Three Decades of Change

This brief history tracks major changes that transformed the College of St. Catherine into the comprehensive, complex institution it is today. What have remained constant are the mission’s core elements and liberal arts requirements of all graduates.

Decade 1
1977-78	CSC enrolls 2,079 undergraduate day students in the fall, the majority of whom live on campus. Alberta Huber, CSJ from St. Paul Province is President. About 350 women’s colleges and universities in the United States. St. Thomas becomes a co-educational institution.
1979	Weekend College opens for non-traditional age students. Catherine McNamee, CSJ becomes President; she is the first sister from a CSJ province other than St. Paul.
1982	The Master of Arts in Theology becomes the first graduate program at CSC, and it is open to both women and men.
1984	Anita Pampusch, Ph.D. becomes President; she is the first layperson to serve in this capacity.
1985	St. Mary’s Junior College in Minneapolis becomes a part of CSC, bringing with it associate degree and certificate programs and its commitment to underserved students, both male and female.

Decade 2
1988	CSC articulates the Leadership Statement.
1990	St. Catherine adds a School of Social Work, offered jointly with the University of St. Thomas.
1998	Andrea J. Lee, IHM becomes President; she is the first non-CSJ to serve in this capacity.

Decade 3
1999	A five-year strategic plan is approved by the Board of Trustees and sets ambitious enrollment and financial goals
2003	A major gift from the Sisters of St. Joseph leads to groundbreaking for Coeur de Catherine. The Doctor in Physical Therapy becomes the first doctoral-level program at CSC.
2005	A year-long celebration of its centennial and the successful conclusion of its $85,000,000 capital campaign bring CSC unprecedented visibility. The work of “Greater Expectations” results in revised Liberal Arts Learning Goals for all degree levels.
2006	CSC is acknowledged as the largest undergraduate college for women in the nation out of 62 such institutions. Donors provide funding to build two new residence halls.
2007	The School of Health is launched and lauded. U.S. News and World Report ranks CSC 13th among Midwest Regional Comprehensive Masters 1 Institutions which places it nationally in the top 50 of such institutions. St. Catherine has a fall headcount of 5,238 and about 6,500 unduplicated students for the year.