California State University

The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a public university system in California. Composed of 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers enrolling 437,000 students with 44,000 faculty members and staff, CSU is the largest four-year public university system in the United States. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, with the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. The CSU System is incorporated as The Trustees of the California State University. The California State University system headquarters are at 401 Golden Shore in Long Beach, California.

The California State University was created in 1960 under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, and it is a direct descendant of the system of California State Normal Schools. With nearly 100,000 graduates annually, the CSU is the country's greatest producer of bachelor's degrees. The university system collectively sustains more than 150,000 jobs within the state, and its related expenditures reach more than $17 billion annually.

In the 2011-12 academic year, CSU awarded 52 percent of newly issued California teaching credentials, 47 percent of the state's engineering degrees, 28 percent of the state's information technology bachelor's degrees, and it had more graduates in business (50 percent), agriculture (72 percent), communication studies, health (53 percent), education, and public administration (52 percent) than all other universities and colleges in California combined. Altogether, about half of the bachelor's degrees, one-third of the master's degrees, and nearly two percent of the doctoral degrees awarded annually in California are from the CSU.

Furthermore, the CSU is one of the top teachers in the United States of graduates who move on to earn their Ph.D. degrees in a related field. Since 1961, nearly three million alumni have received their bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees from the CSU system. CSU offers more than 1,800 degree programs in some 240 subject areas.

History

Today's California State University system is the direct descendant of the Minns Evening Normal School, a normal school in San Francisco that educated the city's future teachers in association with the high school system. The school was taken over by the state in 1862 and moved to San Jose as the California State Normal School; it eventually evolved into San Jose State University. A southern branch of the California State Normal School campus was created in Los Angeles in 1882.

In 1887, the California legislature dropped the word "California" from the name of the San Jose and Los Angeles schools, renaming them "State Normal Schools." Later Chico (1887), San Diego (1897), and other schools became part of the State Normal School system. In 1919, the State Normal School at Los Angeles became the Southern Branch of the University of California; it is now the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1921, the State Normal Schools were renamed State Teachers Colleges. By this time most of the campuses started to become identified by their city names plus the word "state" (e.g., "San Jose State," "San Diego State," "San Francisco State").

In 1935, the State Teachers Colleges were upgraded to State Colleges, with a full four-year liberal arts curriculum. They were administered by the California State Department of Education in Sacramento. The Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960 gave the system greater autonomy from the State of California.

The postwar period brought a great expansion in the number of colleges in the system. Campuses in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Long Beach were added from 1947 through 1949. Next, seven more schools were authorized to be established between 1957 and 1960. Six more campuses joined the system after the establishment of the Donohoe Higher Education Act in 1960 bringing the total number to 23.

In 1972, the system became The California State University and Colleges, and all of the campuses were renamed with the words "California State University" in their names. Former San Diego State University student body president Calvin Robinson wrote the bill, which was signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan, that allowed every California State University the option to revert the schools back to their earlier names: San Jose State, San Diego State, San Francisco State, etc. In 1982, the CSU system dropped the word "colleges" from its name.

Today the campuses of the CSU include comprehensive universities and polytechnic universities (which are also comprehensive) along with the only maritime academy in the western United States - one that receives aid from the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Governance

The governance structure of the California State University is largely determined by state law. The California State University is ultimately administered by the 25 member (24 voting, one non-voting) Board of Trustees of the California State University. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor of the California State University, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents of each campus, who are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses.

The Academic Senate of the California State University, made up of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus, recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor.

Board of Trustees

The California State University is administered by the 25 member Board of Trustees (BOT). Regulations of the BOT are codified in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The BOT is composed of:

• 16 members that are appointed by the Governor of California with the consent of the Senate
• two students from the California State University appointed by the Governor
• a tenured faculty member appointed by the Governor selected from a list of names from the Academic Senate
• a representative of the alumni associations of the state university selected for a two-year term by the alumni council of the California State University
• 5 ex officio members:
  • Governor
  • Lieutenant Governor
  • Speaker of the Assembly
  • State Superintendent of Public Instruction
  • the CSU Chancellor

Current members

Ex officio trustees:

• Jerry Brown, Governor of California
• Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California
• Toni Atkins, Speaker of the Assembly
• Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Timothy P. White, CSU Chancellor

Appointed trustees: Roberta Achtenberg, Bernadette Cheyne, Debra S. Farar, Kenneth Fong, Margaret Fortune, Lupe Garcia, Steven Glazer, William Hauck, Bob Linscheid, Peter Mehas, Henry Mendoza, Lou Monville, Hugo Morales, James "Larry" Norton, and Glen Toney.

Student Trustees (also appointed): Cipriano Vargas (voting) and Talar Alexanian (non-voting).

Chancellor

The position of the Chancellor is declared by statute, and is defined by resolutions of the BOT. The delegation of authority from the BOT to the Chancellor has historically been controlled by a BOT resolution titled "Statement of General Principles in the Delegation of Authority and Responsibility" of August 4, 1961, and is now controlled by the Standing Orders of the Board of Trustees of the California State University. The Chancellor is the chief executive officer, and all Presidents report directly to the Chancellor.

Chancellors

• Buell Gallagher (1961â€"1962)
• Glenn S. Dumke (1962â€"1982)
• W. Ann Reynolds (1982â€"1990)
• Ellis E. McCune [Acting] (1990â€"1991)
• Barry Munitz (1991â€"1998)
• Charles B. Reed (1998-2012)
• Timothy P. White (2012â€"present)

Student government

All 23 campuses have mandatory student body organizations with mandatory fees, all with the "Associated Students" moniker, and are all members of the California State Student Association (CSSA). California Education Code § 89300 allows for the creation of student body organizations at any state university for the purpose of providing essential activities closely related to, but not normally included as a part of, the regular instructional program. A vote approved by two-thirds of all students causes the Trustees to fix a membership fee required of all regular, limited, and special session students attending the university such that all fee increases must be approved by the Trustees and a referendum approved by a majority of voters. Mandatory fee elections are called by the president of the university, and the membership fees are fixed by the Chancellor. All fees are collected by the university at the time of registration except where a student loan or grant from a recognized training program or student aid program has been delayed and there is reasonable proof that the funds will be forthcoming. The Gloria Romero Open Meetings Act of 2000 mandates that the legislative body of a student body organization conduct its business in public meetings.

Student body organization funds obtained from mandatory fees may be expended for:

• Programs of cultural and educational enrichment and community service.
• Recreational and social activities.
• Support of student unions.
• Scholarships, stipends, and grants-in-aid for only currently admitted students.
• Tutorial programs.
• Athletic programs, both intramural and intercollegiate.
• Student publications.
• Assistance to recognized student organizations.
• Student travel insurance.
• Administration of student fee program.
• Student government-scholarship stipends, grants-in-aid, and reimbursements to student officers for service to student government. Before such scholarship stipends, grants-in-aid, and reimbursements are established by a student body association, the principle of establishing such payments shall be approved by a student referendum.
• Student employment to provide payment for services in connection with the general administration of student fee.
• Augmentation of counseling services, including draft information, to be performed by the campus. Such counseling may also include counseling on legal matters to the extent of helping the student to determine whether he should retain legal counsel, and of referring him to legal counsel through a bar association, legal aid foundation or similar body.
• Transportation services.
• Child day care centers for children of students and employees of the campus.
• Augmentation of campus health services. Additional programs may be added by appropriate amendment to this section by the Board.

Impact of the CSU

The CSU confers over 70,000 degrees each year, awarding 46% of the state's bachelor's degrees and 32% of the state's master's degrees. The entire 23 campus system sustains nearly 150,000 jobs statewide, generating nearly $1 billion in tax revenue. Total CSU related-expenditures equate to nearly $70 billion,

The CSU contributes a strong showing in today's in-demand fields, producing 62% of the bachelor's degrees awarded in agriculture, 54% in business, 44% in health and medicine, 64% in hospitality and tourism, 45% in engineering, and 44% of those in media, culture and design. In fact the CSU is the state's largest source of educators, more than half of the state's newly credentialed teachers are from the CSU, expanding the state's rank of teachers by nearly 12,500 per year.

Over the last 10 years, the CSU has significantly enhanced programs towards the underserved. 56% of bachelor's degrees granted to Latinos in the state are from the CSU, while 60% of bachelor's awarded to Filipinos were from the CSU. In the Fall of 2008, 42% of incoming students were from California Community Colleges.

Enrollment

The CSU’s Employees

The CSU values its dedicated employees, who work with and on behalf of students, to provide quality degree programs and deliver the services that support student success. With 47,000 employees statewide, the CSU is an important economic engine of the state, serving as a leading employer in many local communities. With one in 10 employees in the state receiving a degree from a CSU campus, many of our employees and their immediate family members are alumni.

Compensation & Hiring

During the recession years, the CSU lost 1/3 of its revenue â€" roughly $1 billion â€" and 3,000 employees. With the state’s reinvestment in higher education, the CSU is restoring its employee ranks and currently employs a record number of instructional faculty. In the last two years (2013-14, 2014-15) through the state’s reinvestment, the CSU has directed $129.6 million to enhance employee compensation. Another $65.5 million in slated in the 2015-16 operating budget for employee compensation. In addition, the CSU offers premium health/welfare benefits to part-time and full-time employees who meet eligibility requirements. Search for job vacancies and learn more about the CSU at www.calstate.edu.

(For data definitions and additional statistics, please see the CSU Employee Profile at www.calstate.edu/hr/employee-profile/.)

Innovation in the CSU

The research and creative activity of CSU faculty enhances student learning by providing engagement in deep-learning opportunities that promote graduation success and provide practical skills that increase competitiveness for employment in today’s job market. Research funding enables the CSU to recruit and retain top-tier scholars, who with their students, create new knowledge and stimulate innovation and economic growth. Through work in field settings, laboratories, clinics and studios, our faculty and students are advancing California’s prosperity.

• CSU counts among its faculty world-renowned scholars, musicians and artists who have been honored by their peers, national academic societies and at the White House.
• Over 9,000 CSU faculty provided innovations and solutions to complex California regional and national problems.
• Faculty research grants generate $538.9 million in external funding to provide students with challenging active learning environments that foster entrepreneurship and innovation.

The CSU’s 2013-14 Total Grant and Contract Revenue

Campuses Enrollment and Overview

The CSU is composed of the following 23 campuses listed here by order of the year founded:

* U.S. News & World Report ranks San Diego State University in the National Universities category as it offers Ph.D programs. The other universities in the California State University system are ranked in the Regional Universities (West) category as they do not offer Ph.D programs. SDSU's total enrollment also includes its sister campus, San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus.

** Cal Maritime only awards undergraduate degrees and therefore is ranked separately from the other campuses of the California State University. It is ranked in the "Regional Colleges" category.

*** Transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II, effective September 2014.

Gallery

Off campus branches

A handful of universities have off campus branches that make education accessible in a large state. Unlike the typical university extension courses, they are degree-granting and students have the same status as other California State University students. The newest campus, the California State University, Channel Islands, was formerly an off-campus branch of CSU Northridge. Riverside County and Contra Costa County, which have three million residents between them, have lobbied for their off-campus branches to be free-standing California State University campuses. The total enrollment for all branches of the C.S.U. system in Fall 2005 was 9,163 students, the equivalent of 2.2 percent of the systemwide enrollment. The following are schools and their respective off campus branches:

• California State University, Bakersfield
  • Antelope Valley (in Lancaster, California)
• California State University, Chico
  • Redding (affiliated with Shasta College)
• California State University, Fullerton
  • Irvine
  • Garden Grove
• California State University, East Bay
  • Concord
  • Oakland (Professional & Conference Center)
• California State University, Fresno
  • Lancaster
• California State University, San Bernardino
  • Palm Desert
• California State University, San Marcos
  • Southwest Riverside County
• San Diego State University
  • Imperial Valley (in Brawley, California and Calexico, California)
• San Francisco State University
  • Cañada College (in Redwood City, California)
  • Downtown Campus (in San Francisco, California)
• California State University, Stanislaus
  • Stockton, California
• Sonoma State University
  • Ukiah, California

Laboratories and observatories

Research facilities owned and operated by units of the CSU:

• Desert Studies Center
  • Research consortium and field site managed by California State University, Fullerton
• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
  • Independent degree-granting campus managed by San Jose State University
  • Oceanographic laboratory located in the Monterey Bay area
• Murillo Family Observatory
  • Newest research observatory in the San Bernardino Metropolitan Area and the CSU system. It is located in and managed by California State University, San Bernardino.
• Southern California Marine Institute
  • Oceanographic laboratory in the Los Angeles Basin
• Mount Laguna Observatory
  • Astronomical observatory part of the Astronomy Department of San Diego State University
• T.S. Golden Bear
  • The training ship of the California Maritime Academy

Former campuses

Former campuses of the C.S.U. system:

• Los Angeles State Normal School (State Normal School at Los Angeles), founded 1882, became the University of California at Los Angeles by state law in 1919.
• Santa Barbara State College, founded 1909, became the University of California at Santa Barbara by state law in 1944.

Differences between the CSU and UC systems

Both university systems are California publicly funded higher education institutions. Despite having fewer students, some individual UC campuses, as a result of their research emphasis and medical centers, have larger budgets than the entire CSU system. CSU's Chancellor, Dr Charles B Reed, pointed out when delivering his Pullias Lecture at USC, that California was big enough to afford two world-class systems of public higher education, one that supports research (UC) and one that supports teaching (CSU). For many of the CSU system's early formative years, the more powerful UC system was able to delay or prevent the CSU schools from gaining the right to grant certain types of degrees. At present, certain types of doctorates are the only degree types that CSU schools do not grant. Thus, while similar campuses in other states (e.g., Arizona State University) eventually grew into research-oriented state universities, the UC system's powerful research university monopoly has successfully prevented the CSU as a system from experiencing a similar development, although some individual Cal State Universities have indeed become more research-oriented.

According to the California Master Plan for Higher Education (1960), both university systems may confer Bachelors or Master's degrees as well as professional certifications, however only the University of California has the authority to issue Ph.D degrees (Doctor of Philosophy) and professional degrees in the fields of law, medicine, veterinary, and dentistry. As a result of recent legislation (SB 724 and AB 2382), the California State University may now offer the Ed.D (also known as the Doctor of Education or "education doctorate degree") and DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) degrees to its graduate students. Additionally, the California State University (CSU) offers Ph.D degrees and some professional doctorates (for instance, audiology, Au.D) as a "joint degree" in combination with other institutions of higher education, including "joint degrees" with the University of California (UC) and accredited private universities. This is why, for instance, San Diego State can qualify as a "Research University with high research activity" by offering some 22 doctoral degrees.

There are 23 CSU campuses and 10 UC campuses representing approximately 437,000 and 237,000 students respectively. The cost of CSU tuition is approximately half that of UC. Thus, the CSU system has been referred to by former California State University authorities as "The People's University."

CSU and UC use the terms "president" and "chancellor" internally in exactly opposite ways: At CSU, the campuses are headed by "presidents" who report to a systemwide "chancellor"; but at UC, they are headed by "chancellors" who report to a systemwide "president".

CSU has traditionally been more accommodating to the older student than UC, by offering more degree programs in the evenings and, more recently, online. In addition, CSU schools, especially in more urban areas, have traditionally catered to the commuter, enrolling most of its students from the surrounding area. This has changed as CSU schools increase enrollment and some of the more prestigious urban campuses attract a wider demographic.

Traditionally, the UC campuses run a quarter system (with the exception of UC Berkeley, UC Merced, the UCLA medical school, and all UC law schools) while most of the CSU campuses operate on a semester system, with the exception of six campuses. It was announced recently that the remaining six campuses in the CSU, Cal State East Bay, Cal State San Bernardino, CSULA, CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly SLO, and Cal Poly Pomona will all be switching into the semester system by the end of the decade. This was part of a comprehensive study conducted by the CSU.

Admission standards

Historically the requirements for admission to the CSU have been less stringent than the UC system. The CSU attempts to accept applicants from the top one-third (1/3) of California high school graduates. In contrast, the UC attempts to accept the top one-eighth (1/8). In an effort to maintain a 60/40 ratio of upper division students to lower division students and to encourage students to attend a California community college first, both university systems give priority to California community college transfer students.

However, the following 16 CSU campuses use higher standards than the basic admission standards due to the number of qualified students who apply which makes admissions at these schools more competitive:

• Chico State
• Fresno State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Humboldt State (for freshman only)
• Cal State Los Angeles
• Cal State Long Beach
• Cal State Northridge (for freshman only)
• Cal Poly Pomona
• Sacramento State
• Cal State San Bernardino
• San Diego State
• San Francisco State
• San Jose State
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Cal State San Marcos
• Sonoma State

Furthermore, three California State University campuses are fully impacted for both freshmen and transfers, meaning in addition to admission into the school, admission into all majors is also impacted. The three campuses that are fully impacted are: Long Beach, San Diego, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Campus naming conventions

The UC system follows a consistent style in the naming of campuses, using the words "University of California" followed by the name of its declared home city, with a comma as the separator. Most CSU campuses follow a similar pattern, though several are named only for their home city or county, such as San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, San Diego State University, or Sonoma State University. Some of the colleges follow neither pattern. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona use the word "polytechnic" in both their full names (note the order of the words "Polytechnic" and "State"). They also use the abbreviated forms "Cal Poly San Luis Obispo" and "Cal Poly Pomona" respectively, and the San Luis Obispo campus brands its athletic program as "Cal Poly" with no city. In addition, the California Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) is the only campus whose official name does not refer to its location in California. Both Channel Islands and San Marcos campuses official names do not include a comma, unlike the typical style of the CSU naming convention, and instead follow California State University San Marcos, or Channel Islands. Some critics, including Donald Gerth (former President of Sacramento State), have claimed that the weak California State University identity has contributed to the CSU's perceived lack of prestige when compared to the University of California.

Fall 2014 Enrolled Freshmen Profile

Impacted Campuses

An impacted campus or major is one which has more CSU-qualified students than capacity permits. As of 2012, 16 out of the 23 campuses are impacted including Chico, Fresno, Fullerton, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Pomona, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Sonoma, San Marcos, and San Luis Obispo. Some programs at other campuses are similarly impacted. Despite this, CSU undergraduate admissions are quantitatively based and generally do not include items such as personal statements, SAT Subject Test scores, letters of recommendation, or portfolios. In addition, there is geographic preference given to those residing within the commuting areas of the colleges.

Special admissions process for the California Maritime Academy

The Maritime Academy uses a different admissions process from other CSU schools. Because of the nature of its programs, the Maritime Academy requires all applicants to pass a standard physical examination prior to enrollment.

Research and Academics

AAU, AASCU and APLU

The University of California and most of its campuses are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

The California State University (CSU) and most of its campuses are members of APLU and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

ABET

ABET, Inc., (formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), accredits post-secondary degree programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. It is intended to certify the quality of these programs. The California State University has 17 ABET-accredited engineering colleges throughout California.

• Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo College of Engineering
• California Maritime Academy College of Engineering
• California State University, Chico College of Engineering
• California State University, Dominguez Hills College of Engineering
• California State University, East Bay College of Engineering
• California State University, Fresno, Lyles College of Engineering
• California State University, Fullerton College of Engineering
• California State University, Long Beach College of Engineering
• California State University, Los Angeles College of Engineering
• California State University, Northridge College of Engineering
• California State University, Sacramento College of Engineering
• California State University, San Bernardino College of Engineering
• Humboldt State University College of Engineering
• San Diego State University College of Engineering
• San Francisco State University College of Engineering
• San Jose State University College of Engineering

CENIC

The CSU is a founding and charter member of CENIC, the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California, the nonprofit organization which provides extremely high-performance Internet-based networking to California's K-20 research and education community.

Statewide University Programs

Agricultural Research Initiative

A comprehensive applied agricultural and environmental research program joining the CSU's four colleges of agriculture (at San Luis Obispo, Pomona, Chico and Fresno) and the state's agriculture and natural resources industries and allied business communities.

• Cal Poly Pomona
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Chico State
• Fresno State

Biotechnology

The California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) mission is to develop a professional biotechnology workforce. CSUPERB provides grant funding, organizes an annual symposium, sponsors industry-responsive curriculum, and serves as a liaison for the CSU with government, philanthropic, educational, and biotechnology industry partners. The program involves students and faculty from Life, Physical, Computer and Clinical Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Math and Business departments at all 23 CSU campuses.

Hospitality Management

The Hospitality Management Education Initiative (HMEI) was formed in 2008 to address the shortage of hospitality leaders in California. HMEI is a collaboration between the 14 CSU campuses that have hospitality-related degrees and industry executives. CSU awarded 95% of hospitality bachelor’s degrees in the state in 2011.

Nursing

Headquartered and administered at the Dominguez Hills campus, the CSU Statewide Nursing Program offers registered nurses courses available throughout California that lead to Bachelors', Masters' of Science, and a Doctorate degree in Nursing (awarded by the closest participating CSU campus). The campuses that award a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) are:

• Fresno State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Cal State Los Angeles
• Cal State Long Beach
• San Jose State

Online Education and Concurrent Enrollment

Beginning in 2013, the CSU made a radical change in the way it delivered online education. The university approved more than 30 courses for system-wide consumption, meaning any student attending one of the 23 campuses will be able to enroll in an online course offered at another campus, concurrently. The new online education delivery method is part of $17 million additional funding from the state to improve online education, and ultimately improve graduation rates and access to "bottleneck courses" across the 23 campuses. Courses offered include biology, business finance, chemistry, and microeconomics.

Pre-doctoral program

California Pre-Doctoral Program is designed to increase the pool of potential faculty by supporting the doctoral aspirations of California State University students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages.

The Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive Program provides financial and other assistance to individuals pursuing doctoral degrees. The program seeks to provide loans to doctoral students who are interested in applying and competing for California State University instructional faculty positions after completion of the doctoral degree.

Professional science master's degree

The CSU intends to expand its post-graduate education focus to establish and encourage Professional Science Master's degree (PSM) programs using the Sloan model.

See also

• California State Employees Association
• California State University Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association
• California State University Police Department
• Colleges and universities
• List of colleges and universities in California

References

External links

• Official website