The California State University System

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 José 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 the 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, made up 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 multipurpose institutions, offer undergraduate and graduate instruction for professional and occupational goals as well as broad liberal education. All 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 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in some 357 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. In addition, a variety of teaching and school service credential programs are available. A limited number of doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and with private institutions in California. In 2005, the CSU was authorized to independently offer educational doctorate (Ed.D.) programs, and a total of 10 CSU campuses currently have Ed.D. programs.

Enrollment in fall 2008 totaled almost 450,000 students, who were taught by some 24,000 faculty. The system awards about half of the bachelor’s degrees and a third of the master’s degrees granted in California. Nearly 2.5 million students have graduated from CSU campuses since 1961.

Map of CSU Office and Campus Locations

Check out the website for the entire California State University: www.csumentor.edu. You will find helpful hints, frequently asked questions, campus tours, and general information about all 23 campuses. The phone number listed for each campus is for the Office of Admission.

Officials of the California State University

Office of the Chancellor

The California State University
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach, CA 90802-4210
(562) 951-4000

The CSU Board of Trustees

In adopting the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960, the State Legislature established the Board of Trustees of The California State College (designated “The California State University” on Jan. 1, 1982) to “succeed to the powers, duties and functions with respect to the management, administration and control of the state colleges.” Prior to this, the State Board of Education had jurisdiction over the separate colleges.

The Donahoe Act also restructured the individual campuses into the nation’s largest system of senior higher education. The Board of Trustees governs this diverse and complex 23-campus system by:

1. Developing broad administrative policy for the campuses
2. Providing broad direction and coordination to campus curricular development
3. Overseeing the efficient management of funds, property, facilities and investments by the system and the campuses
4. Appointing the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors for the system, and the Presidents for the campuses as chief executives with certain delegated responsibilities
5. Communicating to the people of California an understanding and appreciation of the current effectiveness and the future needs of the California State University.

Under present law there are 24 voting Trustees. Five Trustees are ex officio members: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Chancellor. The Alumni Trustee is appointed by the CSU Statewide Alumni Council. The Student and Faculty Trustee are appointed by the Governor from nominees proposed by the California State Student Association and the Statewide Academic Senate respectively. The Student, Alumni, and Faculty Trustees serve for two years. The sixteen remaining Trustees are appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the State Senate, and serve for eight years. Trustees remain on the Board until a replacement is named or 60 days after their term expires.

The Governor is designated as the President of the Board; the Chancellor serves as Secretary-Treasurer. Other officers, including the Board’s Chair and Vice Chair, are elected by Board members for one-year terms. One Trustee serves as representative to the California Postsecondary Education Commission.

Currently there are nine standing committees of the Board: Audit; Campus Planning, Buildings and Grounds; Collective Bargaining; Educational Policy; Finance; Governmental Relations; Institutional Advancement; Organization and Rules; and University and Faculty Personnel.

Board meetings are held in the headquarters building in Long Beach six times a year. Board meetings are arranged to allow or public comment and also to promote communication between the Trustees and campus Presidents, Executive Committee members of the Statewide Academic Senate, representatives of the California State Student Association, and officers of the Statewide Alumni Council.

The Donahoe Act - which grew out of the recommendations contained in A Master Plan for Higher Education in California, 1960-1975 - was added to the California Education Code as Division 16.5. Along with Division 18 of the Code, it defines the composition, appointments, terms, powers, and functions of the Board of Trustees.

Section 89030 of the Code provides that “the Trustees shall adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with the laws of this State for: a) the government of the Trustees, b) the government of their appointees and employees, c) the government of the California State University.” Section 66607 stipulates that “The California State University shall be entirely independent of all political and sectarian influence and kept free there from in the appointment of its Trustees and in the administration of its affairs.”

List of CSU Board of Trustees

Ex Officio Trustees

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

The Honorable John Garamendi
Lieutenant Governor of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Karen Bass
Speaker of the Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Jack O’Connell
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
721 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814

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

Appointed Trustees

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

Officers of the Trustees

Correspondence with Trustees should be sent to:

c/o Trustees Secretariat
The California State University
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach, CA 90802-4210