University of Louisiana at Monroe - History

History

ULM opened in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later it became the Northeast Center of Louisiana State University. In 1936 and 1937, its dean was Stephen A. Caldwell.

Its name changed again in 1949, to Northeast Junior College of Louisiana State University. A year later, it offered its first four-year degrees as Northeast Louisiana State College. Its name remained unchanged for nearly two decades, but in 1969, when it began to grant its first doctoral degrees, it changed from Northeast Louisiana State College to Northeast Louisiana University (NLU). Much of the growth occurred during the administration of president George T. Walker from 1958 to 1976. Under Walker, enrollment increased from 2,100 to 9,700. NLU became the largest university in North Louisiana in terms of enrollment and state appropriations. Among all of the universities under the Louisiana Higher Education Board of Trustees, Northeast had the greatest percent of faculty holding terminal degrees, more nationally accredited academic programs, and offered the highest faculty salaries.

Some three decades later, NLU was in 1999 renamed ULM.