In 1996, University of Maryland's Sundial was erected onto the center of Mckeldin Mall. The one's responsible for gifting the diagonal structure to the University's core are: the Physics and Astronomy Departments, the 1965 graduating class, and friends of Professor Uco Van Wijk. Van Wijk was a former professor who helped to establish the University's astronomy departments. In 2004 donations by the University of Maryland's Class of 1990 funded renovations for the bronze time telling device.