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IU School of Liberal Arts

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Cavanaugh Hall and Liberal Arts Turn the Big 4-0

Cavanaugh Hall CA 1971Cavanaugh Hall during registration, 1978

In 1971, Cavanaugh Hall opened for classes. In 1972, the IU Board of Trustees approved the formation of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.

There is a large bronze plaque in the first floor lobby of Cavanaugh Hall commemorating the building's namesake, Robert E. Cavanaugh and dated September 10, 1971. Deep in the archives of IUPUI, there are photos and other items detailing the planning, groundbreaking and finally, the dedication 40 years ago of the first (and then only) undergraduate classroom building on the IUPUI campus. Originally conceived by the firm Eggers and Higgins of New York to be nine stories with a brilliant glass skin and windows all around, the design was modified by the concerns of the time, some budgetary, some environmental, to its present configuration and built with the help of local architects Reid, Thompson, Boots and Associates.

For most of those 40 years, natural daylight did not penetrate the second and third floors. Not anymore. Now, the always busy building is pierced by the Campus' newest skywalk, opening the front of the building to daylight and a tremendous view of the new Campus Center.

A year of celebratory activities is being planned to celebrate both occasions. As more information is available it will be posted on this website.

Read more about Robert E. Cavanaugh and Cavanaugh Hall on campus here.



Submit a memory/story
Submit a video memory



Sign up to Film or Submit a Video

We are seeking alumni, staff, faculty and students who were here when the School of Liberal Arts was in its infancy—anytime from the mid-1960's on. If you have a great story to tell about those early days, what it was like to be here at the beginning, what you loved, where you parked, etc. this is your opportunity to contribute.You are invited to sign up for a time to tell your story in front of our cameras in the School's Media Lab, CA 440 (4th floor Cavanaugh Hall), by calling 317-278-1839, sending an email to libarsvp@iupui.edu or by using the form below. If you would like to video your story here in our studio, but these dates and times do not work for you, let us know.

Our plan is to use them for several purposes. Some will be used in a video archive of personal stories, posted on our website and stored in the IUPUI Library. Some will become part of a virtual "display" of the School's and Cavanaugh Hall's history, developed by our Museum Methods class (Museum Studies Program).

** Please note: there are no time slots currently available for video recordings.