History
1916
A 2-year program in Business Administration was first offered by NMSU under the Department of Business Education in the College of Arts and Sciences. The program concentrated on secretarial training courses including typing, stenography, commercial arithmetic and business English.
1922
A 4-year degree program in business administration went into effect through NMSU’s Department of Commerce.
1925-1969
Gwynne L. Guthrie, Head, Department of Commerce.
1926
The first class of five students graduated with degrees in Business.
Throughout the early years, as NMSU was growing and expanding, classes were often shuffled from building to building. In 1926, business classes were held in old World War I barracks, but were soon moved to the top floor of the old Hadley Hall building. Business classes were again moved back to the barracks during World War II.
1943
World War II reduced the enrollment at NMSU. The all-time enrollment low in Business Administration occurred in 1943 when only 12 students were listed as majors in the Department.
1947
Soon after World War II ended, surplus barracks from all parts of New Mexico and the El Paso, Texas, area appeared on NMSU’s campus. Two of these barracks from the Deming Air Force Base were assigned to the Department of Business and were occupied in 1947.
1950
The classes remained in the barracks until 1950 when the Department of Business Administration and Economics was moved into the basement of the new Hadley Hall. However, the expansion of the Business Office made it necessary to move Business Administration and Economics back into the World War II barracks.
1962-1969
Gwynne L. Guthrie, Dean, College of Business Administration and Economics.
1964
The Business Department became independent of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1964, when the College of Business Administration and Economics was created. It consisted of 10 faculty members and 735 students.
1968
Historical photo of Guthrie Hall under construction - NMSU.
In 1968, Guthrie Hall was constructed as the permanent home for the college.
1969-1978
Bryce J. Brisbin, Dean, College of Business Administration and Economics.
1978-1979
Frederick T. Downs, Dean, College of Business Administration and Economics.
1979-1994
Business Complex
Curtis C. Graham, Dean, College of Business Administration and Economics.
1985
BC Computer Lab
Because of the college’s continued growth, the Business Complex building, designed by Dean/Hunt and Associates, was opened in January of 1985. The new building offered nine new classrooms, promotion and behavioral labs, an on-going art acquisition project and a vastly expanded computer lab. Current computer resources in the college include 200+ desktop computers.
1988
“The Traders,” a Santa Fe bronze sculpture that is 1.2 life-size, was completed and permanently installed on the College of Business plaza between the Business Complex and Guthrie Hall.
1989
In 1989, the Department of Marketing began offering its PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
The Department of Management also began offering a PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.
1994-2003
Danny R. Arnold, Dean, College of Business Administration and Economics.
2003-present
July 1: Garrey E. Carruthers, Dean, College of Business.
2005
In the Fall 2005, the College of Business Administration changed its name to the College of Business.
2008
Through the Department of Economics and International Business, NMSU is the first university in the country to offer a Doctor of Economic Development (DED). The DED is a professional degree primarily intended to provide advanced applied training for economic development professionals. The DED can be seen as a link between academic research in economic development and real-world economic development problems.