Timeline
1802
The first course in surveying is taught
1810
Professor Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler introduces curriculum aimed at developing courses in the sciences
1824
Approximately 40 percent of the required subjects (beyond freshman year) become scientific or mathematical in nature
1828
The first General Scientific Course is offered
1845
Professor William Gillespie begins teaching Civil Engineering.
1855
Diploma granted to students that confers Graduate in Civil Engineering
1856
Civil Engineering taught as year-round program and separates from General Scientific Course
1868
Courses on steam engines are first taught
1872
Civil Engineer (C.E.) degree is first granted
1874
The School of Engineering is founded
1883
Professor Ira N. Hollis teaches the first course on drafting
1890
First Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree is granted
1894
Civil Engineering Department harbors the Electrical Engineering Program
1898
First students granted degrees from the Electrical Engineering Program
1902
Union President Andrew Van Vranken Raymond invites Charles Proteus Steinmetz to head the Electrical Engineering Department and grants Steinmetz professor status
1903
Modern Theory in Electrical Engineering course added
1910
Civil Engineering Department relocates from North Colonnade to the New General Engineering Building (now part of Reamer Campus Center)
1920
WRUC transmits its first commercial radio broadcast from Schenectady
1929
Department of Mechanics and Thermodynamics temporarily established
1941
Professor Walter C. Baker heads committee that recommends establishing Mechanical Engineering major
1946
Courses on radio and television (electro-magnetic engineering) first taught
1949
Professor Mortimer F. Sayre drafts a budget proposal to create the Mechanical Engineering Department
1952
The Mechanical Engineering curriculum begins
1957
Engineers’ Council for Professional Development accredits Union’s Mechanical Engineering curriculum
1965
Union College reorganizes as two entities: Center for Humanities and Social Sciences & Center for Science and Engineering
1966
Union College adopts a trimester academic calendar, a move opposed by the engineering faculty
1971
Science and Engineering Center construction completed
1974
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science established
1981
Computer Science program diverges from the Electrical Engineering program and receives its first co-chair, Professor Yu Chang1988
Curricular revisions lead to ABET accreditation
1997
Computer Systems Engineering (CSE) Program begins
2001
Future of Engineering Report that creates a long-term plan for the engineering curriculum is released by Dr. Robert T. Balmer, Dean of Engineering
2002
The Computer Systems Engineering Program becomes the Computer Engineering Program
2005
Civil Engineering is phased out at Union College
2009
A Bioengineering major is offered. Its name is later changed to Biomedical Engineering
2017
Creation of the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering (ECBE)
2018
New Science and Engineering Building dedicated (Ainlay Center)
2020
The College receives a historic 51 million dollar gift from Class of 1980 graduates, Mary and Rich Templeton to transform engineering at Union and to create the Templeton Institute for Engineering and Computer Science