Recognizing that the college had expanded programs, added graduate programs, and moved beyond its agricultural and mechanical roots, in 1960 the Alabama Legislature authorized it as a university. It was officially renamed as Auburn University, a name that better represented the varied academic programs and expanded curriculum that the school had been offering for years. However, it had unofficially been called "Auburn" for some time before then. For example, when Jordan-Hare Stadium opened in 1939, it was known as "Auburn Stadium."