History of College of Imaging Arts and Sciences
1885
Mechanics Institute was established to solve the pressing need for a school to train
designers.
The Mechanics Institute and its art department were created with Eugene Colby appointed as director of the department.
Classes offered in industrial design, drawing, and architecture.
1886
The institute offered its first design class and the department of industrial drawing
was established.
1888
The department of industrial and fine arts was established and the number and variety
of art-related courses was greatly increased.
1891
The Athenaeum and the Mechanic’s Institute joined to form the Rochester
Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute.
Tuition is $8 a term for drawing, $12 for painting and modeling. Evening classes are free.
1895
The department of industrial and fine arts moved to the old Manual Training School on
South Washington Street.
1897
Telegraphy class was added to the department of industrial and fine arts.
1898
Manual training in iron was added to the department of industrial and fine arts.
1899
Mechanic Arts course was added to mix art and practical work application with other
subjects, such as math, science, and English.
The institute offers its first art history course.
1900
Art history was divided into history of architecture and sculpture and history of
Italian art.
Wood class was added to the institute.
1901
Industrial and fine arts classes were moved to the new Eastman Building.
The institute offers its first photography classes.
1903
Fine arts department created.
The department of fine arts and the department of industrial arts are separated.
The department of fine arts divided into a fine arts course, a decorative arts and crafts course, a normal art course and an architectural course.
1907
The department of applied and fine arts was established, offering courses such as
Architecture, Decorative Art, Art-Handicrafts, Painting, Illustration, and Sculpture.
1910
Construction begins on the Bevier Building with funds provided by Alice Bevier, under
the direction of one of the most esteemed architects of the 20th century, Claude
Bragdon.
1911
The Bevier Memorial Gallery opens.
1918
An intensified mechanical drafting course is created.
1919
An art education program is established.
1920
Modern history of the arts at the institute begins with Clifford Ulp appointed as
director.
1921
A crafts education program is established.
1922
The Empire State School of Printing, which later became the department of publishing
and printing at the institute, is founded in Ithaca.
1928
School of Industrial Art is created in response to a change in requirements for a
degree of architecture.
1930
The photographic technology department is established.
The institute offers a photographic technology cooperative as part of its curriculum.
1932
A museum preparator course is added to the curriculum.
An interior decorating cooperative is instituted.
1933
Change in New York state arts and crafts teacher requirements leads to combined
programs with New York University, Columbia University, and Ohio State University.
1937
The Empire School of Printing is acquired.
The department of publishing and printing is established.
1938
Photographic technology students have the option of choosing a concentration in their
third year in either portraiture, commercial photography, illustrative photography,
natural color photography, or specialized fields.
1939
The department of photographic technology is divided into two curricula:
photographic technology and professional photography.
1941
The college starts an art education program in conjunction with the University of
Rochester.
1943
The department of photographic technology flourishes with increased photography in
World War II.
The department of publishing and printing accepted many women due to the shortage of men because of World War II.
1944
The institute is renamed the Rochester Institute of Technology.
1946
The department of publishing and printing moves to a new building with outstanding
facilities and an expanded program.
The department of photographic technology moves to the new George H. Clark Building with the best photography program and equipment in the world.
The original School for American Craftsmen (which later moved to RIT) is founded on the campus of Dartmouth College.
1949
The School of American Craftsmen moves from Alfred University to RIT and is
introduced to the community with an exhibition of student and faculty work.
1950
The graphic arts research department is established.
Formal instruction begins in the School of American Craftsmen.
The institute offers the associate degree in applied science for the completion of programs of study in the arts.
1952
Stanley Witmeyer is appointed Director and the School of Art and Design
experiences rapid development.
1953
The Division of Arts is created as a mutual supportive exchange of materials and
creative strengths between the School of Art and Design and the School for American
Craftsmen.
1954
Division of Photography and Printing established.
1956
The institute offers both the A.A.S. and the B.F.A. degrees for the arts.
1959
The College of Fine Arts becomes the first of RIT’s colleges to offer a graduate
degree.
1960
The College of Graphic Arts and Photography is established.
The Division of Photography, Printing, and Graphic Arts is created.
The School of Art and Design and the School for American Craftsmen are formed as a college with Harold Brennan as dean.
The School of Photography is created.
The School of Printing is established.
1964
School of Printing selected by Gravure Technical Association as an approved
educational center.
1965
The College of Fine and Applied Arts is accredited by the National Association of
Schools of Art.
1967
The Graphic Arts Research Center is established.
1968
The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences is created.
1975
The biomedical photography program is started in the College of Graphic Arts and
Photography.
1976
The filmmaking program is established.
1978
The film and television program is established.
1982
The communication design program becomes the graphic design program.
The environmental design program is divided into industrial design and interior design.
1990
Academic majors are established in: advertising photography, photojournalism, and
biomedical photographic communications.
The School of Printing Management and Sciences is divided into printing, printing systems, newspaper operations management, and printing and applied computer science.
1991
The School of Photographic Arts and Sciences offers photographic marketing management.
1992
The College of Graphic Arts and Photography and the College of Fine and Applied Arts
are combined to become the College of Imaging Arts and Science.
1997
Accelerated BS/MBA degree is offered in printing management.
1995
Margaret’s House, an expanded child care center serving members of the RIT
community, is dedicated. Al Davis, vice president emeritus and long-time supporter of
RIT, gave the funds in memory of his wife, Margaret Welcher Davis.
1998
The College of Imaging Arts and Sciences divided into two schools: the School of Art,
and the School of Design.
2001
The new media design and imaging program is added to the School of Design.