College Entities

Caine College of the Arts

Utah State University and its College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences announced a new School of the Arts in August 2005 to strengthen the creative arts programs at the university. The school, named the Caine School of the Arts, was built from a community of artists, teachers, students and patrons from several arts-related areas and the community.

Funded by the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation, the new school included existing university programs in art, English/creative writing, interior design, landscape architecture and environmental planning, music, theater arts and the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art. The school’s creation provided a collective means of sponsoring visiting artists by offering facilities to attract the larger arts community of the state and region.

The idea for the school was initiated by then dean of the College of HASS Stan L. Albrecht , who would later become resident of Utah State. Albrecht initiated the project in an effort to add to the visibility and prominence of existing arts programs on campus and to bridge university arts programming with community arts organizations. He felt this would enrich the cultural environment of Cache Valley by adding to the quality of life of its citizens. Albrecht worked closely with Manon Caine Russell and Kathryn Caine Wanlass, founding members of the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation, to see his vision for the School of the Arts become reality.

In January 2010, the Caine School of the Arts became the Caine College of the Arts. Former Theatre and Music Department Head Craig Jessop was named dean. At the time, the former College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences was the largest on the USU campus, with twice the number of departments as the next largest academic college. With two separate and smaller colleges, administrative challenges associated with the program diversity is addressed.

Plans to develop a new arts college at USU began in summer 2009. Discussions were held during 10 meetings that included the president, executive vice president and provost and varying groups of faculty, staff, students and the steering committee of the current college. The meetings, in addition to one-on-one discussions with donors and alumni, explored the advantages and disadvantages of various configurations, ultimately resulting in the restructuring proposal.

The new organizational structure emphasizes several goals, including enhancing regional and national visibility of the programs by focusing on the distinct strengths in the now smaller colleges. Modest growth in student enrollment is expected as a result of the increased visibility and growing reputations of the respective new colleges. Outside funding opportunities are expanded, and each distinct discipline will be represented at the administrative level. The Caine College of the Arts will be represented with a new seat with the USU Council of Deans.

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Emma Eccles Jones became Northern Utah’s first Kindergarten teacher in 1926, after her former geography teacher, Miss Edith Bowen, persuaded her to put her new degree from Teachers College at Columbia University to use.

In 1927, Utah State University started a School of Education. In 1928 it established a teacher training school, absorbing Whittier School into its program. It became a place where student teachers could experience hands-on learning.

Emma continued as a teacher while the program evolved. Her dedication continued long after she stopped teaching and would later result in enormous support for the college, which now bears her name.

Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

The Jon M. Huntsman School of Business’s legacy stretches back to the beginning of Utah State University, when courses in commerce were initiated to provide training for office workers and bank tellers, making it one of oldest business schools west of the Mississippi River.

When Utah State Agricultural College became Utah State University in 1957, the School of Commerce and Business Administration became the College of Business. The college was again renamed in 2007, becoming the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business after receiving a generous $25 million donation from the Huntsman Foundation.

Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., gave more than $100 million in the mid-1990s to establish a research center at the University of Utah dedicated to finding a cure for cancer through human genetics. Huntsman, who lost both his parents to cancer and fought his own battle with the disease, eventually gave more than $400 million to the Huntsman Cancer Institute and its foundation.

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

The College of Natural Resources first began as a series of courses offered in range management and forestry developed by Raymond J. Becraft from 1918-1927. In 1927, a four-year curriculum in range and forestry was listed in the university catalog. Only a year later in 1928, the Department of Forestry and Range Management was established with Lyle Watts as the department head.

In 1933, the Department of Forestry became the School of Forestry that included the department of Forestry and Range Management, with Wildlife Management added in 1934. The School of Forestry was given promotion to college standing in 1957, with Paul Dunn serving as dean in the newly named College of Forest, Range and Wildlife Management. The college had two majors to choose from: forest recreation and watershed management.

The college became the College of Natural Resources in 1968. The environmental studies major was added in 1972. The Natural Resources building, where the college is currently housed, was completed in 1983. The S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney Natural Resources Library was completed in 1992.

On September 26, 2012, the college was renamed the S. J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources. In the 2020s, the college offers twelve undergraduate degrees and a variety of graduate programs dedicated to excellence in research. With over 300 students, the college continues strong in its commitment to scholarship and discovery.