Robert E. Cavanaugh Hall was one of the first non-medical academic buildings constructed on the IUPUI campus alongside Joseph T. Taylor Hall, known as the Blake Street Library at that time, and the Lecture Hall. Cavanaugh Hall served as an early hub for academic, administrative, and student activities which would lead to a constantly reshuffling of space usage. Competition of space for classrooms, administrative activities, and student activities would underscore the history of Cavanaugh Hall. Cavanaugh Hall currently serves as the home for the IUPUI School of Liberal Arts and various related research units.
Cavanaugh Hall is home to the Ray Bradbury Center, which holds some of Bradbury's archives and exhibits his full home office.
History Cavanaugh Hall was completed in 1971 and located on Agnes Street, later known as 925 W. Michigan Street, and designed by Reid, Thompson & Boots Associates, Inc. Cavanaugh Hall was named after Robert E. Cavanaugh, former dean of the IU Extension Campus. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 4, 1968. Cavanaugh Hall consisted of 69 classrooms, 15 laboratories, 150 offices, a faculty lounge on the fifth floor, and the campus bookstore located in the basement.IU School of Liberal Arts in Indianapolis, “Celebrating 50 Years of Liberal Arts,” July 29, 2021. The dedication was accompanied by a protest by the Black Student Union for better educational and health programs for inner-city communities. The student union emphasized that they were not opposed to the dedication of Cavanaugh Hall and just wanted to bring greater attention to community issues.
Cavanaugh Hall served as an academic hub for students, especially non-medical students with various facilities housed in the building. Some of these facilities included the Campus Centre Theatre Box Office which allowed students to purchase tickets to performances hosted by fellow students in IndianapolisThe Sagamore. October 19, 1971. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10015 and the campus housekeeping services located in the basement.
Following its completion, many academic departments moved to the new building with the School of Liberal Arts making up the majority of the units. The IU Speech Department moved from the Marott Building, now known as the Turnverein Apartment Complex, to Cavanaugh Hall.IUPUI. Department of Communications Program Review, February 1997. Indianapolis, IN: IUPUI, 1992: 45. Communication Department Files, Box 1, Folder 35, Ruth Lilly Special Collections & Archives, Indianapolis. In 1972, the restructuring of undergraduate programs led to the creation of the School of Liberal Arts (humanities and social sciences).Indiana University School of Liberal Arts Mission and History, 1981, Sociology Department Files, Box 2, Folder 12, Ruth Lilly Special Collections & Archives, Indianapolis. The IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) School of Social Work, previously known as the School of Social Service, moved to Cavanaugh Hall sometime between 1971 and 1973. The IUPUI Economics Department opened the new Economic Statistics Laboratory on the fourth floor of Cavanaugh in September of 1972.“Econ. Lab Now Open.” The Sagamore. September 25, 1972. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10016
In the 1970s, IUPUI began moving programs that were essential to student activity to Cavanaugh Hall. This included the Admissions Office, Registrar Office, Bursar Office, and Financial Aid Office which all took up residence on the first floor of Cavanaugh.Gray, Ralph D. IUPUI--The Making of an Urban University. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2003: 200-202. This led to a decrease in the total number of classrooms able to be used in Cavanaugh due to the need for administrative space. A student lounge was set up on the lower floor with vending machines, television sets, and places to socialize for students to relax while on campus. The campus bookstore was also set up on the lower floor of Cavanaugh where students could get all their textbooks for classes. The Arts and Sciences Office was established on the fourth floor of the building to handle credit requirements for science and liberal arts programs. The Office for Scholarships and Financial Aid and the Student Services office were established on the third floor to assist students in their academic activities. The Student Senate Office on the second floor was established in the new building to create a space for IUPUI student senate members to hold meetings. In 1971, Sherry Bennett established a new campuswide paper named the IUPUI Sagamore in an office space on 38th Street.Gray, pp. 205-206. Eventually, the office was relocated to the second floor of Cavanaugh Hall, then to the basement area.“The Saga of the Sagamore.” The Sagamore. October 5, 1971. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10015 The Student Senate established a bulletin board in the Cavanaugh Lobby to inform students of upcoming activities, furthering solidifying the building as a hub for student activity.“Senate Approve Bulletin Board.” The Sagamore. December 7, 1971. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10015
In 1973, the School of Science and Liberal Arts programs were reorganized into separate entities which led to the dissolution of the Arts and Science Office. The School of Liberal Arts Office was established in its place, while the School of Science Office moved from Cavanaugh to the Administration Building.“File Move to 38th St. Completes Restructure.” The Sagamore. February 12, 1973. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10047 The Student Association moved from the second floor to the basement to make room for more classrooms. In the Summer of 1977, the University Division moved to the Engineering and Technology Building to create more space for the Financial Aid Office due to growing enrollment.“University Division Moves Offices to E/T Building.” The Sagamore. June 8, 1977. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10127
Space issues would persist throughout the 1970s, but the leasing of the Mary E. Cable Building would alleviate the need for more classroom space for the School of Liberal Arts for the next couple decades. In November of 1980, the IU Board of Trustees approved a proposal to lease the Mary E. Cable Elementary School. The Department of Communications and Theatre would move from Cavanaugh Hall to the elementary school.“IUPUI to Lease Old School 4.” Indianapolis Recorder, November 22, 1980. Despite this new space, Cavanaugh would continue welcoming new administrative and academic units throughout the 1980s.
In 1981, the School of Journalism opened spaces on the Indianapolis campus in Cavanaugh Hall on the third floor.“Journalism School Expanded to IUPUI Campus.” The Sagamore. August 26, 1981. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10219 These spaces consisted of four classrooms and two offices. In January 1982, the School of Social Worked moved from Cavanaugh Hall to the Education building. In September 1982, the IUPUI Writing Center officially opened on the fourth floor of Cavanaugh to assist students with their writing needs.“Writer’s Center Opens.” The Sagamore. September 15, 1982. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10220 In 1983, the first floor of Cavanaugh Hall was remodeled to consolidate the Bursar, Registrar, Admission, and Financial Aid Office all in a single location.“Remodeling, Relocation Centralize Services.” The Sagamore. August 24, 1983. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10246 The goal was to students to conduct all their administrative needs without needing to travel across campus.
The mid-1980s saw a plethora of new administrative and research units begin to occupy Cavanaugh Hall. The Institute for Humanities Research opened on the fifth floor of Cavanaugh Hall in August 1984. In 1984, Cavanaugh Hall houses the Center for American Studies, Peirce Edition Project, Journal of the Early Republic, and Center for Economic Development.“Etcetera from Liberal Arts.” February 1984, Sociology Department Files, Box 3, Folder 23, Ruth Lilly Special Collections & Archives, Indianapolis. The Center for American Studies and Journal of the Early Republic shared an office space on the fifth floor of Cavanaugh. The Center for American Studies occupied the former office of the dean of social work, whereas the Journal of the Early Republic occupied the assistant dean’s office.Gray, p. 165. Brian S. Vargus, Sociology professor, successfully proposed the creation of the Public Opinion Laboratory in the School of Liberal Arts."Plan for a Public Opinion Laboratory.” Sociology Department Files, Box 2, Folder 8, Ruth Lilly Special Collections & Archives, Indianapolis. The goal of the laboratory was to develop internship opportunities for students interested in public opinion research as well as gather community data to be used professional development opportunities. At the end of 1984, the fourth floor of Cavanaugh was renovated to create more space for the School of Liberal Arts.“Liberal Arts Expanding.” The Sagamore. November 26, 1984. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10255 In October 1985, the School of Liberal Arts announced the formation of the Office of Student Affairs located on the fourth floor to provide academic services for liberal art majors.“Trustee Approve Projects, OK Adult Education Center.” The Sagamore. September 15, 1986. https://archives.iupui.edu/handle/2450/10257. In 1986, the Black Student Union vacated their office in the basement of Cavanaugh and moved to the basement of the Blake Street Library. The new space was renovated for the Adult Education Center, which was created to support continuing education programs. In 1987, the Office of Women’s Research and Resources was established in Cavanaugh Hall.IUPUI Office for Women, “Creating Gender Equality at IUPUI: Fifty Years of Leadership.” The office is now currently housed in the University Library.
The construction of new buildings in the late 1980s and early 1990s on campus would allow some academic units to transfer to new locations, while those that remained shuffled into new spaces. In 1991, the Department of Geology and Biology moved from the third floor to the new Science Building. The third floor became the new home for the Departments of Anthropology, Religious Studies, and Sociology.IUPUI. Institutional Self-Study Narrative, 1992. Indianapolis, IN: IUPUI, 1992: 179 Sue Steinmetz, Head of the Sociology Department, moved the Sociology Department to the third floor of Cavanaugh.“Department of Sociology Self-Study Report.” Sociology Department Files, Box 3, Folder 16, Ruth Lilly Special Collections & Archives, Indianapolis. This included establishing the Family Research Project and the Sussman Research Library on the third floor. The Sussman Research Library was established through a contribution of the books, journals, and papers of Marvin B. Sussman. The library contains a large collection of materials on family science and sociology, with an emphasis on population, aging, family violence, sexuality, health, law, history, race/ethnicity, and deviance.