College History

CSU was founded as Colorado Agricultural College in 1870.

Home Economics at Colorado State University was started by the Colorado Agricultural College, which created the program in Domestic Economy to meet the needs of incoming female students.

Theodosia G. Ammons was called to oversee the new program in Domestic Economy.

The name of the department of Domestic Economy was changed to Domestic Science.

In June 1905, the degree of Bachelor of Science in Home Economics was first conferred upon candidates.

The Simon Guggenheim Hall of Household Arts was built with funds donated from a United States Senator, whose only stipulation was that the building have a columned portico with his name engraved upon it. College officials protested due to unstable ground, but Mr. Guggenheim insisted and the front of the building almost broke off. Cracks in its walls remain to this day. Today the building houses the Department of Construction Management.

Inga Allison became Department Head. She had a talent for research and conducted experiments to determine the impact of altitude on recipes developed at lower elevations.

Students in the Department of Home Economics were involved in “war work” developing food conservation circulars for statewide distribution and running the food kitchens which served two campus emergency hospitals during the flu epidemic.

CSU was one of the first schools of Home Economics in the nation to have a Home Management House, or “practice cottage,” which was located at 642 S. Howes St. The practice house had several locations including 212 W. Laurel St., the location of the Rainbow Restaurant today. Every Home Economics student lived in the practice cottage for several weeks on a rotating basis taking turns being a cook, manager, waitress, and baby manager.

The South College Gymnasium facility was completed to serve as headquarters for the Athletics and Physical Training Program. Today, the building still hosts outreach programs in the Department of Health and Exercise Science.

On April 22, 2011, the old gym and field house was re-named the Glenn Morris Field House in honor of the great 1936 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Decathlon, a CSU alumnus who trained here.

The High Altitude Laboratory, the first of its kind in the nation, was built to help homemakers across the world with the problems of cooking and baking at high altitudes. The laboratory was made possible by several years of experimental studies done by Dean Inga Allison.

CSU’s preschool program, what is now the Early Childhood Center, originally started at the site where the Rainbow Restaurant now sits, at 212 W. Laurel St. At that time it was a summer-only program.

In 1936, the Preschool Laboratory was established on a year-round basis, housed just west of Ammons Hall in the former Veterinary Hospital Annex.

In 1935, Colorado Agricultural College became the Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, or Colorado A&M for short.

Physical Education, the precursor to Health and Exercise Science, was established as an undergraduate major with a B.S. degree.

The major in Occupational Therapy was started.

Colorado A&M’s first interdepartmental degree program, Light Construction and Marketing, the predecessor to the modern program in Construction Management, was established.

The Department of Home Economics changed its name to the School of Home Economics. Elizabeth Dyer Gifford becomes the Dean.

The College of Home Economics was established when Colorado Agricultural College became Colorado State University, changing from a school to a college with five departments offering 21 areas of specialized study within eight majors. Dean Gifford leads the College until 1975.

In 1957, the Colorado General Assembly approved the name change from Colorado A&M to Colorado State University.

The Department of General Home Economics became the Department of Consumer Sciences and Housing.

The newly formed College of Professional Studies confers its first degrees, and the Industrial-Construction Management major becomes part of that college. Bill Johnson serves as Dean of the College.

Helen McHugh takes over as Dean of the College of Home Economics.

In January, three of the five departments in the College moved into the new Elizabeth Dyar Gifford Building named in honor of the long-serving Dean.

The College of Home Economics undergoes a name change to the College of Human Resource Sciences.

The College of Human Resource Sciences merged with the College of Professional Studies and became the College of Applied Human Sciences. Robin Herron was named Dean.

The School of Occupational and Educational Studies (called the School of Education since 1996) was created by merging the two Departments of Education and Vocational Education. SOES was led by Duane Jansen and housed in the College of Professional Studies.

Consolidation of interior design program in the Department of Art with the interior design program in the Department of Design and Merchandising for a single interior design program at CSU.

Ellie Gilfoyle takes over as dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences.

Nancy Hartley becomes dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences.

April Mason becomes the new dean.

Jeff McCubbin becomes dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences.

The College of Applied Human Sciences changes its name to the College of Health and Human Sciences effective July 1, 2013. The College consists of six departments (Construction Management, Design and Merchandising, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Health and Exercise Science, Human Development and Family Studies, Occupational Therapy) and two schools (School of Education, and School of Social Work).

Lise Youngblade becomes dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, having served for 13 years as department head in Human Development and Family Studies.