History of Arizona State University

Principal Hiram Bradford Farmer opened the Territorial Normal School's four classroom building to 33 students on February 8, 1886, the first institution of higher education to open in Arizona. The Normal School was charged to provide "instruction of persons, both male and female, in the art of teaching, and in all the various branches that pertain to a good common school education; also, to give instruction in the mechanical arts and in husbandry and agricultural chemistry, in the fundamental law of the United States, and in what regards the rights and duties of citizens."^[1]

During the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal, ASU's reputation received negative press coverage when it was alleged in court filings that one of the defendant parents had named ASU as a university they were specifically trying to avoid. It was reported in connection with such coverage that the non-selective university has been the "butt of jokes" in American television shows for many years, as well as the 2015 film Ted 2.^[2]

• Evolution of a University^{[permanent dead link]}, a series on ASU's history and future plans printed in The State Press from Nov. 4–6, 2008
  • 50 years ago, voters endorse name change for Arizona State
  • Longtime employees look back at past 50 years’ ASU presidents
  • Crow’s vision attracts both praise, criticism
  • New American University plan ahead of schedule