‘Tampa U’ Celebrates Diamond Jubilee

When The University of Tampa began classes on Oct. 5, 1931 as Tampa Junior College, there were 62 local students, tuition was $120 per semester, and there was no building to call home.

Almost two years later, on Aug. 2, 1933, UT found its permanent home in the old Tampa Bay Hotel and began its journey in earnest.

It has been a journey of alternating success and hardship, as the University has adapted and reinvented itself to meet new challenges. Today, its future is brighter than it has ever been, as it continues to expand in terms of academic excellence, prestige, resources and enrollment.

We have highlighted that incredible journey on this Web site and in three issues of the UT Journal. We have highlighted momentous events, special times, and the special people who have attended here. We’ve written about our alumni, our faculty and our presidents.

We began with Frederic Spaulding, who almost single-handedly forged his dream of a local University, and continue to the present day as UT enjoys the greatest economic and academic expansion in its history under its 10th president.

Some would say it has been a bumpy ride, but all would agree it has been interesting.

We retraced many of those highlights such as that first year when, in the grips of the world-wide Depression, the University’s 700 surplus dollars were divided among the faculty as pay, and the University was accepting notes, insurance policies and deeds on homes in lieu of tuition.

There were the war years, when military pilots were being trained in Tampa and GIs began returning from the war to go to school, and married couples and some faculty members lived in Plant Hall on the upper floors.

There was a huge struggle for accreditation, which lasted for 20 years and was finally achieved in Dec. 1951. There were the glory days of our powerhouse football team, which struck fear into the hearts of our athletic rivals. Pajama parties, sock hops, parades and second jobs were daily rituals.

The creation of the University of South Florida created another challenge, as many believed it would swallow UT. President David Delo arrived to take the University in another direction, and began to expand the size of the campus, construct new buildings and build enrollment.

It’s Your Celebration

In 75 years, UT has educated and placed thousands of alumni in positions of leadership at all levels of society around the world. There will continue to be many opportunities for you to speak out and share your memories of UT.

This Web page is available to tell the UT story electronically, and the alumni office has created an e-mail address, 75years@ut.edu, to use for sharing your memories.

Numerous events were organized, and traditional ones such as Homecoming, the Minaret Society Dinner, Sports Hall of Fame and others had special meaning in this anniversary year.

The opening ceremony for the 75th Anniversary Celebration (read story or view image gallery) took place on the East Verandah of Plant Hall at 4 p.m. on Oct. 5, since that was the time and date of the first class in 1931.

The festivities culminated with a Picnic in the Park on April 15, from noon to 4 p.m. The birthday party included ice cream and cake.