Quick Facts about USU
For more detailed information, visit Facts & Figures.
USU We Love You
On March 8, 1888, the Agricultural College of Utah became the land-grant college in the Utah territory. The name was later changed to the Utah state Agricultural College of Utah and in 1957 the institution became Utah State University.
The Beginnings
In 1888 the Utah Territory received funding for an agricultural college on the Logan bench in Cache Valley. Today, USU occupies 7,000 acres (400 of which are on Logan campus). USU has three branch campuses (Uintah Basin, Tooele and Brigham City) and Extension offices in all of Utah's 29 counties.
Nine Professors, One Building
USU was formally dedicated in September 1890. A faculty of nine taught students in Old Main. Today, USU has nearly 800 professors, and the university offers more than 200 majors through seven colleges.
Still a Bargain
When classes began in 1890-91, the college enrolled 139 students - 106 men and 33 women. The cost - $5 per year. USU's enrollment for Fall 2005 is 23,107 students, and resident undergrad tuition and fees cost $3,672 (30 credits) with graduate costs totaling $3,474 (20 credits). Non-resident tuition and fees cost $10,616 (30 credits), while non-resident graduate costs total $10,799 (20 credits). See the Facts & Figures to learn more.
Show 'Em Your "A"
In 1909 the first senior class gift was an "A" placed on the west side of Old Main tower. The "A," now on all four sides of the tower, can be seen throughout the valley, especially at night when lit in white. For special occasions and athletic wins, the "A" shines blue.
The 1891 Co-ed
The first dormitory on the USU campus was completed in 1891 and housed both men and women, and a very watchful matron! Today, students choose from multiple options for on-campus housing including several dorms and apartments in Aggie Village. In 2007, the new Living-Learning Center will open on the brow of Old Main Hill and will house 500 students.
Big Blue for More Than a Century
In 1901 the USU faculty adopted Royal Blue and White as the college colors. The name Aggie had a more informal beginning, with the first athletic teams called the "Farmers." Aggies was first used in the late 1890s, though as early as 1916 the local paper called the various athletic teams "Big Blue."
"A" Day of Service
In the early days of the university, an annual clean-up day involved the entire student body. Agathon, a spring celebration, was marked with construction of new sidewalks around campus. Students still celebrate "A-Day" with service, and many become "True Aggies" by kissing at midnight on the "A" on the west side of the Quad. Visit the Student Alumni Association.
Revolving Books
The first USU library was located in Old Main. The new Merrill-Cazier Library opened its doors in September 2005 and features an automated storage and retrieval system (which holds more than 500,000 books and has the capacity for 950,000 more), more than 30 group-study and project rooms, a 50-seat café and an expansive Information Commons that houses 150 computers.
Water Wise
Since water is the key factor in all agriculture, one of the first major investigations of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station dealt with dry farming. It is still an active research subject for the station and USU is known throughout the world for its expertise in water with $150 million in projects in 75 nations.
Forward Thinking
Some of the first experiments conducted by the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station were not that different from what the station studies today. Crop rotation, water and how it affects crops and snow runoff were among the initial subjects researched by specialists at the university.
Branching Out
In 1956 the university began to define research beyond agriculture to include all scholarly and creative endeavors including business, education, biological science and the arts. Today, USU is well-known for its research and expertise in the areas of land and water, space, human services and the arts.
From Student Life to Utah Statesman
In 1902 the first issue of Student Life was published. Then a quarterly magazine, it was first issued in tabloid format in 1908. The name was changed to The Statesman in 1978, and the paper, the oldest continuously issued student publication in Utah, is still printed on a tri-weekly basis.
President's Residence
The university's first president, Jeremiah W. Sanborn, originally lived in a model farmhouse on Old Main Hill that now serves as the university's alumni house. USU's current President Stan Albrecht and his wife, Joyce, reside in the President's Home located northeast of Aggie Village and the USU Trailer Park. The house, built in 2003, was first home to USU's 14th President Kermit L. Hall and his wife, Phyllis.
A Great "Scene"
When Old Main opened its doors, the Main Auditorium was the scene for plays, operas, vocal performances and concerts. With the announcement of the School of the Arts in fall of 2005 the university now offers a collaborative program that adds to the visibility and prominence of existing arts programs on campus.