PRECIS OF THE UNIVERSITY'S HISTORY
1. Names and Levels
2. Presidents and Chancellors
| NAMES AND LEVELS | |
| 1889 | Semi-private school |
| 1891 | Cullowhee High School |
| 1893 | First state appropriation Normal Department established First graduating class |
| 1905 | Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School |
| 1912 | Junior College rank established Secondary school discontinued |
| 1913 | First college-level (one-year) degree awarded |
| 1925 | Cullowhee State Normal School |
| 1929 | Western Carolina Teachers College Senior College rank established |
| 1931 | First Baccalaureate degree awarded |
| 1951 | Graduate degree established |
| 1952 | First Master's degree awarded |
| 1953 | Western Carolina College |
| 1967 | Western Carolina University |
| 1972 | A constituent institution of the University of North Carolina |
| PRESIDENTS | |
| 1889-1912; 1920-1923 | Robert Lee Madison |
| 1912-1920 | Alonzo Carlton Reynolds |
| 1923-1947 | Hiram Tyram Hunter |
| 1947-1949; 1956-1957 | William Ernest Bird |
| 1949-1956; 1957-1968 | Paul Apperson Reid |
| 1968-1972 | Alexander Simpson Pow |
| 1972 | Frank Hamilton Brown, Jr. (Acting) |
| CHANCELLORS | |
| 1972-1973 | Jack Kenneth Carlton |
| 1973 | William Hugh McEniry (Acting) |
| 1974 | Frank Hamilton Brown, Jr. (Acting) |
| 1974-1984 | H. F. Robinson |
| 1984-1994 | Myron L. Coulter |
| 1994-1995 | John H. Wakeley (Interim) |
| 1995- | John W. Bardo |
| Source: Office of University Planning | |
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