6 held a picnic and planting event at the corner of College Avenue and West Laurel Street, and later plowed and seeded 20 acres (80,000 m2) of wheat on a nearby field.

Despite wall cracks and other structural problems suffered during its first year, the building was opened in time for the welcoming of the first five students on September 1, 1879, by university president Elijah Evan Edwards.

[17] Ingersoll's belief in liberal yet practical education conflicted with the narrower focus of the State Board of Agriculture, and a final clash in April 1891 led to his resignation.

Enrollment quadrupled, studies in veterinary medicine were re-established, and CAC's Experiment Station benefited from lobbying that finally secured state appropriations.

Eventually, conflicts with agricultural interests may have prompted Aylesworth to begin promoting a more balanced curriculum at CAC, which he then fought hard to defend.

Taking office in 1909, CAC President Charles Lory oversaw the school's maturation and reconciled longstanding conflicts between supporters of a broad or specialized curriculum.

[29] He embarked on a demanding schedule of personal appearances to make Colorado Agricultural College known as an institution that served the state's needs.

Another of Lory's notable achievements was putting the school on solid fiscal ground, meeting rising construction costs and freeing the institution of debt.

The Extension Service organized relief programs for inhabitants of Eastern Colorado, of whom a survey found 20,000 to be urgently in need of food and helped sustain cropland threatened by pests and drought.

In response to claims that the university was falling behind national standards, the board retired or demoted several senior professors and administrators deemed past the peak of their proficiency and hired new doctorate-holding personnel while consolidating sections of lecture courses.

[33] New President Roy Green tried to prepare for the sudden departure of students and arrival of servicemen by improving ROTC facilities and introducing military-training programs.

Providing adequate student housing for an increasing number of youth approaching college age and improving cramped instructional facilities were among the first tests of Morgan's leadership.

[45] As such, CSU became party to UniverCity, a multi-organization initiative that links the school with city government, community and business associations to expand and synchronize working relationships.

Penley stated that essential tasks were access and graduation rates, particularly for qualified low-income and minority students, and an education international in scope suited to a global economy.

At the heart of the CSU campus lies the Oval, an expansive green area 2,065 feet (629 m) around, lined with 65 American Elm trees.

The Music Building, once the university library, currently houses the Institute for Learning and Teaching, which provides academic and career counseling as well as other student-focused programs.

Senator Simon Guggenheim to promote the study of home economics,[59] and was recently renovated according to green building standards.

[60] Another campus focal point is the main plaza, around which can be found Lory Student Center and Morgan Library, as well as several academic buildings.

Following the flood of '97, this facility went through an extensive improvement project that included an addition to the main building and a renovation of the existing structure, with works completed in 1998.

[62] Originally a dormitory that played a vital role in the early growth of the school's student enrollment, Spruce now houses the Division of Continuing Education and the Office of Admissions.

The 1,705-acre (6.9 km2) Foothills Campus, located on northwest edge of Fort Collins, is home to the department of atmospheric sciences, as well as several research and outreach centers.

Pickett Equine Center, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the Animal Reproduction Biotechnology Lab can all be found at the Foothills Campus.

In 2007, research activities included pest management, food safety and nutrition, environmental quality, plant and animal production systems, and community and rural development.

The Regional Biocontainment Laboratory, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is home to scientists developing vaccines and drugs for some world's most devastating diseases.

[104] Since 1988, CSU and the Peace Corps have participated in four cooperative master's degree programs in English, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.

Now back in its original Lory Student Center location, KCSU has benefited from revamped production facilities and updated equipment.

CTV is CSU's student-run television station, that allows students to hone their media skills- reporting, writing, producing, shooting, editing- in an educational environment.

CTV was founded in 1989,[125] and currently broadcasts weeknights on the university cable station (Comcast channel 11) at 8 pm, with reruns at 9 am and noon the next day.

CSU Greek organizations are involved in several philanthropic activities around campus, among them CSUnity, Cans around the Oval, Habitat for Humanity, and RamRide.

Residents of CSU and Fort Collins community members enjoy a diverse amount of enrichment programs offered through the University Housing staff.