On March 11, 1901, Governor Frank W. Hunt signed Senate Bill 53 establishing the Academy of Idaho contingent upon private land donations being made for its site. The Academy of Idaho was officially opened in Pocatello on May 1, 1901 By 1910 enrollment had reached nearly 300 students. The academy purchased four city blocks in Pocatello to help meet its needs.In 1915, it became Idaho Technical Institute. The end of World War I brought an influx of students to the school, and the enrollment surged to over 1,000 students. The early 1920s saw the beginning of intercollegiate competition. At this time the institute adopted the Bengal as the school mascot, as one of its early coaches was from Princeton. Princeton's colors are also black & orange, and its mascot is the tiger.In 1927 the school was renamed the University of Idaho - Southern Branch. In 1947 it was renamed Idaho State College and became a four-year school for the first time. The following year its enrollment reached 2,000.On April 10, 1952 ten employees of Idaho State College organized Idaho State College Federal Credit Union with just $5 each to provide a cooperative system of low cost loans to coworkers. On October 28, 1963 the Credit Union was renamed Idaho State University Federal Credit Union to reflect the college’s new name.In 1963, the school was renamed to Idaho State University, reflecting its new status as a full four-year public university, the state's second. In the ensuing years, ISU continuously expanded in both enrollment and programs offered. The presidency of Dr. Richard L. Bowen from 1985-2005 is regarded as an era of particular growth. Bowen resigned after a vote of No Confidence from the faculty, who were angered by generous pay raises for administration members during calls for fiscal austerity. As of 2006, ISU had colleges in arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, health professions, pharmacy, and technology.On July 1, 2006, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Houston System and Vice President of the University of Houston Dr. Arthur C. Vailas became president of the university, replacing Michael Gallagher-who had served as president on an interim basis since Bowen's retirement in 2005.
