History of University of Minnesota in Timeline

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities, located in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, is a public land-grant research university and the flagship institution of the University of Minnesota System. It comprises 19 colleges, schools, and academic units, offering a wide range of programs and contributing significantly to research and higher education.

May 1, 1900: First Publication of the Minnesota Daily

On May 1, 1900, the Minnesota Daily was first published. The Daily is operated by an autonomous organization run entirely by students.

1906: Gophers-Badgers Rivalry Interruption

With the exception of 1906, the Golden Gophers and Badgers have played each other every year since.

1908: Inauguration of the Program of Mortuary Science

In 1908, the University of Minnesota inaugurated the Program of Mortuary Science, becoming the first state university in the United States to do so.

1909: Establishment of the School of Nursing

In 1909, the School of Nursing was established at the University of Minnesota, the first continuous nursing school on a university campus in the United States.

January 13, 1922: KUOM Receives First AM Broadcast License

On January 13, 1922, the campus radio station KUOM received the first AM broadcast license in the state and began broadcasting as WLB.

1930: Ski-U-Mah Humor Magazine Publication

Around 1930, the humor magazine Ski-U-Mah was published.

1934: National Championship Win

In 1934, the Golden Gophers began a three-peat national championship run.

1936: Third Consecutive National Championship

In 1936, the Golden Gophers completed a three-peat national championship run.

1949: Nursing School Opens to Male Students

In 1949, the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing opened its doors to male students.

1950: Ski-U-Mah Humor Magazine End of Publication

Around 1950, the humor magazine Ski-U-Mah ceased publication.

1954: First Successful Open-Heart Surgery

In 1954, C. Walton Lillehei and F. John Lewis performed the world's first successful open-heart surgery using cross-circulation at the University of Minnesota.

1955: Development of the Bubble Oxygenator

In 1955, Richard DeWall and Lillehei developed the bubble oxygenator, setting the stage for modern heart-lung machines.

1958: First Artificial Heart Valve Implant and First Portable Pacemaker

In 1958, Lillehei performed the first artificial heart valve implant in a human. Also in 1958, Earl Bakken, co-founder of Medtronic, Inc., developed the first portable pacemaker, introduced into practice by Lillehei.

1964: NCAA Championship

The Golden Gophers baseball team last won an NCAA championship in 1964.

1967: First Successful Kidney/Pancreas Transplant

In 1967, the University of Minnesota performed the world's first successful kidney/pancreas transplant.

1968: First Bone Marrow Transplant

In 1968, the University of Minnesota performed a bone marrow transplant.

1969: Black Students' Takeover of Morrill Hall

In 1969, Black students took over Morrill Hall, which led to the creation of the Department of Afro-American Studies.

1970: Student Strike Against War

In 1970, there was a student strike against war at the university.

1981: Last Game in Memorial Stadium

In 1981, the Golden Gophers played their last game in Memorial Stadium.

1982: Move to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Between 1982 and 2008, the school played their home games in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.

1984: NCAA Tournament Appearance

With the removal of vacated seasons, the Golden Gophers basketball team went 9-10 in the NCAA tournament with a highest ranking of the 2 seed in 1984.

1991: Development of the Honeycrisp Apple

In 1991, the Honeycrisp apple was developed at the University of Minnesota.

1993: KUOM Merges and Becomes Radio K

In 1993, KUOM merged with a smaller campus-only music station to become what is now known as Radio K.

1993: Completion of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

In 1993, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, was completed at the University of Minnesota.

1994: NCAA Tournament Appearance (Vacated)

Due to NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, the Golden Gophers basketball team's postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998 were vacated, including the NCAA Tournament appearance in 1994.

1995: NCAA Tournament Appearance (Vacated)

Due to NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, the Golden Gophers basketball team's postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998 were vacated, including the NCAA Tournament appearance in 1995.

1996: NIT Appearance (Vacated)

Due to NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, the Golden Gophers basketball team's postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998 were vacated, including the NIT appearance in 1996.

1997: Final Four Appearance (Vacated)

Due to NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, the Golden Gophers basketball team's postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998 were vacated, including a Final Four appearance in 1997 and a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

1998: NIT Appearance (Vacated)

Due to NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, the Golden Gophers basketball team's postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998 were vacated, including the NIT appearance in 1998.

1998: First Living Donor Pancreas Transplant

In 1998, the University of Minnesota conducted a living donor pancreas transplant.

2000: Completion of the McNamara Alumni Center

In 2000, the McNamara Alumni Center was completed at the University of Minnesota.

November 2001: Founding of The Wake Student Magazine

In November 2001, The Wake Student Magazine was founded by James DeLong and Chris Ruen in an effort to diversify campus media.

2001: Listed as a "Public Ivy"

The University of Minnesota is listed as a "Public Ivy" in the 2001 Greenes' Guides The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities.

February 2002: The Wake Student Magazine Achieves Student Group Status

In February 2002, The Wake Student Magazine achieved student group status.

2002: Completion of Addition to the Architecture Building

In 2002, the addition to the Architecture building, designed by Steven Holl, was completed at the University of Minnesota. It later won an American Institute of Architects award for its innovative design. The building was renamed Rapson Hall after Ralph Rapson.

2002: Great Conversations Episodes Made

Since 2002, several episodes of Great Conversations have been made on campus and broadcast on local PBS station KTCI channel 17, featuring one-on-one discussions between University faculty and experts from around the world.

2003: Radio K Adds Low-Power FM Signal

In 2003, the radio station Radio K added a low-power (8-watt) signal on 106.5 MHz FM overnight and on weekends.

April 2004: Funding Restored for The Wake

In April 2004, $60,000 in funding was restored to The Wake after the Student Services Fees Committee initially declined to fund it.

2004: Women's Basketball Final Four Appearance

In 2004, the Golden Gophers women's basketball team, under Pam Borton, made a Final Four appearance.

2005: Study on Sexual Assaults

Between 2005 and 2015, a study by campus police found that sexual assaults at the university remained the same or increased despite six sexual assault resources and many anti-crime programs on campus.

2005: Funding Challenges for The Wake

In 2005, The Wake faced further challenges when its request for additional funding to publish weekly was denied and then partially restored.

2005: Radio K Translator Begins Broadcasting

In 2005, a 10-watt translator began broadcasting from Falcon Heights on 100.7 FM at all times for Radio K.

2005: Conservatives Begin Formulating The Minnesota Republic

In 2005, conservatives on campus began formulating a new publication named The Minnesota Republic.

2005: Highest Ranking in NCAA Tournament

In 2005, the Golden Gophers women's basketball team reached their highest ranking in the NCAA tournament with a 3 seed.

2005: Publication of Liminal Literary Journal

In 2005, the Wake began publishing Liminal, a literary journal.

February 2006: First Issue of The Minnesota Republic Released

In February 2006, the first issue of The Minnesota Republic was released.

September 2006: Funding for The Minnesota Republic Begins

In September 2006, funding by student service fees started for The Minnesota Republic.

2006: The Wake Named Best Campus Publication

In 2006, The Wake was named the nation's best campus publication by the Independent Press Association.

2007: University Joins LIGO

In 2007, the University of Minnesota became a member of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO).

2008: Move to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Between 1982 and 2008, the school played their home games in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.

2008: Conviction of Dominic Jones

In 2008, Minnesota Gophers football player Dominic Jones was convicted of sexual assault.

2008: Campus Connectors Ridership and Operating Costs in 2008

In 2008, the Campus Connectors system at the University of Minnesota carried 3.55 million riders, with an operating cost of $4.55 million and an operating subsidy of $1.28 per passenger.

July 2009: Appeals court upheld Jones' conviction

In July 2009, an appeals court upheld the conviction of Minnesota Gophers football player Dominic Jones for sexual assault, but reduced his prison sentence to one year.

September 12, 2009: TCF Bank Stadium Opens

On September 12, 2009, the Golden Gophers moved back to campus when their new home, TCF Bank Stadium, opened with a game against the Air Force Falcons.

2010: Sexual Assault Reports

From 2010 to 2015, over 1,000 sexual assaults on campus were reported.

2010: Completion of Bruininks Hall

In 2010, Bruininks Hall (formerly STSS) was completed at the University of Minnesota.

February 17, 2012: Last Loss Before Undefeated Season

On February 17, 2012, the Golden Gophers women's hockey team lost to North Dakota, marking their last loss before an undefeated season.

2013: Legislation Passed for Medical Amnesty

In 2013, the Undergraduate Student Government was instrumental in passing legislation in the Minnesota Legislature for medical amnesty.

2013: Undefeated Season

In the 2012–2013 season, the Golden Gophers women's hockey team finished undefeated at 41–0, becoming the first and only NCAA women's hockey team to do so.

2013: Conference Realignment for Minnesota Teams

Since the 2013 school year, the only Minnesota team that does not compete in the Big Ten is the women's ice hockey team, which competes in the WCHA.

April 2014: Golden Gophers Win NIT Championship

In April 2014, the Golden Gophers defeated SMU to win the NIT championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

2014: Campaigns Against Racism

In 2014, campaigns against racism, known as Whose Diversity?, took place at the university.

2014: Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Splintered

In 2014, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly splintered into the Council of Graduate Students and the Professional Student Government.

2015: Sexual Assault Reports

From 2010 to 2015, over 1,000 sexual assaults on campus were reported.

2015: Times Higher Education World University Ranking

In 2015, Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed Minnesota 46th worldwide, based primarily on teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.

2015: Campaigns Against Racism

In 2015, campaigns against racism, known as Whose Diversity?, took place at the university.

2015: Midwest Conference Championship

In 2015, the Golden Gophers women's rugby club team won the Midwest conference championship.

February 2016: Confirmation of Gravitational Waves

In February 2016, scientists confirmed the existence of gravitational waves, which the University of Minnesota had been searching for as a member of LIGO.

2016: Conviction of Daniel Drill-Mellum

In 2016, Daniel Drill-Mellum was convicted for the rapes of two fellow students and received a six-year prison sentence.

2016: Minnesota Daily Publication Frequency Change

In 2016, specifically starting with the fall semester, the Minnesota Daily began being published twice a week during the normal school season. It is printed weekly during the summer.

2016: Women's Hockey NCAA National Championship

In 2016, the Golden Gophers women's hockey team won their sixth NCAA National Championship.

2016: Midwest Conference Championship

In 2016, the Golden Gophers women's rugby club team won the Midwest conference championship.

2016: Accusation of Sexual Assault

In the fall of 2016, a woman accused several Gophers football players of sexually assaulting her.

February 2017: University Panel Decision on Gopher Football Players

In February 2017, a University of Minnesota panel cleared four of the 10 Gopher football players accused of sexual assault, recommending expulsion for four others and suspension for the remaining two.

2017: Midwest Conference Championship

In 2017, the Golden Gophers women's rugby club team won the Midwest conference championship.

January 2018: Listing of Northrop Mall Historic District

In January 2018, the Northrop Mall Historic District at the University of Minnesota was formally listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

June 2018: System Memberships

As of June 2018, approximately 3,900 system members made up about 11% of the campus population.

2018: Most Recent Big Ten Championship

The Golden Gophers baseball team won their most recent Big Ten championship in 2018.

2019: Minnesota Golden Gophers Achievements

As of 2019, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have won 19 NCAA championships and claim six national football championships.

August 2020: Settlement in Sexual Assault Case

In August 2020, the University of Minnesota agreed to pay $500,000 to a woman who accused several Gophers football players of sexually assaulting her in the fall of 2016.

2020: Ranking by the Center for Measuring University Performance

In 2020, the Center for Measuring University Performance ranked the University of Minnesota 16th in total research, 30th in endowment assets, 24th in annual giving, 28th in National Academies memberships, 9th in faculty awards, and 14th in National Merit Scholars.

2020: Sponsorship of National Merit Scholarship Awards

In 2020, the University of Minnesota sponsored 97 Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program.

2020: Nature Index Ranking

The 2021 Nature Index, which assesses the institutions that dominate high-quality research output, ranked Minnesota 53rd in the world based on research publication data from 2020.

June 2021: TCF Bank Stadium Renamed Huntington Bank Stadium

In June 2021, TCF Bank Stadium was renamed Huntington Bank Stadium to reflect the acquisition of TCF Bank by Huntington Bank.

2021: Washington Monthly's National University Rankings

In 2021, the University of Minnesota was ranked 25th in the United States in Washington Monthly's National University Rankings.

2021: Academic Ranking of World Universities Ranking

In 2021, the University of Minnesota was ranked as the 40th best university in the world by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The same 2021 ranking by subject placed the University of Minnesota's ecology program as 2nd best in the world, management program as 10th best, biotechnology program as 11th best, mechanical engineering and medical technology programs as 14th best, law and psychology programs as 19th best, and veterinary sciences program as 20th best.

2021: National Merit Scholars

In the 2020–2021 academic year, 112 freshman students were National Merit Scholars at the University of Minnesota.

2021: Labor Coalition Efforts Highlight Poor Conditions

In the 2021 academic year, labor coalition efforts highlighted poor wages, poor stipend conditions, and administrative disrespect for graduate student workers at the University of Minnesota.

2021: Big Ten Title

The Golden Gophers women's gymnastics team won the Big Ten title in 2021.

2022: Graduate School Rankings by U.S. News & World Report

In 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked several of the University of Minnesota's graduate programs highly, including the Law School (22nd), Medical School (4th for family medicine, 5th for primary care), College of Pharmacy (3rd), Humphrey School of Public Affairs (9th), and College of Education and Human Development (10th for education psychology and special education), and School of Public Health (10th).

2022: Highest Placement in NCAA Tournament

In 2022, the Golden Gophers women's gymnastics team achieved their highest placement in the NCAA tournament, finishing 6th with a total team score of 197.1125.

2022: NSF Ranking for research and development expenditures in 2022

In 2022, the National Science Foundation ranked the University of Minnesota 22nd among American universities for research and development expenditures with $1.202 billion.

2022: Labor Efforts and Union Formation Campaign

In the 2022 academic year, labor efforts materialized into a campaign and a vote that culminated in the formation of the Graduate Labor Union-United Electrical (GLU-UE).

2023: Student Statistics for Fall 2023

As of fall 2023, there were 30,469 undergraduates, including 6,736 first-time freshmen, and 11,233 graduate students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

2023: U.S. News & World Report ranking of undergraduate program

For 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Minnesota's undergraduate program 53rd among national universities.

2023: Formation of Graduate Labor Union-United Electrical (GLU-UE)

In 2023, labor efforts led to the formation of the Graduate Labor Union-United Electrical (GLU-UE), the labor union currently representing graduate student workers at the University of Minnesota.

2023: Student body size for 2023-24 academic year

In the 2023-24 academic year, the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus had 54,890 students.

2023: NCAA Tournament Run

The Golden Gophers men's hockey team reached the championship game in the 2023 NCAA tournament, but lost to the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

March 2024: Olympic Medals Won

As of March 2024, current and former students of the University of Minnesota have won a total of 90 Olympic medals.

2024: ACT and SAT Scores for Enrolled Freshmen

In 2024, among enrolled freshmen who submitted ACT scores, the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 27 and 33. The middle 50 percent Composite SAT scores were 1350–1500.

2024: Ranked as the 26th best university

In 2024, the University of Minnesota was ranked as the 26th best university in the United States by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

2025: Freshman Class Applications

For Fall 2025 admission, the University of Minnesota received over 43,000 applications for a freshman class of roughly 7,100 students.

2025: MPact 2025's Commitment 5, Action Item 5.4

In 2025, The commitment to a safe inclusive campus is articulated through the comprehensive University of Minnesota Safety Plan, aligned with MPact 2025's Commitment 5, Action Item 5.4, emphasizing the need to assess and improve campus safety continually.