History California State University

students of opening year of newly constructed san diego normal school.

today s california state university system direct descendant of minns evening normal school, normal school in san francisco educated city s future teachers in association high school system. school taken on state in 1862 , moved san jose , renamed california state normal school; evolved san jose state university. southern branch of california state normal school created in los angeles in 1882.

in 1887, california state legislature dropped word california name of san jose , los angeles schools, renaming them state normal schools. later chico (1887), san diego (1897), , other schools became part of state normal school system. in 1919, state normal school @ los angeles became southern branch of university of california; in 1927, became university of california @ los angeles (the @ later replaced comma in 1958). in may 1921, legislature enacted comprehensive reform package state s educational system, went effect july. state normal schools renamed state teachers colleges, boards of trustees dissolved, , brought under supervision of division of normal , special schools of new california department of education located @ state capital in sacramento. meant managed sacramento deputy director of division, in turn under state superintendent of education , state board of education. time commonplace refer of campuses city names plus word state (e.g., san jose state, san diego state, san francisco state ).

the resulting administrative situation 1921 1960 quite complicated. on 1 hand, department of education s actual supervision of presidents of state teachers colleges minimal, translated substantial autonomy when came day-to-day operations. on other hand, state teachers colleges treated under state law ordinary state agencies, meant budgets subject same stifling bureaucratic financial controls other state agencies (except university of california). @ least 1 president depart state college because of express frustration on issue (j. paul leonard, president of san francisco state, in 1957).

during 1920s , 1930s, state teachers colleges started transition normal schools (that is, vocational schools narrowly focused on training elementary school teachers in how impart basic literacy young children) teachers colleges (that is, providing full liberal arts education) graduates qualified teach k–12 grades. leading proponent of idea charles mclane, first president of fresno state, 1 of earliest persons argue k–12 teachers must have broad liberal arts education.

in 1932, carnegie foundation advancement of teaching asked state legislature , governor perform study of california higher education. foundation s 1933 report sharply criticized state teachers colleges intrusion upon uc s liberal arts prerogative , recommended transfer regents of university of california (who expected put them in proper place). recommendation spectacularly backfired when faculties , administrations of state teachers colleges rallied protect independence regents. in 1935, state teachers colleges formally upgraded state legislature state colleges , expressly authorized offer full four-year liberal arts curriculum, culminating in bachelor s degrees, remained under department of education.

during world war ii, group of local santa barbara leaders , business promoters (with acquiescence of college administrators) able convince state legislature , governor transfer santa barbara state college university of california in 1944. after losing second campus uc, state colleges supporters arranged california state constitution amended in 1946 stop ever happening again.

the period after world war ii brought great expansion in number of colleges in system. campuses in los angeles, sacramento, , long beach added 1947 through 1949. next, 7 more schools authorized established between 1957 , 1960. 6 more campuses joined system after enactment of donohoe higher education act in 1960, bringing total number 23.

during era, state colleges peculiar mix of centralization , decentralization began rather incongruous in comparison highly centralized university of california , highly decentralized local school districts around state operated k–12 schools , junior colleges, of enjoyed more autonomy rest of state government state colleges. in 1960, california master plan higher education , resulting donahoe act granted similar autonomy state college system. donahoe act authorized appointment of board of trustees govern csu system, systemwide chancellor.

in 1972, system became california state university , colleges, , campuses renamed insert california state university names. unpopular @ campuses, , result, former san diego state university student body president calvin robinson wrote bill (signed law governor ronald reagan) gave every csu campus option revert older name: e.g., san jose state, san diego state, san francisco state, etc. in 1982, csu system dropped word colleges name.

today campuses of csu system include comprehensive universities , polytechnic universities along maritime academy in western united states - 1 receives aid u.s. maritime administration.