USM Timeline

Brief Chronological History of USM followed by Presidents, Principals, Provosts, and Deans

Timeline

1878 - Gorham Normal School established (GNS) as Western Maine Normal School, Maine's third normal school

1879 - Gorham Normal School opens in January, 1879. Course of study is one year

1881 - Course of study increased to two years

1921 - Portland University is incorporated (PU)

1925 - (GNS) Program for Junior High preparation begun and course of study increased to three years

1925 - Portland University closes

1933 - Portland Junior College (PJC) opens

1938 - (GNS) First baccalaureate (four year) degrees awarded

1943 - PJC is closed because of WWII

1945 - Portland University's old charter is revised and reopens, primarily to provide law training in Maine

1945 - GNS renamed Gorham State Teacher's College (GSTC)

1946 - PJC reopens, but for men only, to accomodate ex servicemen

1947 - Portland Junior College aquires the former Deering Estate, the present location of USM's Portland campus

1949 - Portland University is given the right to grant the law degree (LLB) by the state

1953 - PU is granted the right to confer other degrees by the state, the College of Business Administration is established

1957 - PJC acquired by the UM System in 1957, becomes University of Maine in Portland (UMP). It remains a two year school until 1961

1960 - Regional accreditation for GSTC

1961 - Portland University merges with UMP and PU's Portland Law School becomes the University of Maine School of Law

1961 - Coeds are first enrolled on the Portland campus. PJC was a male only school and UMP continued on as such until the fall of 1961.

1962 - Continuing Education Divison established at UMP

1964 - Graduate School established at GSTC, Gorham

1965 - National accreditation for GSTC

1965 - GSTC renamed Gorham State College (GSC)

1966 - Secondary Education program established in Gorham

1968 - Gorham State College joins the UM system and becomes Gorham State College of University of Maine (GSC of UM)

1969 - Trustees decree that GSC and UMP will merge to become the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham (UMPG) in 1970

1970 - July 11, 1970, the UMPG merger becomes effective, the academic merger follows one year later (the Fall term 1971 is the first as UMPG)

1978 - UMPG is renamed the University of Southern Maine (USM)

1988 - Lewiston/Auburn College of USM established

Presidents, Principals, Provosts, and Deans

William Corthell, principal, GNS 1878-1905

Walter Russell, principal, GNS 1905-1940

Francis L. Bailey, president, GNS-GSTC, 1940-1960

Kenneth T. H. Brooks, president, GSTC-GSC-GSCofUM, 1960-1970

Everett Lord, dean, PJC 1933-1938

Luther T. Bonney, dean, PJC 1938-1957

Luther T. Bonney, dean, UMP 1957-1958

William I. Irvine, dean, UMP 1958-1961

William L. Whiting, dean, UMP 1961-1966

David R. Fink, dean UMP 1966-1967, provost 1968-1969

Edward S. Godfrey, acting provost UMP 1970

Richard H. Armstrong, dean, Law School, PU 1949-1961

John M. Blake, dean College of Business Administration, PU 1953-1961

William F. MacLeod, acting president, UMPG, 1970-1971

Louis J.P. Calisti, president, UMPG 1971-1973

Walter P. Fridinger, acting president, UMPG 1973

N. Edd Miller, president, UMPG, 1973-1978

Kenneth W. Allen, acting president, USM, 1978-1979

Robert L. Woodbury, president, USM 1979-1987

Patricia R. Plante, president, USM 1987-1991

Richard L. Pattenaude, president, USM 1991-2007
Joseph S. Wood, acting president, USM, 2007-2008
Selma Botman, president, USM, 2008-2012

Theodora J. Kalikow, president, USM, 2012-