1911
The Texas Methodist Education Commission chooses Dallas over Fort Worth as the home of a new university to be sponsored by what was then the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Physicist Robert’s Stewart Hyer, the president of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, is elected first president of SMU on April 13.
1912
Dallas citizens pledge $300,000 ($6,317,878 adjusted for inflation) to construct the first building, named Dallas Hall in their honor.
1915
SMU opens its doors on Sept. 22 with 456 students, 37 faculty members, five buildings, an endowment fund of $279,178, and three groupings: the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Music and School of Theology.
First student newspaper, SMU Times, published (renamed The Campus in 1916).
The first student body includes 706 students, twice as many as expected. At that time, it is the largest first-year enrollment at any U.S. university except the University of Chicago.
1917
The Mustang is selected as the school’s mascot.
1923
Campus beautification committee adopts plans that lead to the placing of electric, telephone, water, gas lines and steam pipes in underground service tunnels, as well as the shortening of Bishop Boulevard which previously came close to the steps of Dallas Hall.
1926
Fire burns three men’s dormitories (North, South and Rankin Halls) in less than one hour. During the blaze, the new $10,000 University Park fire engine gets stuck in the mud and also burns.
The campus boasts five new buildings: McFarlin Auditorium, Hyer Hall, Ownby Stadium and two women’s dormitories — Snider and Virginia Halls.
1932
The first “Peruna,” named after a patented medicine, appears at a Mustang football game.
1936
On New Year’s Day 1936, the SMU football team makes its only appearance in the Rose Bowl. They lose 7-0 to Stanford, but make enough money for the university to pay off the bonds on Ownby Stadium.
1940
Compulsory chapel attendance abolished.
Temporary bleachers at Ownby Stadium collapse during homecoming football game with Texas A&M, injuring 38 fans.
Dedication of Fondren Library.
1948
Doak Walker won the Heisman Trophy as a Junior. His jersey number “37” was the first and only retired jersey.
Last game in Ownby Stadium (until 1989) was on Oct. 2 with SMU defeating Texas Tech 41-6.
1951
Twenty-one new buildings open on campus – Theology Quadrangle (seven buildings; an eighth in 1954), Law Quadrangle (Florence Hall and two new buildings).
Eleven new sorority houses open simultaneously on campus.
1955
Umphrey Lee Student Center opens.
M Awards, in modern form, begin.
1961
SMU celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding.
1962
First African-American undergraduate enrolls.
1965
Meadows Museum opens.
The first classes take place in the $9.5 million Owens Arts Center.
1969
School of the Arts renamed Meadows School of the Arts.
SMU has 80 buildings, an on-campus enrollment of 7,000, a faculty of 650 and an endowment of $24.709 million on a campus of 155 acres.
The student newspaper changes its name to The Daily Campus.
1970
Dormitory visitation allowed for the first time.
1971
Prohibition ends on campus.
1973
Parents’ Weekend begins.
1976
Celebration of Lights begins.
1977
Mustang Band begins admitting women.
1978
Dallas Hall is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
1981
SMU introduces a simple photo identification card.
1986
SMU celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Doak Walker elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1987
After discovery of a football pay-for-play scandal, the Methodist Church issues the Bishops’ Committee Report on SMU. The Board of Governors is abolished.
NCAA sanctions force cancellation of football for two seasons. The “Death Penalty” is the toughest penalty in college sports history.
1995
R. Gerald Turner installed as SMU’s 10th president.
2008
SMU is selected to host the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
June Jones named head football coach at SMU.
2009
After a 25-year hiatus, SMU returns to postseason play and wins the Hawaii Bowl against Nevada, 45-10.
