The History of Franklin University
Introduction
Franklin University was founded in Columbus in 1902 under YMCA sponsorship as the School of Commerce. Franklin University has since become central Ohio's leading educator of working professionals. Franklin has served nontraditional students seeking to advance their education for more than 100 years, and today offers 16 undergraduate majors and three Graduate Programs. 1,500 students earn degrees from Franklin each year!
Early Days
The YMCA School of Commerce started with just a few students studying bookkeeping. In 1913, a two-year college course in accounting was added, and by 1917, 40 men were studying accounting. A number of other courses (such as exporting, advertising and insurance) were offered as the need arose for them, indicating an innovative student-centered approach.
In 1917, offering programs leading to degrees or diplomas became a purpose of the YMCA school. In 1921, the University was conferred a degree-granting authority by the State of Ohio.
By 1920, production engineering, accounting, banking and finance, marketing and business administration were offered in four-year evening programs leading to a Bachelor of Commercial Science degree. Overall, the curriculums and courses offered were devoted to help students advance in their profession. Classes were scheduled primarily in the evenings, so they didn't interfere with students’ full-time jobs – a practice Franklin continues today. Throughout our history, we have been dedicated to removing the barriers to higher education for working adults while responding to their educational needs.
Franklin's first formal commencement was in 1923 with a total of 24 students in the graduating class. In 1933, the name Franklin University was adopted, chosen to honor the memory and innovative spirit of Benjamin Franklin. At this time, the University was organized as a separate branch of the Columbus YMCA.
A Separate Entity
Franklin separated from YMCA sponsorship in 1964 and became incorporated under Ohio law as a not-for-profit, independent educational institution governed by its own Board of Trustees.
Moving to a new site in 1969 established Franklin as a wholly new entity on Columbus’ educational landscape. The new home of Franklin, at 201 S. Grant Avenue, was named after the first president, Dr. Joseph F. Frasch, Sr., who served from 1951 to 1977.
Additional buildings acquired in the 1980s and 1990s include James W. Phillips Hall, Alumni Hall, John E. Fisher Technology Center and the Student Services Center. Today, Franklin’s downtown campus includes 5 buildings, all within easy walking distance of one another.
Years of Growth
The Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Frederick J. Bunte took over as president of Franklin University in 1977. During Dr. Bunte's tenure, he expanded Franklin's downtown campus significantly to a total area of more than 11 acres. He successfully led the University's first capital campaign, which raised funds for University buildings and properties. Dr. Bunte dedicated Phillips Hall in 1980, adding nearly 60,000 additional square feet in classroom and library space. Local media lauded Bunte's accomplishments as well as Franklin's contribution to the development of downtown Columbus.
President Decker
Dr. David Decker was welcomed as the fourth President of Franklin University in August 2007. Prior to coming to Franklin, Decker served as the Vice President for Global Academic Programs and Dean of the School of Management at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) where he played a key role in the internationalization of NYIT and in the development of its online presence.
Before joining NYIT, Decker spent ten years at Youngstown State University in a variety of roles. He held an endowed chair in entrepreneurship, served as Founding Director of the Williamson Center for International Business, served as interim Dean of the Williamson College of Business Administration, and played an active role in the business and economic development of the community. He held faculty rank as a Full Professor of Marketing throughout his tenure at Youngstown State.
Decker has also held faculty positions at three other universities, and has international teaching experience in China, Malaysia, Russia, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Brazil, and Jordan. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and also speaks Russian.
In addition to his academic credentials, Decker has had extensive experience as a corporate executive. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of a $130 million manufacturing company, and held vice presidential positions in management information systems and marketing at a Fortune 200 company. He has conducted executive development programs in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
A native of Philadelphia, Decker is the author of two books on economic and business issues in Latin America, along with many articles and presentations on higher education, marketing, and literature. He earned the B.A. degree from Grinnell College, the M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, and the MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
President Otte served from 1986 to 2007
During the 21-tear tenure of Dr. Paul J. Otte, Franklin established its Graduate Programs, added the Dublin and Westerville locations, renovated the downtown campus, changed the scheduling of graduation to every trimester rather than just annually, developed its award-winning Student Services Associates position, and opened the Student Services Center, which brought all of the student-oriented services into one central location.
In addition, the University’s online courses were introduced through the Virtual Campus, which includes the GoArmyEd Program and the Community College Alliance (CCA) Program, which today includes partnerships with more than 245 community and technical colleges in 32 states.
Dr. Otte was also instrumental in the development of the Franklin University Leadership Center, for which he now serves as Director.
Franklin Today
The 12-acre downtown campus has an updated look and feel today, thanks to a new courtyard and completely refurbished buildings (Alumni Hall and Fisher Hall) as well as the renovation and opening of the Student Services Center, which houses all student-oriented services in one location.
The business model taught at Franklin University is applied to the running of the institution as well, which has earned the praise and admiration of the central Ohio business community. Franklin operates under seven guiding principles. Our students are our customers and our product is the education we offer.
While we share similar attributes with for-profit institutions, we also distinguish ourselves. We take a long-term approach versus a short-term focus. We put our faculty in charge of our curriculum, so students’ needs continue to drive our offerings, rather than our own desire for financial gain. We are committed to remaining a not-profit in order to keep our tuition low. And we remain firmly rooted in the central Ohio community, which has been our home and our anchor for more than 100 years.
We are proud of our history and excited about our future as we continue this rewarding journey together with our staff, faculty, students, alumni and the Columbus community.
Find out more... learn about our philosophy.