IN 2023
World Sea Turtle Day is established in honor of the legendary researcher Archie Carr, and aims to raise awareness about sea turtles and the challenges they face.
IN 2016
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Collaboration, which has involved UF physicists since its early days, discovered that it had detected a “chirp” from colliding black holes in late 2015. […]
IN 2015
Dave Richardson was named Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in June, 2014. In March 2015, he was appointed Dean of the college, providing leadership for […]
IN 2008
Paul D’Anieri was hired as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. D’Anieri received a bachelor’s degree in international relations at Michigan State, followed by a doctorate in […]
IN 2007
Associate Provost Joe Glover became interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Science in January following the resignation of Dean Neil Sullivan. Glover’s relationship to the college dated […]
IN 2006
Following two years of restoration, the college opened the restored Kathryn Chicone Ustler Hall, the new home for the Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research. Built in 1919, the […]
IN 2005
The college established two new centers: the Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions, directed by Religion Professor Vasudha Narayanan, and the Center for Medieval and Modern Studies, directed by […]
IN 2004
Renovations began on the Women’s Gym, which was renamed Kathryn Chicone Ustler Hall upon completion. Ustler’s donation transformed the building into a 14,700 square-foot, three-level facility that houses classrooms, seminar […]
IN 2003
As the University of Florida celebrated its 150th anniversary, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences had many new initiatives on the horizon, including the construction of the world’s largest […]
IN 2001
After serving as interim dean for the 2000-2001 academic year, Neil Sullivan was named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Sullivan came to UF in 1982 from […]
IN 2000
Newman Nahas (English, ’00) was named a Rhodes Scholar. Nahas earned his JD from Harvard Law School and practices litigation in New York. Newman Nahas
IN 1997
Kenneth (’47 Mathematics) and Janet Keene donated a generous gift that allowed the college to start restoration of Anderson and Flint Halls. Under the direction of Rowe Architects, the buildings […]
IN 1996
The William and Grace Dial Center for Written and Oral Communication was created to prepare UF students to effectively use the conventions governing speaking and writing in their chosen disciplines. […]
IN 1988
Willard W. Harrison was hired as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He came to UF from the University of Virginia, where he served as chair of […]
IN 1983
Political science student Charlotte Mather became the first woman elected student body president at UF. Joan Warren, also a political science student, was the first woman to run for the […]
IN 1982
Donald Justice joins the English Department and teaches until his retirement in 1992. Justice won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1980 for Selected Poems. He passed away in 2004 […]
IN 1978
University College was abolished after a long and acrimonious struggle, and its faculty were absorbed into the College of Arts and Sciences, which was renamed the College of Liberal Arts […]
IN 1977
The Women’s Studies Program was established, offering classes dedicated to exploring the perspectives of women. English Professor Irene Thompson served as its first director. In 1990, an interdisciplinary BA in […]
IN 1976
Having served as an assistant dean since 1971, Ruth McQuown became the first female associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. McQuown, a political science professor and local […]
IN 1973
The Center for Jewish Studies was established and in 1987 was approved by the Board of Regents to offer degrees. The center provides an undergraduate, interdepartmental curriculum, which serves as […]
IN 1910
The College of Arts and Sciences opened as part of a reorganization of the University of Florida. Prior to 1910, classes in the arts and sciences were taught in the […]
IN 1972
Calvin Anthony VanderWerf was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Born in 1917 in Wisconsin, he earned a BA from Hope College in 1937 and a PhD from […]
IN 1970
UF hired its first black faculty and staff. The small group of eight included English professors Ronald C. Foreman and Betty Ingram. Mathematics Professor John Thompson won the Fields […]
IN 1968
Harry Hall Sisler was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was born in 1917 in Ohio and earned a BS from Ohio State University in 1936. […]
IN 1968
Alumnus Marshall Nirenberg (Zoology: ’48; MS’52) won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his work on deciphering the genetic code. Marshall Nirenberg
IN 1948
Ralph Emerson Page was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was born in Middlebury, Indiana in 1903. He earned his AB from Bluffton College in Ohio […]
IN 1947
Dorothy Rethlingshafer became the first woman to join the faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences when she was hired by the Department of Psychology. At the time of […]
IN 1938
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings taught a creative writing course at UF for the Department of English. Her book, The Yearling, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939 .
IN 1937
Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most respected undergraduate honors organization in the U.S., founded a chapter at UF with the mission of fostering and recognizing excellence in the liberal […]
IN 1935
UF President John J. Tigert created General College out of concern that UF students were not getting a strong liberal arts education. Many universities across the nation formed general colleges […]
IN 1934
Chemistry students John Morrow and Larry Amundsen earned the first PhDs awarded at the University of Florida. Morrow’s dissertation was entitled “The Dielectric Constant of Benzene.”
IN 1934
Townes R. Leigh was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He earned a BS from Iuka Normal School in 1901, an AB from Lebanon University in 1902 […]
IN 1912
Language Hall was constructed to house history, mathematics and the languages. It was later renamed Anderson Hall, in honor of Dean James Nesbitt Anderson. Today, Anderson Hall is home to […]
IN 1905
The Buckman Act creates a new University of Florida. A chemistry student was awarded the University’s first master’s degree.
IN 1853
East Florida Seminary opened its doors in Ocala. The University of Florida marks this as its founding date. Many of the courses offered today can be traced to the original […]