The individual California State Colleges were brought together as a system by the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960.  In 1972 the system became the California State University and Colleges, and in 1982 the system became  the California State University.  Today the campuses of the CSU include comprehensive and polytechnic universities and, since July 1995, the California Maritime Academy,
a specialized campus.

The oldest campus--San Jose State University--was founded in 1857 and became the first institution of public higher education in California.  The newest--CSU Channel Islands, opened in fall 2002, with freshmen arriving in fall 2003.

Responsibility for the California State University is vested in the Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents, who are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses.

The Trustees, the Chancellor, and the Presidents develop systemwide policy, with implementation at the campus level taking place through broadly based consultative procedures. The  Academic Senate of The California State University, composed of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus, recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor.

Academic excellence has been achieved by the California State University through a distinguished faculty, whose primary responsibility is superior teaching. While each campus in the system has its own unique geographic and curricular character, all campuses, as purpose institutions, offer undergraduate and graduate instruction for professional and occupational goals as well as broad liberal education. All of the campuses require for graduation a basic program of  "General Education Requirements" regardless of the type of bachelor’s degree or major field selected by the student.

The CSU offers more than 1,800 bachelors and masters degree programs in some 240 subject areas. Many of these programs are offered so that students can complete all upper-division and graduate requirements by part-time late afternoon and evening study, or by distance learning from home or work via computer or television. In addition, a variety of teaching and school service credential programs are available. A number of doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and with private institutions in California.

Enrollments in fall 2004 totaled 397,000 students, who were taught by some 21,000 faculty.  The system awards more than half of the bachelor's degrees and 30 percent of the master's degrees granted in California.  Nearly 2 million persons have been graduated from CSU campuses since 1960.

 

Office of the Chancellor

      The California State University

      401 Golden Shore

      Long Beach, California 90802-4210
(562)  951-4000

 

Dr. Charles B. Reed,  Chancellor California State University System

Dr. David S. Spence, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer

Mr. Richard P. West, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Jackie McClain, Vice Chancellor, Human Resources

Ms. Christine Helwick, General Counsel

Dr.  Keith Boyum,  Associate Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs

 

Ex Officio Trustees

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California State Capitol, Sacramento 95814

The Honorable Cruz Bustamante,  Lt. Governor of California State Capitol, Sacramento 95814

The Honorable Fabian Núñez, Speaker of the Assembly  State Capitol, Sacramento 95814

The Honorable Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 721 Capitol Mall, Sacramento 95814

Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor of The California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach 90802-4210

 

Officers of the Trustees

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, President

Dr. Murray Galison, Chair

Ms. Roberta Achtenberg, Vice Chair

Mr. Richard P. West, Treasurer

Ms. Christine Helwick, Secretary 

 

Appointed Trustees

Appointments are for a term of eight years, except student, alumni, and faculty trustees whose terms are for two years. Terms expire in the year in parentheses. Names are listed alphabetically.

Ms. Roberta Achtenberg (2007)         Mr. William Hauck (2009)

Mr. Larry Adamson (2005)                                Mr. Raymond W. Holdsworth, Jr. (2011)

Mr. Jeffrey Bleich (2010)                                  

Dr. Herbert L. Carter (2011)              Mr. Ricardo F. Icaza (2008)

Ms. Carol Chandler (2012)                 Mr. Corey A. Jackson (2006)

Mr. Moctesuma Esparza (2008)        Ms. Kathleen Kaiser (2005)

Dr. Debra S. Farar (2006)                   Dr. Shailesh J. Mehta (2005)

Mr. Robert Foster  (2006)                  Ms. Melina Guzman Moore (2012)

Mr. Eric Guerra (2005)                       Mr. Kyriakos Tsakopoulos (2009)

Dr. Murray L. Galinson (2007)          Mr. Anthony M. Vitti (2005)

Dr. George Gowangi (2010)              

            Correspondence with Trustees should be sent to:

            c/o Trustees Secretariat                                                          

The California State University

401 Golden Shore, Suite 134

Long Beach, California 90802-4210