San Diego State University

San Diego State University (SDSU), founded in 1897, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area (generally the City and County of San Diego), and is part of the California State University system. In 2003 it had a student body of more than 33,000 and an alumni base of 200,000.

History

Founded March 13, 1897, San Diego State University began as the San Diego Normal School, a training facility for elementary school teachers. Seven faculty and 91 students met in temporary quarters over a downtown drugstore before moving to a newly constructed 17-acre campus on Park Boulevard.

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The curriculum was limited at first to English, history and mathematics, but course offerings broadened rapidly under the leadership of Samuel T. Black, who left his position as state superintendent of public instruction to become the new school?s first president. Black served from 1898 to 1910.

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From 1910 to 1935, President Edward L. Hardy headed a vigorous administration that oversaw major changes to the fledgling institution. In 1921, the Normal School became San Diego State Teachers College, a four-year public institution controlled by the state Board of Education. In that same year, the two-year San Diego Junior College, forerunner of today?s local community colleges, became a branch of San Diego State, creating a union that lasted until 1946.

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By the 1920s, San Diego State was already beginning to outgrow its Park Boulevard location, and San Diegans launched a campaign to build a new campus on the city?s eastern border. In February 1931, students, faculty and staff moved into seven Mission-style buildings surrounding a common area still known as the Main Quad.

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Four years later, the Legislature authorized expansion of degree programs beyond teacher education, and San Diego State Teachers College became San Diego State College. Also in 1935, Walter R. Hepner took the helm as president, beginning a 17-year tenure. The college continued to grow over time, reaching an enrollment of more than 25,000 students during the administration of Malcolm A. Love, who served as president from 1952 to 1971.

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In 1960, San Diego State became part of the newly created California State College system. In 1972 the state college system became the California State University system with the name of San Diego State College changed to California State University, San Diego. However, the new name was unpopular and in 1974 the legislature changed the campus name to San Diego State University (Humboldt State, San Francisco State, San Jose State and Sonoma State were likewise renamed).

Related Topics:
1972 - California State University - 1974

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Leading the institution during the 1970s were Acting President Donald E. Walker (1971-1972), President Brage Golding (1972-1977), Acting President Trevor Colbourn (1977-1978) and President Thomas B. Day, whose tenure spanned from 1978 to 1996. In 1996, Stephen L. Weber became the university?s seventh president.

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Beginning its 106th academic year in fall 2002, San Diego State University can take pride in more than a century of achievement in education, research and service. With an enrollment of approximately 33,000 students, SDSU has grown into the largest institution of higher education in the San Diego region and one of the largest in California.

Related Topics:
San Diego - California

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Renowned for its academic excellence, the university is home to top-ranking programs in education, business, social work, speech-language and public administration, to name just a few. Overall, San Diego State students can choose from 78 undergraduate majors, 62 master's degree programs, and 14 doctoral degree programs.

Related Topics:
Undergraduate - Master's degree - Doctoral degree

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One in seven San Diegans with a college degree attended SDSU, making San Diego State a primary educator of the region?s work force, as well as a leader in expanding access to higher education. Committed to serving the richly diverse San Diego region, SDSU ranks among the top 10 universities nationwide in terms of ethnic and racial diversity among its student body, as well as the number of bachelor's degrees conferred upon students of color.

Related Topics:
College - Degree

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Increasingly recognized for innovative research, San Diego State has achieved the prestigious Doctoral/Research University-Intensive designation. This is granted by the Carnegie Foundation to the top 6.7 percent of the nation's research-conducting universities. In fiscal year 2001-2002, SDSU faculty attracted $140.4 million in grants and contracts for research and program administration, representing a 65 percent increase in funding from five years ago.

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Private giving to San Diego State is also rising dramatically, reaching a record level of $52.6 million in the 2001-2002 fiscal year. Because state funds provide only 35 percent of the university?s annual operating requirements, with tuition and fees adding only 17 percent more, the support of alumni, friends and community partners is providing a crucial margin of excellence at San Diego State University, enabling the university to fulfill its mission and expand its service to the San Diego region and beyond.

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SDSU welcomes opportunities to bring the university?s full resources to bear in analyzing and resolving complex community problems. A prime example is the City Heights Educational Pilot, a six-year partnership with San Diego City Schools, the San Diego Education Association, teachers and parents. Funded with an $18 million grant from Price Charities, the Pilot is improving instruction for students and professional development for teachers in three inner-city schools managed by the university.

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The Compact for Success, another initiative blending service with education and research, partners SDSU with the Sweetwater Union High School District. The Compact?s mission is to nurture students? college aspirations through curriculum support, guaranteed admission and free tuition for those who meet specific academic benchmarks.

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Yet another example of San Diego State?s innovative community engagement is SDSU Nurses Now, a partnership with 10 local hospitals designed to alleviate the region?s nursing shortage. With a $1.9 million funding commitment from these health care partners over the next three years, SDSU has increased its nursing faculty, enabling the university to educate more future nurses.

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Perhaps the most visible evidence of SDSU?s continuing growth is a recent flurry of campus construction on Montezuma Mesa. New facilities completed recently, totaling more than $200 million in value, include Cuicacalli, a dining and residence complex; the Chemical Sciences Laboratory, a showcase of leading-edge laboratories and infrastructure; a 2,458-space parking structure, the largest in the California State University system; and the Aztec Athletics Center, housing coaches? offices, training facilities and the Wise Foundation Hall of Fame.

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The SDSU underground trolley station and tunnel (see the SDSU Trolley website) opened in July of 2005, part of the Metropolitan Transit Development Board?s $431 million Mission Valley East extension of the San Diego trolley system. The SDSU campus, known as "Montezuma Mesa," is now an integral part of the transportation system in the San Diego area.

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