CMU's Name Through Time

Over the course of the institution’s history, Central Michigan University has had seven names.

These have included:

1892 - 1893

Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute

1893 - 1895

Central Michigan Normal School

1895 - 1927

Central State Normal School**

1927 - 1941

Central State Teachers College

1941 - 1955

Central Michigan College of Education

1955 - 1959

Central Michigan College

1959 -

Central Michigan University

**The transition to "Central State Normal School" was not a swift change and there seems to be a good deal of fluidity in the name for the first five years of the transition under state control. From 1895-1899, it seems that the name "Central Michigan Normal School" continued to be used along with "Central Michigan State Normal School," the "State Normal at Mount Pleasant," and "Central State Normal School." By 1899 the name "Central State Normal School" was thoroughly engrained with the state, the institution, and the media.