The article explores the scientific development of Tomsk State University (TSU) in the period from 1991 to 1999 based on the periodical Alma Mater. The novelty of this work lies in the formulation of the problem and in the sources involved in exploring it. The limitations of the research stem from the specificity of the topic; verification by other types of sources is required. Also, the conclusions obtained by the authors need to be verified by research literature. The authors note that the quality of Alma Mater publications varied from year to year as a crisis of higher education impaired TSU's publishing activity greatly. However, it had little effect on this study, since problems of the university's scientific development were an important topic in the newspaper. The following problems are highlighted by the newspaper in the period under review: the science policy of the administration; the situation of the main scientific departments; researchers' grant program participation and project activities. The authors emphasize that a characteristic feature of the scientific policies of the administration in the period from 1991 to 1999 was the continuity of the policies throughout the entire period. The main priority of the administration was to preserve TSU as a classical research university. To achieve this, the ethos of science schools and its bearers needed support. The adaptive strategies of the TSU research center were based mainly on the principles of department cost accounting, as well as intensive staff training The ethos of the university community, characterized by dedication to the cause of science, played a significant role in preserving the scientific potential of the university. At the same time, the "Soviet legacy" was hindering Russian scientists from adopting new "game rules", which were based on the laws of free market where the government refused to play the usual role of the "patron"-a sponsor, organizer and customer of scientific research. Alma Mater widely covered grants and project opportunities for university researchers. TSU's most important projects, e.g., "Academic University", were given a considerable coverage in the newspaper, which allows including these articles in the problem field of studying the scientific development of the university. The authors conclude that Tomsk State University maintained its position as a classical research institution largely due to the competent policy of the administration and the research center's management, as well as the selfless work of the faculty members and research staff over the period from 1991 to 1999. As a result, the university was able to realize its potential in a competitive market environment.
