ALTER TABLE theses ADD COLUMN date_submitted DATETIME UPDATE theses SET date_submitted = '2008-01-01 00:00:01' ALTER TABLE theses CHANGE COLUMN date_submitted date_submitted DATETIME NOT NULL ALTER TABLE theses ADD COLUMN date_submitted TIMESTAMP UPDATE theses SET date_submitted = '2008-01-01 00:00:01' ALTER TABLE theses ALTER COLUMN date_submitted SET NOT NULL