

In 1984, a national championship for synchronized swimming was won in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

1985: Men's basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament

From 1985 to 2009, the Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament 25 consecutive years.

1985: Ice Cats win National Championship

In 1985, the Ice Cats defeated Penn State for the National Collegiate Club Hockey National Championship.

1986: Aaron Ramirez national titles in men's cross country

In 1986, Aaron Ramirez national titles in men's cross country.

1986: Chip Hale on College World Series championship team

In 1986, Chip Hale played for the Wildcats under Jerry Kindall and was on the College World Series championship team.

1986: Wilbur marries Wilma

In 1986, Wilbur married his longtime wildcat girlfriend, Wilma.

1986: National championship title in baseball

In 1986, the baseball team captured a national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1987: Arizona joins CERN program

Since 1987 Arizona has been part of both theoretical and experimental research in particle and nuclear physics in the framework of the CERN program.

1988: Arizona reaches Final Four

In 1988, the Wildcats reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

1988: Kenny Lofton on 1988 Final Four team

Kenny Lofton, now best known as a former Major League Baseball star, was a four-year letter winner as a Wildcat basketball player and was on the 1988 Final Four team.

1989: Mariusz Podkoscielny wins NCAA Individual Champion

In 1989, Mariusz Podkoscielny won the 1650-yard (mile) at the NCAA National Championships held at the IUPUI Natatorium.

1990: Kansas Appearance in NCAA Tournament

Kansas' appearances in the NCAA Tournament began from 1990-present.

1991: Annika Sörenstam wins in golf

In 1991, Annika Sörenstam won in golf.

1991: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1991, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1991: First experiment in Biosphere 2

In 1991, the first closed system experiment commencing in Biosphere 2, which was constructed by private developers.

1992: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship

In 1992, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

1992: Men's golf wins national championship

In 1992, the men's golf team won a national championship at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships.

1993: Alix Creek and Michelle Oldham win NCAA title

In 1993, Alix Creek and Michelle Oldham won the NCAA Women's Doubles Tennis title, defeating Texas in the Final.

1993: First 10-win season for football team

In 1993, the Arizona Wildcats football team had its first 10-win season and beat the University of Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl by a score of 29–0.

1993: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1993, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1994: Arizona officially joins CERN-LHC ATLAS Collaboration

In 1994, Arizona officially joined the CERN-LHC ATLAS Collaboration, furthering its involvement in particle and nuclear physics research.

1994: Martin Keino national titles in men's cross country

In 1994, Martin Keino national titles in men's cross country.

1994: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1994, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1994: NCAA Woman of the Year awards won by Tanya Hughes

In 1994, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by track and field athlete Tanya Hughes.

1994: Arizona reaches Final Four

In 1994, the Wildcats reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

1995: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship

In 1995, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

1996: Amy Skieresz individual national titles in women's cross country

In 1996, Amy Skieresz individual national titles in women's cross country.

1996: Arizona Health Sciences Library Established

In 1996, the Arizona Health Sciences Library was built and is on the Health Sciences Center on the north end of campus and in Phoenix on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

1996: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1996, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1996: Women's golf wins national championship

In 1996, the women's golf team won a national championship at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.

1997: Eugene Edgerson plays on Final Four squad

Eugene Edgerson played on the 1997 and 2001 Final Four squads, and spent some of his professional careers as one of the Harlem Globetrotters.

1997: Arizona wins NCAA National Championship

In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky to win the NCAA National Championship by a score of 84–79 in overtime, securing the university's first national championship victory.

1997: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1997, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1998: Texas and Auburn's winning streak

In 1998, Arizona men ended Texas and Auburn's winning streak since 1998.

1998: Carl Runk retires from Towson University

In 1998, Carl Runk, a former Arizona graduate and football player, retired after twenty-eight years at Towson University in Maryland.

1998: School-record season for football team

In 1998, the Arizona Wildcats football team posted a school-record 12–1 season and made the Holiday Bowl, defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Arizona ended the season ranked 4th nationally.

1998: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship

In 1998, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

2000: Bob Stoops' National Champions

From November 2003 until October 2011, the program was led by Mike Stoops, brother of Bob Stoops, the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma (the 2000 BCS national champions).

2000: Student Union Memorial Center reconstruction began

In 2000, reconstruction of the Student Union Memorial Center commenced.

2000: Women's golf wins national championship

In 2000, the women's golf team won a national championship at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.

2001: Eugene Edgerson plays on Final Four squad

Eugene Edgerson played on the 1997 and 2001 Final Four squads, and spent some of his professional careers as one of the Harlem Globetrotters.

2001: Tara Chaplin individual national titles in women's cross country

In 2001, Tara Chaplin individual national titles in women's cross country.

2001: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2001, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

2001: North Carolina appearance in NCAA Tournament

North Carolina had 27 consecutive appearances from 1975 to 2001 in the NCAA Tournament.

2002: Campus Shooting

In 2002, a shooting occurred at the University of Arizona, where three professors were murdered by a student who had failed out of the school. The perpetrator, who then shot himself, mailed a letter to the Arizona Daily Star announcing his reasons for the shooting.

2002: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship

In 2002, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

2002: Integrated Learning Center Completion

In 2002, the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) was completed as a $20 million, 100,000-square-foot computer facility intended for use by incoming students.

November 2003: Mike Stoops becomes head coach

From November 2003 until October 2011, the program was led by Mike Stoops, brother of Bob Stoops.

2003: Reconstruction of Student Union Memorial Center

Between 2000 and 2003, the Student Union Memorial Center was completely reconstructed, replacing a structure originally opened in 1951 with additions from the 1960s and early 1970s.

2003: ZonaZoo officially implemented

In 2003, ZonaZoo, the official student section and student ticketing program for the University of Arizona Athletics, was officially implemented.

2003: Opening of the Stevie Eller Dance Theater

In 2003, the Stevie Eller Dance Theater opened as a performance venue for the UA's dance program. Designed by Gould Evans, it received a Citation Award from the American Institute of Architects, Arizona Chapter.

2004: Candrea and Finch lead U.S. Olympic softball team to gold

In 2004, coach Mike Candrea, along with former Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch, led the U.S. Olympic softball team to a gold medal in Athens, Greece.

2004: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship title series

In 2004, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

2005: Peter Likins Vacates Presidency

At the conclusion of the 2005 academic term, Peter Likins vacated his post as president of the University of Arizona.

2005: Arizona NBA draft picks

Since 2005, Arizona has produced 17 NBA draft picks.

March 2006: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reaches Mars

In March 2006, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, containing the HiRISE camera designed at the UA, reached Mars. The mission captured the highest-resolution images of the planet ever seen.

2006: Robert N. Shelton Begins Tenure

In 2006, Robert N. Shelton began his tenure as president of the University of Arizona.

2006: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2006, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

August 2007: UA leads the Phoenix Mars Mission

In August 2007, the UA, led by Peter Smith, took charge of the Phoenix Mars Mission, marking the first mission completely controlled by a university.

2007: Men and women's swimming and diving NCAA Championship

In 2007, The Wildcats have also won their first NCAA Championship in men and women's swimming and diving. Also, Student-athletes from the women's swimming and diving team have been particularly heralded by the NCAA. The NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by UA swimmers Whitney Myers.

2007: NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2007, the Arizona softball team won an NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

2007: UA leads NASA mission to Mars

In 2007, the UA was awarded over $325 million for its Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) to lead NASA's mission to Mars to explore the Martian Arctic.

2007: University becomes management partner of Biosphere 2

In 2007, the university became the official management partner of the Biosphere 2 facility for research purposes.

May 2008: Phoenix Mars Mission reaches Martian surface

In May 2008, the Phoenix Mars Mission reached the planet's surface, with the mission's purpose being to improve knowledge of the Martian Arctic.

2008: Men and women's swimming and diving NCAA Championship

In 2008, The Wildcats have also won their first NCAA Championship in men and women's swimming and diving.

2008: National Science Foundation funds iPlant Collaborative

In 2008, the National Science Foundation funded the iPlant Collaborative with a $50 million grant to support its research initiatives.

2008: Simon assistant coach

Miles Simon was an assistant coach under Olson from 2005 to 2008.

2009: Men's basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament

From 1985 to 2009, the Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament 25 consecutive years.

2009: NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by Lacey Nymeyer

In 2009, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by UA swimmers Lacey Nymeyer.

2010: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship

In 2010, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

2010: NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by Justine Schluntz

In 2010, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award was won by UA swimmers Justine Schluntz.

June 2011: University assumes full ownership of Biosphere 2

In June 2011, the university announced it would assume full ownership of the Biosphere 2 scientific research facility in Oracle, Arizona.

October 10, 2011: Mike Stoops fired as head coach

On October 10, 2011, Mike Stoops was fired as the head coach of the football program.

November 21, 2011: Rich Rodriguez hired as head coach

On November 21, 2011, Rich Rodriguez was hired to lead the Wildcats football program.

2011: Icecats become Arizona Wildcats hockey team

As of 2011, the Icecats are part of ACHA Division I, and are known formally as the Arizona Wildcats hockey team.

2011: Proof of liquid water on Mars discovered

In 2011, UA alumnus Lujendra Ojha and his team discovered proof of liquid water on the surface of Mars while using the HiRISE camera.

2011: College Sustainability Report Card Grade

In 2011, the Sustainable Endowments Institute gave the University of Arizona a College Sustainability Report Card grade of "B."

2011: Robert N. Shelton Resigns

In the summer of 2011, Robert N. Shelton resigned from his position as president of the University of Arizona.

2012: UA Library System Statistics

As of 2012, the UA's library system contains over six million print volumes, 1.1 million electronic books, and 74,000 electronic journals.

2012: Ann Weaver Hart Becomes President

In 2012, Ann Weaver Hart became the first female president of the University of Arizona.

2012: Wildcats play in New Mexico Bowl

In 2012, the Wildcats played in the New Mexico Bowl, where they defeated the University of Nevada Wolf Pack.

2012: National championship title in baseball

In 2012, the baseball team captured a national championship title, coached by Andy Lopez.

2013: Brigetta Barrett won the women's high jump

In 2013, Brigetta Barrett won the women's high jump.

2013: iPlant Collaborative receives renewal grant

In 2013, the iPlant Collaborative received a $50 million renewal grant, allowing it to continue its work.

2014: ESPN ranks ZonaZoo as top cheering section

In 2014, ESPN ranked ZonaZoo as the top student cheering section in the PAC 12 conference.

2014: The Pride of Arizona's Daft Punk show

In 2014, the Pride of Arizona performed the Daft Punk show, which was later chosen by the CBDNA as one of ten in the nation to be presented at their National Conference in March 2015.

2014: Wildcats win Pac-12 South

In 2014, the Wildcats won the Pac-12 South and played in the Fiesta Bowl.

2014: Tuition Guarantee Program Enrollment

In 2014, undergraduate students enrolled in the UA's optional tuition guarantee program will remain at $11,591 for residents and $30,745 for non-residents through the 2018–19 academic year.

2014: National Merit Scholars

In the 2014-2015 academic year, 68 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.

March 2015: Pride of Arizona Recognized at CBDNA Conference

In March 2015, The Pride of Arizona's 2014 Daft Punk show was chosen by the CBDNA as one of ten in the nation to be presented at their National Conference.

2015: UA Libraries Ranked 37th by ARL

According to the 2015-2016 Association of Research Libraries' "Spending by University Research Libraries" report, UA libraries are ranked as the 37th overall university library in North America for university investment.

2015: Chip Hale manager of Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2015, Chip Hale served as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2015: CAPLA Ranked 10th Nationally

In 2015, Design Intelligence ranked the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture's (CAPLA) undergraduate program in architecture 10th in the nation for all universities, public and private.

2015: Jay Johnson succeeds Andy Lopez

In 2015, Jay Johnson became the head coach of the University of Arizona baseball program, succeeding Andy Lopez.

2015: NASA confirms discovery of liquid water on Mars

In 2015, NASA confirmed the discovery of liquid water on the surface of Mars, which was initially discovered by UA alumnus Lujendra Ojha and his team in 2011.

2015: ZonaZoo receives Best Student Section of the Year award

In 2015, ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award from the National Collegiate Student Section Association.

2015: Opening of ENR2 Building

In 2015, the University of Arizona opened the ENR2, housing the School of Geography, Development and Environment, which was designed to be one of the "greenest" buildings on campus.

2015: Wildcats play in New Mexico Bowl

In 2015, the Wildcats played in their fourth consecutive bowl game, defeating the University of New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl.

2015: iPlant Collaborative rebranded as CyVerse

In late 2015, the iPlant Collaborative was rebranded as "CyVerse". The collaborative cloud-based data management platform is moving beyond life sciences to provide cloud-computing access across all scientific disciplines.

2015: National Merit Scholars

In the 2014–2015 academic year, 68 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.

March 2016: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory Involvement

As of March 2016, the UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory is actively involved in ten spacecraft missions: Cassini VIMS; Grail; the HiRISE camera orbiting Mars; the Juno mission orbiting Jupiter; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO); Maven, which will explore Mars' upper atmosphere and interactions with the Sun; Solar Probe Plus, a historic mission into the Sun's atmosphere for the first time; Rosetta's VIRTIS; WISE; and OSIRIS-REx

September 8, 2016: OSIRIS-REx mission launch

On September 8, 2016, the OSIRIS-REx mission, the first U.S. sample-return mission to a near-Earth asteroid, launched. The UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory is actively involved in the OSIRIS-REx mission.

2016: UA Libraries Ranked 37th by ARL

According to the 2015-2016 Association of Research Libraries' "Spending by University Research Libraries" report, UA libraries are ranked as the 37th overall university library in North America for university investment.

2016: Figueredo attends London Conference on Intelligence

In 2016, Aurelio Jose Figueredo used funds from the Pioneer Fund grant to attend the London Conference on Intelligence, where presentations on eugenics are given.

2016: Chip Hale manager of Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2016, Chip Hale served as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2016: Appearance in the NCAA National Championship title series

In 2016, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

2016: Growth of Honors College

In the 2016–2017 academic year, the Honors College had grown to 5,508 students.

February 2017: Dave Heeke Named Director of Athletics

In February 2017, Dave Heeke was named Arizona's 13th Director of Athletics.

April 1, 2017: Dave Heeke Officially Starts as Director of Athletics

On April 1, 2017, Dave Heeke officially started in his role as Arizona's Director of Athletics.

August 2017: Renewal of partnership with Universidad de Sonora

In August 2017, Arizona's partnership with Universidad de Sonora was renewed, with a focus on collaboration in geology and physics.

2017: Ann Weaver Hart Leaves Presidency

In 2017, Ann Weaver Hart left her position as president of the University of Arizona.

2017: Center for World University Rankings

In 2017, The Center for World University Rankings ranked University of Arizona No. 52 in the world and 34 in the U.S.

2017: Renaming of Honors College

In 2017, The Honors College was renamed to the W.A. Franke Honors College in recognition of a $25 million gift commitment made by William A. "Bill" Franke.

2017: Women's soccer finishes season in NCAA Tournament

In 2017, the University of Arizona women's soccer team finished their season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with an 11–5–4 record.

2017: Wildcats play in Foster Farms Bowl

In 2017, the Wildcats lost to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Foster Farms Bowl, the Wildcats 21st bowl game.

January 2, 2018: Rodriguez relieved of duties

On January 2, 2018, Rodriguez was relieved of his duties as head football coach following an internal university investigation into sexual harassment claims made by his former administrative assistant.

January 14, 2018: Kevin Sumlin hired as head coach

On January 14, 2018, Kevin Sumlin was hired as the new head football coach for the Wildcats after a nationwide search. Sumlin previously served as head coach at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston.

2018: Greek Life Statistics

As of 2018, more than 16% of students are part of UA's 52-chapter Greek life program, with the University of Arizona recognizing 51 fraternity and sorority chapters.

2018: ZonaZoo receives Best Student Section of the Year award

In 2018, ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award from the National Collegiate Student Section Association.

2018: UA receives funding from the Pioneer Fund

In 2018, the UA received funding from the Pioneer Fund, a non-profit institute known for promoting scientific racism and eugenics, which led to controversy.

2018: Women's golf wins national championship

In 2018, the women's golf team won a national championship at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.

2018: End of Initial Tuition Guarantee Program

In 2018, tuition for students in the UA's optional tuition guarantee program remained at $11,591 for residents and $30,745 for non-residents as established in 2014.

2019: Garimella Becomes President of University of Vermont

In 2019, Suresh Garimella became the president of the University of Vermont.

2019: Wildcats post 4-8 record

In 2019, the Wildcats football team, under head coach Kevin Sumlin, posted a 4–8 record (2–7 in Pac-12).

April 17, 2020: Temporary Pay Cuts and Furloughs

On April 17, 2020, the University of Arizona announced temporary pay cuts and furloughs for its 15,000 employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic campus shutdown.

December 2020: Jedd Fisch chosen as head football coach

In December 2020, Jedd Fisch, former college and NFL coach, was chosen as the Wildcats' 32nd head football coach.

December 2020: Bell Ringing Discontinued

In December 2020, the University of Arizona announced that the bell from the USS Arizona would no longer be rung at the request of the U.S. Navy.

2020: Sumlin fired after truncated season

At the conclusion of the 2020 season, which was truncated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin Sumlin was fired as the Wildcats head football coach after a disappointing three-season tenure.

2020: Purchase of Ashford University

In 2020, the University of Arizona purchased Ashford University from Zovio and renamed it The University of Arizona Global Campus. The purchase was met with criticism due to investigations and lawsuits against Ashford.

June 2021: Johnson resigns to coach at LSU

In June 2021, Jay Johnson resigned from the Wildcat program to accept the head coaching job at LSU.

July 2021: Chip Hale named head coach of Arizona baseball

In July 2021, Chip Hale was named the new head coach of Arizona baseball.

October 2022: Murder of a University Professor and Faculty Senate Vote of No Confidence

In October 2022, a university professor was murdered on campus, allegedly by a former student. Following investigations, the faculty senate voted "no confidence" in the university's president and other leaders for failing to act on warnings about campus safety.

2023: Center for World University Rankings

In 2023, The Center for World University Rankings ranked University of Arizona No. 95 in the world and 48 in the U.S.

2023: Student Enrollment

In 2023, the University of Arizona enrolled 53,187 students across 22 colleges and schools, including the Eller College of Management and the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

2023: Financial Crisis

In 2023, the University of Arizona faced a financial crisis due to accounting errors and flawed financial projections, allegedly "losing track of more than $240 million." Investigative reporting linked the crisis to the university's purchase of Ashford University and its declining enrollment.

April 2, 2024: Robbins Announces Plans to Step Down

On April 2, 2024, Robert C. Robbins announced his plans to step down as president of the University of Arizona during an ABOR meeting.

April 2024: Student Protests Against War in Gaza

In April 2024, the UA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine joined protests against the war in Gaza. The encampment was attacked and dispersed by police firing rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper balls, leading to injuries among protesters, bystanders, and the press.

August 2, 2024: Joins Big 12 Conference

On August 2, 2024, the University of Arizona's intercollegiate athletic teams, known as the Arizona Wildcats, officially joined the Big 12 Conference.

August 9, 2024: Suresh Garimella Named President

On August 9, 2024, Suresh Garimella was named the 23rd president of the University of Arizona.

2024: Admission to Big 12 Conference

In 2024, the University of Arizona was admitted to the Big 12 Conference.

2025: Times Higher Education Ranking

The 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings rated University of Arizona No. 136 in the world and No. 45 in the U.S.

2025: US News & World Report Ranking

U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best College Rankings ranked the University of Arizona in Tucson No. 52 in U.S. top public universities.