History

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1838

Wisconsin Legislature passes a bill to establish the University of Wisconsin.

1848

Wisconsin Governor Nelson Dewey approves UW through Incorporation Act and invests its government in a Board of Regents.

1849

First class meets at the University of Wisconsin.

1894

Board of Regents exonerates liberal Professor Richard T. Ely of economics heresy charges and supports the principle of academic freedom. Professor Ely later cofounds AEA and founds a program in public utility and land economics which is a forerunner of the Real Estate Department.

1900

Commerce program established at the University of Wisconsin-Madison becomes one of the first six commerce programs in the United States.

1907

Beta Gamma Sigma national business honor society established at University of Wisconsin-Madison 1916 University of Wisconsin-Madison Commerce Program becomes one of 17 charter members of the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business.

1942

Professor Richard B. Andrews joined the faculty as a research assistant, became an instructor in 1948, assistant professor in 1951, associate professor in 1955, professor in 1963, and emeritus professor in 1981. Many people regarded him as the thought leader in the urban land economics approach to urban and regional planning.

1944

Department of Business at University of Wisconsin-Madison awarded separate school status by the Wisconsin Legislature, to become the School of Commerce (later to be changed to Business). Richard U. Ratcliff joins the School of Commerce faculty as an associate professor until 1968. The late Jim Graaskamp credited Ratcliff with "developing the theoretical framework for reform of traditional real estate appraisal methods."

1949-1950

Real Estate program at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business is the first in the country to be recognized by the National Association of Realtors.

1958-1964

James Graaskamp earns his doctorate in Real Estate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business.

1964

Graaskamp joins the School of Business Real Estate faculty.

1968

Richard Ratcliff leaves University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Graaskamp takes the helm of the Real Estate Department, to be affectionately known by alumni thereafter as "The Chief."

1974

Rod Matthews joins the Real Estate Department and started teaching real estate law.

1976

The Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association was formed.

1982

Dorothy Ratcliff donates books and monographs from the late Richard Ratcliff's collection to the School of Business Library.

1985

Real Estate alumni announce plans for a fund drive to create a Real Estate Endowment Fund at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

1986

Graaskamp becomes the sixth recipient of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers' Alfred E. Reinman Award for contributions to the growth and development of the appraisal profession. He is also named to the Salomon Brothers, Inc. Academic Real Estate Advisory Board.

1988

April 22 marked the end of the life of Real Estate Department Head Jim Graaskamp, and within weeks, a search for a well-qualified successor begins. Graaskamp collection of books donated to School of Business by his survivors.

1989

A new era in Real Estate Department history begins with the appointment of Professor Kerry Vandell as Chair of the Real Estate Program.

1990

Professors Richard Green, Stephen Malpezzi, and James Shilling round out an outstanding new Real Estate faculty.

1991

Program identified as one of the top real estate programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report (currently the program is ranked the second in the nation).

1992

Passage of legislation funding the expanded Center for Real Estate.

1993

Dedication of new Grainger Hall of Business, including space for the Center for Real Estate.

1993

Kerry Vandell steps down as Chair of Deparment, continues as Director of Center. Professor James Shilling is named Department Chair. Program ranked among top five in country by U.S. News and World Report for the fourth consecutive year.

1996

Graaskamp Memorial Fund Raising Campaign reaches goal of $1 million. Funds donated to establish Lorin & Marjorie Tiefenthaler Endowed Chair in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics.

Program ranked second in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Sixth consecutive year that the program ranked in top five in the country.

Richard K. Green promoted to Associate Professor. Kerry D. Vandell named as first Lorin and Marjorie Tiefenthaler Chair. James D. Shilling named first James A. Graaskamp Chair.

1997

Stephen Malpezzi promoted to Associate Professor.

1998

Donation by TOLD Development Company makes possible the establishment of the Robert E. Wangard Chair in Real Estate.