During the presidency of Dr. Ronald E. Carrier, the institution changed from a 4,000-student, predominantly female teachers college to a major comprehensive university with 14,000 students. The school changed its name to James Madison University in 1977, following a unanimous vote of the Virginia General Assembly. During Dr. Carrier's presidency, JMU received national acclaim as one of the nation's finest comprehensive public universities. The institution received authorization to offer the educational specialist degree and the doctoral degree. A major athletic program was developed. The size of the campus was enlarged by more than 100 acres and the university spread to the east side of Interstate 81. During Dr. Carrier's administration, some 40 major buildings with the value of $210 million were built. Applications for admission rose from 3,800 a year to 15,000 a year and SAT scores for entering freshmen rose from 987 to 1,174.