History of University of Washington in Timeline
The University of Washington, located in Seattle, Washington, is a public research university established in 1861. It holds the distinction of being among the oldest universities on the West Coast of the United States. As a research institution, it focuses on advancing knowledge through scholarly investigation. Its location is a key feature, placing it in the vibrant city of Seattle.
1900: First Apple Cup game
In 1900, the first Apple Cup game, an annual game against Washington State University, was contested.
1901: Rowing tradition begins
In 1901, rowing became a longstanding tradition at the University of Washington.
1901: First power plant replaced
In 1901, the first power plant, which burned coal, was replaced because the campus’ energy needs began to grow.
1906: ASUW incorporated
In 1906, the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) was incorporated in the State of Washington.
1907: Unbeaten streak begins
From 1907, Washington football teams were unbeaten in 64 consecutive games, an NCAA record.
1908: Demolition of the Original Territorial University Building
In 1908, the original Territorial University building was torn down. The former site now houses the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
1909: Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition
In 1909, the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition utilized the University of Washington campus grounds. An agreement with the Board of Regents allowed the exposition to use the campus, with the university taking over development after the fair. This arrangement led to a site plan and new buildings, influencing the UW campus master plan.
1916: Construction of the Liberal Arts Quadrangle Begins
In 1916, construction began on the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, known as "The Quad" to students, at the University of Washington.
1917: Unbeaten streak ends
Until 1917, Washington football teams were unbeaten in 64 consecutive games, an NCAA record.
1920: Husky Stadium tradition begins
In 1920, tailgating by boat has been a Husky Stadium tradition since the stadium was first built on the shores of Lake Washington.
1922: Husky selected as school mascot
In 1922, the husky was selected as the school mascot by the student committee.
1926: Carl Fennema alumni
In 1926, Carl Fennema, NFL football player was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1926: Construction of Suzzallo Library
In 1926, Suzzallo Library, the architectural centerpiece of the university, was built.
1934: Minoru Yamasaki and Chet Huntley alumni
In 1934, Minoru Yamasaki, architect and Chet Huntley, news anchor and Big Sky resort founder were alumni of the University of Washington.
1935: Henry M. Jackson alumni
In 1935, Henry M. Jackson, US Senator was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1935: Expansion of Suzzallo Library
In 1935, Suzzallo Library was expanded.
1936: Joe Rantz alumni
In 1936, Joe Rantz, U.S. Olympic rower was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1936: Men's crew wins gold at Olympics
In 1936, the Washington men's crew gained international prominence by winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Berlin.
January 23, 1939: Criticism for Hiring Harold J. Laski
On January 23, 1939, the University of Washington was criticized for hiring Economics Professor Harold J. Laski as a visiting lecturer.
1939: Irv Robbins alumni
In 1939, Irv Robbins, Baskin Robbins co-founder was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1939: Construction of the Liberal Arts Quadrangle Completed
In 1939, construction of the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, known as "The Quad", was completed at the University of Washington.
1942: Internment of Japanese Americans
In 1942, following Executive Order 9066, all persons of Japanese ancestry in the Seattle area were forced into inland internment camps. University president Lee Paul Sieg advocated for the transfer of Japanese American students to colleges away from the Pacific Coast.
October 2, 1946: Opening of the Medical School
On October 2, 1946, the University of Washington formally opened a medical school as part of a School of Health Sciences, despite opposition. The G.I. Bill provided funding for buildings and salaries, establishing the foundation for the University of Washington Medical Center.
1948: Student protest
In 1948, students protested the firing of three UW professors accused of communist affiliations.
1948: Truman Administration Suspicions
In 1948, the University of Washington was highly suspect by the Truman Administration.
1949: Dismissal of Professors
In 1949, following investigations, Professor Herbert Phillips, Professor Joe Butterworth, and Professor Ralph Gundlach were dismissed.
1954: J. Robert Oppenheimer Nomination
In 1954, J. Robert Oppenheimer was nominated by the University of Washington's Physics Department to lecture, but he was unable to attend due to loyalty checks requested by the US Federal Government. President Dr. Henry Schmitz disapproved of his nomination.
1954: Robert Osborne alumni
In 1954, Robert Osborne, former actor, The Hollywood Reporter columnist and TCM host was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1956: Switch from coal to natural gas
In 1956, the university started their switch from coal to natural gas.
1958: Odegaard's Vision and Increased Investment
From 1958, Charles Odegaard instituted a vision of building a "community of scholars", convincing the Washington State legislatures to increase investment in the university, increasing the budget from $37 million.
1958: Start of Growth Period
From 1958, the University of Washington saw tremendous growth in enrollment, faculties, operating budget, and prestige under Charles Odegaard's leadership.
1958: Men's crew wins Moscow Cup
In 1958, the men's crew won against Leningrad Trud's world champion rowers at the Moscow Cup.
1960: Football team wins national title
In 1960, the University of Washington's football team won the national title.
1965: Dale Chihuly alumni
In 1965, Dale Chihuly, glass artist was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1968: Civil Rights Activism
From 1968, the University of Washington saw high levels of student activism focused around civil rights.
1968: ASUW Experimental College created
In 1968, the ASUW Experimental College was created by University of Washington students.
June 29, 1969: Bomb Detonation on Campus
On June 29, 1969, a bomb detonated on the University of Washington campus, causing $100,000 in damages but no injuries.
October 30, 1969: Suspension of Black Football Players
On October 30, 1969, football coach Jim Owens suspended four Black football players for "[a] lack of commitment to the team," leading to demands for his resignation and a refusal by the remaining black players to play.
March 25, 1970: Appointment of Dr. Robert Flennaugh
On March 25, 1970, African American Dr. Robert Flennaugh was appointed to the UW Board of Regents.
1973: End of Growth Period
Until 1973, the University of Washington experienced a period of significant growth in enrollment, faculties, operating budget, and prestige, under the leadership of Charles Odegaard. UW student enrollment had more than doubled to 34,000 as the baby boom generation came of age.
1975: Student Protests over Hiring Practices
In 1975, 2,000 students protested university hiring practices on the University of Washington campus through May 13 and 14.
1977: Marilynne Robinson alumni
In 1977, Marilynne Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1977: Transition School and Early Entrance Program
In 1977, UW began to operate a Transition School and Early Entrance Program on campus.
1978: Kenny G alumni
In 1978, Kenny G, saxophonist was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1985: Mark Arm alumni
In 1985, Mark Arm, Mudhoney lead vocalist was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1986: Rainn Wilson alumni
In 1986, Rainn Wilson, actor was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1988: Chris DeWolfe alumni
In 1988, Chris DeWolfe, MySpace co-founder was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1988: Switch from coal to natural gas finished
In 1988, the university finished their switch from coal to natural gas.
1990: Opening of Bothell and Tacoma Campuses
In 1990, the University of Washington opened its additional campuses in Bothell and Tacoma.
1991: Football team wins national title
In 1991, the University of Washington's football team won the national title.
1994: Student Senate established
In 1994, the Student Senate was established as a division of the Associated Students of the University of Washington.
1995: Joel McHale alumni
In 1995, Joel McHale, actor and comedian was an alumni of the University of Washington.
1997: William Henry Gates II Appointed as Regent
In 1997, William Henry Gates II, the father of Bill Gates, began serving as a Regent.
1997: Women's team wins NCAA championship
In 1997, the women's rowing team won the NCAA championship.
2000: Joel McHale alumni
In 2000, Joel McHale, actor and comedian was an alumni of the University of Washington.
2001: Andrew Harms alumni
In 2001, Andrew Harms, radio and TV personality was an alumni of the University of Washington.
2001: Listed as a "Public Ivy"
Since 2001, UW has been listed as a "Public Ivy" in Greene's Guides.
2002: Pacific Coast Architecture Database started
In 2002, Alan Michelson started the Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD) while he worked at UCLA.
2003: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2003, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
2004: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2004, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
December 23, 2005: Men's basketball team wins 800th victory
On December 23, 2005, the men's basketball team won their 800th victory in Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
2005: Women's volleyball team, James Lepp and Brad Walker win NCAA championships
In 2005, the women's volleyball team were national champions, James Lepp was the NCAA men's golf champion and Brad Walker was the NCAA men's Outdoor and Indoor Pole Vault champion.
February 2006: UW joins Green Up Program
In February 2006, UW joined a partnership with Seattle City Light as part of their Green Up Program, ensuring that all of Seattle campus' electricity is supplied by and purchased from renewable sources.
2006: Ryan Brown and Amy Lia win individual titles
In 2006, Ryan Brown (men's 800 meters) and Amy Lia (women's 1500 meters) won individual titles at the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
2006: Husky Promise launched
In 2006, UW launched Husky Promise to promote equal academic opportunity, especially for people of low income.
2006: Admission of First Freshman Classes
In 2006, the Bothell and Tacoma campuses of the University of Washington admitted their first freshman classes.
2006: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2006, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
2007: Men's rowing team national champions
In 2007, the men's rowing team were national champions.
May 2008: Long Journey Home Ceremonial Event
In May 2008, the University of Washington held the Long Journey Home ceremonial event to recognize the accomplishments of Japanese American students who were unable to complete their studies due to internment during World War II.
2008: Women's cross country team national champions
In 2008, the NCAA Division I women's cross country team were national champions.
2008: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2008, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
May 1, 2009: Swim teams discontinued
On May 1, 2009, the University of Washington discontinued its men's and women's swim teams due to budget cuts.
2009: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2009, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
2009: Softball team national champions
In 2009, the softball team were national champions, and the men's rowing team also won a national title.
2010: Scott Roth is NCAA champion
In 2010, Scott Roth was the NCAA men's Indoor Pole Vault champion.
2010: The Daily launches "The Daily's Double Shot"
In 2010, The Daily of the University of Washington launched a half-hour weekly television magazine show, "The Daily's Double Shot," on UWTV Channel 27.
2010: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2010, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
2010: UW President Emmert signs Climate Commitment
In 2010, then UW President Emmert furthered the university's efforts with other universities and signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment.
August 2011: Phyllis Wise named Chancellor of the University of Illinois
In August 2011, Phyllis Wise, former Provost and Executive Vice President and Interim President at UW, was named the Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
2011: Sustainability Report Card Grade
In 2011, the University of Washington was one of several universities to receive the highest grade, "A−", on the Sustainable Endowments Institute's College Sustainability Report Card.
2011: NCAA tournament appearance
In 2011, the men's basketball team went to the NCAA tournament with Lorenzo Romar as head coach.
2011: Men's rowing team national champions, Scott Roth wins
In 2011, the men's rowing team were national champions and Scott Roth was the NCAA men's Outdoor Pole Vault and NCAA men's Indoor Pole Vault champion.
2012: Faculty and student achievements
As of 2012, the university recognized faculty achievements and student achievements like Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, and Gates Cambridge Scholars.
2012: Research budget milestone
In 2012, UW's research budget surpassed the $1.0 billion milestone.
2012: End of William Henry Gates II's Tenure as Regent
In 2012, William Henry Gates II finished his time as a Regent for the University of Washington.
2012: Men's rowing team national champions
In 2012, the men's rowing team were national champions.
2012: Exploration of Expansion Plans
In 2012, the university began exploring plans and governmental approval to expand the main Seattle campus.
2012: Campus policies to manage growth
Starting in 2012, UW began taking active measures to explore, plan and enact a series of campus policies to manage the annual growth.
2013: Men's rowing team national champions
In 2013, the men's rowing team were national champions.
2014: Underwater cabled observatory completed
In 2014, the University of Washington School of Oceanography and the UW Applied Physics Laboratory completed the construction of the first high-power underwater cabled observatory in the United States.
2014: Men's rowing team national champions
In 2014, the men's rowing team were national champions.
2014: North Campus Development Plan
In late 2014, administrators proposed a new, multimillion-dollar, multi-phase development plan to refine portions of the North Campus at the University of Washington.
February 3, 2015: Michael K. Young leaves UW
On February 3, 2015, Michael K. Young, the previous president of UW, was announced as the next president of Texas A&M University, leaving his position at UW vacant.
October 13, 2015: Ana Mari Cauce selected as president
On October 13, 2015, Ana Mari Cauce was selected as the president of the University of Washington by the Board of Regents.
November 12, 2015: Board of Regents approves Cauce's contract
On November 12, 2015, the Board of Regents approved a five-year contract for Ana Mari Cauce, with a yearly compensation of $910,000, including salary, deferred compensation, retirement contribution, and automobile allowance.
2015: Husky men are national champions
In 2015, the Husky men's rowing team are the national champions.
2015: Men's rowing team national champions
In 2015, the men's rowing team were national champions.
March 2016: Completion of University of Washington Light Rail Station
In March 2016, the University of Washington light rail station was completed, connecting Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood to the UW Husky Stadium.
March 19, 2016: New light-rail station opens
On March 19, 2016, the underground light-rail station opened as part of the Husky Stadium remodel.
2016: Football team appears in College Football Playoff
In 2016, the University of Washington's football team appeared in the College Football Playoff.
April 2017: Cyberattacks begin
The cyberattacks on academic institutions, including the University of Washington, have been underway since at least April 2017.
2017: Fulbright Scholars ranking
In 2017, UW was recognized as a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, ranking 2nd in the US.
2017: Experimental College ceased operation
In 2017, the ASUW Experimental College ceased operation.
2017: Leiden Ranking
In 2017, the Leiden Ranking, which focuses on science and the impact of scientific publications, ranked UW 12th globally and 5th in the U.S.
2017: West Campus Utility Plant added
In 2017, the West Campus Utility Plant (WCUP) was added to campus, to serve as backup power and generate chilled water.
2017: University financial report
In 2017, the university reported $4.893 billion in revenues and $5.666 billion in expenses, resulting in an operating loss of $774 million. This loss was offset by other revenues, resulting in a net position increase of $363 million.
2017: Investment income reported
In fiscal year 2017, the university reported $443.383 million of investment income.
2018: Washington Monthly National University Rankings
In 2018, UW was ranked 15th domestically in the Washington Monthly National University Rankings.
2018: New construction underway
In 2018, the university claimed to have nearly $1 billion in new construction underway.
2019: Kiplinger magazine review
In 2019, Kiplinger magazine's review of "top college values" named UW 5th for in-state students and 10th for out-of-state students among U.S. public colleges, and 84th overall out of 500 schools.
2019: Academic Ranking
In 2019, UW ranked 14th worldwide out of 500 by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), 26th worldwide out of 981 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and 28th worldwide out of 101 in the Times World Reputation Rankings. Meanwhile, QS World University Rankings ranked it 68th worldwide, out of over 900.
2019: Cyberattacks reported
In 2019, iDefense reported that Chinese hackers had launched cyberattacks on academic institutions, including the University of Washington, to gain information on technology being developed for the United States Navy.
2019: Opening of the Bill & Melinda Gates Center
In 2019, the Bill & Melinda Gates Center For Computer Science & Engineering opened in East Campus at the University of Washington.
2019: SCImago Institutions Rankings
In 2019, the University of Washington ranked 10th among universities worldwide by SCImago Institutions Rankings.
2020: Honor Roll of Donors
As of 2020, the university's Honor Roll of Donors recognized top contributors including Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the late Paul G. Allen, Amazon, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BlackRock, Boeing, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, China Medical Board, Eli Lilly and Company, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Monsanto, Novartis, Open Philanthropy, Open Society Foundations, Pfizer, Rockefeller Foundation, and Wellcome Trust.
2020: National Merit Scholars
In the 2020–2021 academic year, 24 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.
2020: Construction and renovations scheduled
Through 2020, new building construction and renovations have been scheduled to take place.
2021: University endowments reached almost $5.0 billion
By 2021, university endowments reached almost $5.0 billion.
2021: ACT scores for enrolled freshmen
In 2021, of the 8% of enrolled freshmen who submitted ACT scores, the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 29 and 34.
2021: Class of 2025 enrolled
In 2021, the Class of 2025 enrolled at UW and UW's freshman retention rate is 93%, with 84% going on to graduate within six years.
2023: Enrollment numbers
As of fall 2023, the University of Washington had 50,097 total enrollments.
2023: Decarbonization plan created
From late 2023, the University of Washington created an actionable energy systems decarbonization plan with the help from an outside energy consultant team.
2023: Football team appears in College Football Playoff
In 2023, the University of Washington's football team appeared in the College Football Playoff.
2023: Wage Increase Proposal
In 2023, the original proposal of the University included increases for research scientists and postdocs, with an average 15% total wage increase for postdocs, including 13% in January.
2024: U.S. News & World Report ranking
In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked UW 6th out of nearly 1,500 universities worldwide.
2024: Greenhouse gas emissions origin
In 2024, it was found that 93% of the University's direct greenhouse gas emissions originated from the natural gas combustion system within the UW's central power plant.
2024: Median GPA for newly enrolled students
In 2024, newly enrolled students had a median high school GPA of 3.82.
2024: Joins Big Ten Conference
In 2024, the University of Washington joined the Big Ten Conference after being in the Pac-12 Conference for decades.
2024: Research and Development Spending
In 2024, the University of Washington spent $1.73 billion on research and development, ranking it fifth in the nation according to the National Science Foundation.
2024: Decarbonization plan created
Into the end of 2024, the University of Washington created an actionable energy systems decarbonization plan with the help from an outside energy consultant team.
2025: Application statistics for the Class of 2025
For the Class of 2025 (enrolled fall 2021), UW received 48,840 applications and accepted 26,121 (53.5%). Of those accepted, 7,252 enrolled, a yield rate of 27.8%.
2025: Cauce to step down
In 2025, Ana Mari Cauce plans to step down as president after her second term.
2035: Target date to be fossil fuel free
By 2035, the University of Washington hopes to completely phase out natural gas from their heating systems and to be fossil fuel free in regard to their direct emissions.
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