View source for California State University

{{Short description|Public university system}}
{{Redirect|California State|the U.S. state|California}}
{{Distinguish|California University (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use American English|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = California State University
 | native_name            = 
 | latin_name             = 
 | image                  = Seal of the California State University.svg
 | image_upright          = 0.7
 | motto                  = ''Vox Veritas Vita'' ([[Latin Language|Latin]])
 | mottoeng               = "Voice, Truth, Life" (Speak the truth as a way of life.)
 | established            = {{start date and age|1857}}
 | type                   = [[Public university|Public]] [[university system]]
 | endowment              = $2.8 billion (2023–24)<ref name="CSU Facts 2025">{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/facts-about-the-csu/Documents/facts2025.pdf |title=2025 Fact Book |publisher=The California State University}}</ref>{{rp|p=39}}
 | budget                 = $8.4 billion (2023–24)<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" />{{rp|p=36}}
 | chancellor             = [[Mildred García]]<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" />{{rp|p=43}}
 | undergrad              = 408,248 (2023–24)<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" />{{rp|p=13}}
 | postgrad               = 53,364 (2023–24)<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" />{{rp|p=14}}
 | city                   = [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]]
 | state                  = [[California]]
 | country                = United States
 | campus                 = 22 campuses
 | colors                 = Red & White {{color box|#D00D2D}}&nbsp;{{color box|white}}
 | affiliations           = [[State of California]]
 | website                = {{URL|https://calstate.edu}}
 | logo                   = California State University logo.svg
}}

The '''California State University''' ('''Cal State''' or '''CSU''') is a [[Public university|public]] [[university system]] in [[California]], and the [[List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment|largest public university system]] in the United States.<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" /> It consists of 22 campuses and seven off-campus centers, which together enroll 461,612 students and employ 63,375 faculty and staff members.<ref name="CSU Facts 2025" />{{rp|p=13, 26}} In California, it is one of the three public higher education systems, along with the [[University of California system|University of California]] and the [[California Community Colleges]] systems. The CSU system is officially incorporated as The Trustees of the California State University, and is headquartered in [[Long Beach, California]].

Established in 1960 as part of the [[California Master Plan for Higher Education]], the CSU system has its roots in the [[California State Normal School]]s that were chartered in 1857.<ref name="calstate3">{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/facts-about-the-csu/Documents/facts2022.pdf |title=Fact Book 2022 |website=Calstate.edu |access-date=2022-06-18}}</ref> It holds the distinction of being the leading producer of [[bachelor's degree]]s in the country,<ref name="calstate3" /> with over 110,000 graduates each year. Additionally, the CSU system contributes to the state's economy by sustaining more than 209,000 jobs.<ref name="calstate3" />

In the 2015–16 academic year, CSU awarded 52% of newly issued California teaching credentials, 33% of the state's [[information technology]] bachelor's degrees, and it had more graduates in business, [[criminal justice]], [[engineering]], [[public administration]], and [[agriculture]] than all other [[List of colleges and universities in California|colleges and universities in California]] combined.<ref name="CSUimpact">[https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/why-the-csu-matters/value-of-the-csu "Measuring the Value of the CSU"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630013016/https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/why-the-csu-matters/value-of-the-csu |date=2022-06-30 }}, CSU</ref> Altogether, about half of the bachelor's degrees, one-fourth of the [[master's degree]]s, and 3% of the doctoral degrees awarded annually in California are from the CSU.<ref name="CSUimpact" /> Additionally, 62% of all bachelor's degrees granted to Hispanic students in California and over half of bachelor's degrees earned by California's Latino, [[African Americans|African American]] and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] students combined are conferred by the CSU.<ref name="CSUDiversity">[https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/diversity "Diversity"], CSU</ref>

Since 1961, over four million alumni have received a degree from the CSU system.<ref name="calstate3" /> CSU offers more than 1,800 degree programs in some 240 subject areas.<ref>[http://blogs.calstate.edu/graduates/?cat=29 "Graduation Facts | 100,000 Graduates Strong"] ({{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629103959/http://blogs.calstate.edu/graduates/?cat=29 |date=June 29, 2014 }}). Blogs.calstate.edu. Retrieved on 2013-07-15.</ref> In fall of 2024, 11,135 (or 40%) of CSU's 27,505 faculty were tenured or on the tenure track.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Employee Profile |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/faculty-staff/employee-profile/Documents/2024-Employee-Profile-Brochure.pdf}}</ref>

== History ==
=== State Normal Schools ===
[[File:California State Normal School, San Jose LCCN2003681544.tif|thumb|The [[California State Normal School]], founded in 1862 in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]], (today's [[San Jose State University]]) is the oldest campus of the CSU system.]]
Today's California State University system is the direct descendant of the [[Minns Evening Normal School]], founded in 1857 by [[George W. Minns]] in [[San Francisco]]. It was a [[normal school]], an institution that educated future teachers in association with the [[High school (North America)|high school]] system and the first of its kind in California.

The school was taken over by the state in 1862 and moved to [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and renamed the [[California State Normal School]]; it eventually evolved into [[San Jose State University]].<ref name="Gerth1">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=5–9}}</ref> A southern branch of the California State Normal School was created in Los Angeles in 1882.<ref name="Gerth2">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=10–11}}</ref> In 1887, the [[California State Legislature]] dropped the word California from the name of the San Jose and Los Angeles schools, renaming them State Normal Schools.
[[File:Kendall Hall as seen from Laxson Auditorium-01006.jpg|thumb|right|The [[California State Normal School|Northern Branch of the State Normal School]], founded 1887, became [[California State University, Chico]].]]
Later, other state normal schools were founded at Chico (1887) and San Diego (1897); they did not form a system in the modern sense, in that each normal school had its own board of trustees and all were governed independently from one another.<ref name="Douglass_Page_137">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=137}}</ref><ref name="Gerth3">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=11–26}}</ref> By the end of the 19th century, the State Normal School in San Jose was graduating roughly 130 teachers a year and was "one of the best known normal schools in the West."<ref>{{cite book |title=Where to educate, 1898–1899. A guide to the best private schools, higher institutions of learning, etc., in the United States |last=Thomas |first=Grace Powers |year=1898 |publisher=Brown and Company |location=Boston |page=17 |accessdate=August 17, 2012 |url=https://archive.org/stream/wheretoeducate1800thomrich#page/17/mode/1up}}</ref>

In 1919, the State Normal School at Los Angeles became the Southern Branch of the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California]]; in 1927, it became the [[University of California, Los Angeles|University of California at Los Angeles]].<ref name="Gerth4">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=26–30}}</ref>

=== State Teachers Colleges ===
[[File:The American system of agricultural education (1904) (17973269710) (cropped).jpg|thumb|The [[California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo#History|California Polytechnic School]], established in 1901, eventually became today's [[California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo]].]]
In May 1921, the legislature enacted a comprehensive reform package for the state's educational system, which went into effect that July.<ref name="Gerth5">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=31–32}}</ref> The State Normal Schools were renamed State Teachers Colleges, their boards of trustees were dissolved, and they were brought under the supervision of the Division of Normal and Special Schools of the new [[California Department of Education]] located at the state capital in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]].<ref name="Gerth5" /> This meant that they were to be managed from Sacramento by the deputy director of the division, who in turn was subordinate to the [[California State Superintendent of Public Instruction|State Superintendent of Public Instruction]] (the ''ex officio'' director of the Department of Education) and the [[California State Board of Education|State Board of Education]]. By this time it was already commonplace to refer to most of the campuses with their city names plus the word "state" (e.g., "San Jose State," "San Diego State," "San Francisco State").
[[File:StateNormalSchool1915 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|San Diego [[California State Normal School|State Normal School]], founded 1897, became [[History of San Diego State University|San Diego State Teacher's College]] in 1923 (and eventually [[San Diego State University]]).]]
The resulting administrative situation from 1921 to 1960 was quite complicated. On the one hand, the Department of Education's actual supervision of the presidents of the State Teachers Colleges was minimal, which translated into substantial autonomy when it came to day-to-day operations.<ref name="Gerth6">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=xxi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v4J-QwAACAAJ&q=leonard+finance}}</ref> According to [[Clark Kerr]], [[J. Paul Leonard]], the president of San Francisco State from 1945 to 1957, once boasted that "he had the best college presidency in the United States—no organized faculty, no organized student body, no organized alumni association, and...no board of trustees."<ref name="ClarkKerr1">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|pages=176–177|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA176}}</ref> On the other hand, the State Teachers Colleges were treated under state law as ordinary [[Government of California|state government]] agencies, which meant their budgets were subject to the same stifling bureaucratic financial controls as all other state agencies (except the University of California).<ref name="Gerth6" /> At least one president would depart his state college because of his express frustration over that issue: Leonard himself.<ref name="Gerth6" /> (One of the lasting legacies of this era is that Cal State employees, like other state employees (but not UC or local government employees) are still paid by the [[California State Controller|state controller]] and receive their [[Employee benefits|employment]] and [[Pension|retirement benefits]] from [[CalPERS]].)

During the 1920s and 1930s, the State Teachers Colleges started to evolve from normal ''schools'' (that is, [[Vocational education in the United States|vocational schools]] narrowly focused on training [[Elementary school (United States)|elementary school]] teachers in how to impart basic [[literacy]] to young children) into teachers ''colleges'' (that is, providing a full [[liberal arts education]]) whose graduates would be fully qualified to teach all [[K–12]] grades.<ref name="Gerth7">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=23–24, 33–35|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v4J-QwAACAAJ&q=liberal%20arts%20mclane}}</ref> A leading proponent of this idea was Charles McLane, the first president of Fresno State, who was one of the earliest persons to argue that K–12 teachers must have a broad liberal arts education.<ref name="Gerth7" />  Having already founded Fresno Junior College in 1907 (now [[Fresno City College]]), McLane arranged for Fresno State to co-locate with the junior college and to synchronize schedules so teachers-in-training could take liberal arts courses at the junior college.<ref name="Gerth7" />  San Diego and San Jose followed Fresno in expanding their academic programs beyond traditional teacher training.<ref name="Douglass_Page_139">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=139}}</ref> These developments had the "tacit approval" of the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, but had not been expressly authorized by the board and also lacked express statutory authorization from the state legislature.<ref name="Douglass_Page_139" />

=== State Colleges ===
[[File:W.K. Kellogg old stables at Cal Poly Pomona.png|thumb|Founded in 1938, the southern campus of the California State Polytechnic School became the independent [[California State Polytechnic University, Pomona]] in 1966.]]
In 1932, the [[Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching]] was asked by the state legislature and governor to perform a study of California higher education.<ref name="Gerth7" /> The so-called "Suzzallo Report" (after the Foundation's president, [[Henry Suzzallo]]) sharply criticized the State Teachers Colleges for their intrusion upon UC's liberal arts prerogative<ref name="SuzzalloReport_Page_44">{{cite book |last1=The Commission of Seven |title=State Higher Education in California: Report of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching |date=1932 |publisher=California State Printing Office |location=Sacramento |pages=44–48 |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb9r29p2g2;NAAN=13030&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00021&toc.depth=1&toc.id=div00019&brand=oac4 |access-date=9 August 2022}}</ref> and recommended their transfer to the [[Regents of the University of California]] (who would be expected to put them back in their proper place).<ref name="Gerth7" /><ref name="SuzzalloReport_Page_22">{{cite book |last1=The Commission of Seven |title=State Higher Education in California: Report of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching |date=1932 |publisher=California State Printing Office |location=Sacramento |pages=22–25 |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb9r29p2g2;NAAN=13030&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00016&toc.depth=1&toc.id=div00015&brand=oac4 |access-date=9 August 2022}}</ref> This recommendation spectacularly backfired when the faculties and administrations of the State Teachers Colleges rallied to protect their independence from the Regents.<ref name="Gerth7" /> In 1935, the State Teachers Colleges were formally upgraded by the state legislature to State Colleges and were expressly authorized to offer a full four-year liberal arts curriculum, culminating in bachelor's degrees, but they remained under the Department of Education.<ref name="Gerth7" />
[[File:Golden bear (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Cal Poly Maritime Academy]] was founded in 1929 as the California Nautical School.]]
During [[World War II]], a group of local [[Santa Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara]] leaders and business promoters (with the acquiescence of college administrators) were able to convince the state legislature and governor to transfer [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara State College]] to the University of California in 1944.<ref name="Gerth8">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=39}}</ref> After losing a ''second'' campus to UC, the state colleges' supporters arranged for the [[Constitution of California|California state constitution]] to be amended in 1946 to prevent it from happening again.<ref name="Gerth8" />
The period after World War II brought a great expansion in the number of state colleges.  Additional state colleges were established in Los Angeles, [[California State University, Sacramento|Sacramento]], and [[Long Beach]] from 1947 to 1949, and then seven more state colleges were authorized to be established between 1957 and 1960. Six more state colleges were founded after the enactment of the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960, bringing the total number to 23.

=== California State Colleges ===
[[File:Homecoming in the 1940's at Cal State LA.jpg|thumb|[[California State University, Los Angeles]] was founded in 1947.]]
[[File:View of the Sacramento State College campus site, 1947.gif|thumb|right|Aerial view of the future campus of [[California State University, Sacramento]], founded in 1947.]]

During the 1950s, the state colleges' peculiar mix of fiscal centralization and operational decentralization began to look rather incongruous in comparison to the highly centralized University of California (then on the brink of its own decentralization project) and the highly decentralized local school districts around the state which operated K–12 schools and junior colleges—all of which enjoyed much more autonomy from the rest of the state government than the state colleges.  In particular, several of the state college presidents had come to strongly dislike the State Board of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Roy E. Simpson, whom the presidents felt were too deferential to the University of California.  Five state college presidents led the movement in the late 1950s for more autonomy from the state government: [[Glenn Dumke]] at San Francisco State (who had succeeded Leonard in 1957), Arnold Joyal at Fresno State, John T. Wahlquist at San Jose State, [[Julian A. McPhee]] at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and [[Malcolm Love]] at San Diego State.<ref name="Douglass_Page_252">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=252}}</ref>  They had three main objectives: (1) a systemwide board independent of the rest of the state government; (2) the right to award professional degrees in engineering and the doctorate in the field of education;<ref name="Douglass_Page_252" /> and (3) state funding for research at the state college level.<ref name="Douglass_Page_253">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=253}}</ref>

The state legislature was limited to merely suggesting locations to the UC Board of Regents for the [[University of California, Santa Cruz|planned UC campus on the Central Coast]].<ref name="Stadtman_Pages412413">{{cite book|last1=Stadtman|first1=Verne A.|title=The University of California, 1868–1968|url=https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad|url-access=registration|date=1970|publisher=McGraw-Hill|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad/page/412 412–413]}}</ref> In contrast, because the state colleges lacked autonomy, they were vulnerable to [[pork barrel]] politics in the state legislature.  As early as 1932, the Suzzallo Report had noted that "the establishing of State teachers colleges has been partly the product of geographic-political considerations rather than of thoughtful determination of needs".<ref name="SuzzalloReport_Page_55">{{cite book |last1=The Commission of Seven |title=State Higher Education in California: Report of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching |date=1932 |publisher=California State Printing Office |location=Sacramento |page=55 |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb9r29p2g2;NAAN=13030&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00021&toc.depth=1&toc.id=div00019&brand=oac4 |access-date=9 August 2022}}</ref> In 1959 alone, state legislators introduced separate bills to individually create nineteen state colleges.  Two years earlier, one bill that had actually passed had resulted in the creation of [[California State University, Stanislaus|a new state college]] in [[Turlock, California|Turlock]], a town better known for its [[Turkey (bird)|turkeys]] than its aspirations towards higher education, and which made no sense except that the chair of the Senate Committee on Education happened to be from Turlock.<ref name="ClarkKerr2">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=174|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA174}}</ref>

In April 1960, the [[California Master Plan for Higher Education]] and the resulting Donahoe Higher Education Act finally granted autonomy to the state colleges.  The Donahoe Act merged all the state colleges into the State College System of California, severed them from the Department of Education (and also the State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction), and authorized the appointment of a systemwide board of trustees and a systemwide chancellor.  The board was initially known as the "Trustees of the State College System of California"; the word "board" was not part of the official name.  In March 1961, the state legislature renamed the system to the California State Colleges (CSC) and the board became the "Trustees of the California State Colleges."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=fJ1MAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA540 Cal. Stats., 1961 reg. sess., ch. 12, pp. 540–571].</ref>

As enacted, the Donahoe Act provides that UC "shall be the primary state-supported academic agency for [[research]]" and "has the sole authority in public higher education to award the doctoral degree in all fields of learning".<ref name="section66010.4">[https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&sectionNum=66010.4. California Education Code Section 66010.4].</ref>  In contrast, CSU may only award the doctoral degree as part of a joint program with UC or "independent institutions of higher education" and is authorized to conduct research "in support of" its mission, which is to provide "undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master's degree."<ref name="section66010.4" />  This language reflects the intent of UC President Kerr and his allies to bring order to "a state of anarchy"—in particular, the state colleges' repeated attempts (whenever they thought UC was not looking) to quietly blossom into full-fledged [[Research university|research universities]], as was occurring elsewhere with other state colleges like [[Michigan State University|Michigan State]].<ref name="ClarkKerr2" />

[[File:Crenshaw Imperial Building.jpg|thumb|right|The Inglewood office building which was home to the so-called "imperial headquarters" of the California State Colleges from 1961 to 1965 (photographed 2025).]]
[[File:CSU Fullerton.jpg|thumb|[[California State University, Fullerton]] was established in 1957.]]

Kerr explained in his memoirs: "The state did not need a higher education system where every component was intent on being another [[Harvard University|Harvard]] or [[University of California, Berkeley|Berkeley]] or [[Stanford University|Stanford]]."<ref name="ClarkKerr3">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=178|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA178}}</ref>  As he saw it, the problem with such "[[mission creep|academic drift]]" was that state resources would be spread too thin across too many universities, all would be too busy chasing the "holy grail of elite research status" (in that state college faculty members would inevitably demand reduced teaching loads to make time for research) for any of them to fulfill the state colleges' traditional role of training teachers, and then "some new colleges would have to be founded" to take up that role.<ref name="ClarkKerr3" /> At the time, California already had too many research universities; it had only 9 percent of the American population but 15 percent of the research universities (12 out of 80).<ref name="ClarkKerr4">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=184|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA184}}</ref>  The language about joint programs and authorizing the state colleges to conduct some research was offered by Kerr at the last minute on December 18, 1959, as a "sweetener" to secure the consent of a then-wavering Dumke, the state colleges' representative on the Master Plan survey team.<ref name="ClarkKerr5">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=181|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA181}}</ref>

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[[File:CSU San Bernardino 1970.png|thumb|[[California State University, San Bernardino]] was founded in 1965.]]

Dumke reluctantly agreed to Kerr's terms only because he knew the alternative was worse.  If the state colleges could not reach a deal with UC, the California legislature was likely to be caught up in the "superboard" fad then sweeping through state legislatures across the United States.<ref name="Douglass_Page_295">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=295}}</ref>  A "superboard" was a state board of higher education with plenary authority over all public higher education in the state—the number of states with superboards went from 16 in 1939 to 33 by 1969.<ref name="Douglass_Page_314">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=314}}</ref>  Dumke was determined to prevent UC and the state legislature from reducing the state colleges to mere UC "satellites", the dark fate they had narrowly escaped in 1935.<ref name="Douglass_Page_296" /> At the outset of negotiations, Wahlquist had already shot down Kerr's suggestion of the "Santa Barbara route", because the state colleges were well aware that [[History of the University of California, Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara had languished]] under the Board of Regents' mismanagement for 15 years.<ref name="ClarkKerr1" />  Kerr never attempted to reformulate his proposal as a threat, but the specter of his "unstated threat" haunted the state colleges for the remainder of the negotiations.<ref name="Douglass_Page_292">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=292}}</ref>  At least under Kerr's terms the state colleges would finally have their own systemwide board, and to Dumke, that was the most important thing.<ref name="Douglass_Page_296" />  To ensure this compromise at the core of the Master Plan would stay intact through the legislative process, it was agreed that the entire package could be enacted only if the state legislature, the State Board of Education, and the UC Board of Regents all agreed with its two main components: (1) the joint doctorate and (2) the new board for the state colleges.<ref name="Douglass_Page_296">{{cite book |last1=Douglass |first1=John Aubrey |title=The California Idea and American Higher Education: 1850 to the 1960 Master Plan |date=2000 |publisher=Stanford University Press |location=Stanford |isbn=978-0-8047-3189-8 |page=296}}</ref>

Most state college presidents and approximately 95 percent of state college faculty members (at the nine campuses where polls were held) strongly disagreed with the Master Plan's express endorsement of UC's primary role with respect to research and the doctorate, but they were still subordinate to the State Board of Education.<ref name="ClarkKerr6">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=182|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA182}}</ref>  In January 1960, Louis Heilbron was elected as the new chair of the State Board of Education.<ref name="ClarkKerr7">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=181|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA181}}</ref>  A [[UC Berkeley School of Law|Berkeley]]-trained attorney, Heilbron had already revealed his loyalty to his [[alma mater]] by joking that UC's ownership of the doctorate ought to be protected from "[[Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution|unreasonable search and seizure]]."<ref name="ClarkKerr7" /> He worked with Kerr to get the Master Plan's recommendations enacted in the form of the Donahoe Act, which was signed into state law on April 27, 1960.<ref name="ClarkKerr6" />

Heilbron went on to serve as the first chairman of the Trustees of the California State Colleges (1960–1963), where he had to "rein in some of the more powerful campus presidents," improve the smaller and weaker campuses, and get all campuses accustomed to being managed for the first time as a system.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Valerie J. |title=Louis H. Heilbron, 99; headed first Cal State trustees board |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-01-me-heilbron1-story.html |access-date=October 19, 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 1, 2007}}</ref>  Heilbron set the "central theme" of his chairmanship by saying that "we must cultivate our own garden" (an allusion to ''[[Candide]]'') and stop trying to covet someone else's.<ref name="ClarkKerr8">{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-520-22367-7|page=185|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA185}}</ref>  Under Heilbron, the board also attempted to improve the quality of state college campus architecture, "in the hope that campuses no longer would resemble [[Prisons in California|state prisons]]."<ref name="Nelson" />  (For example, at the height of the Great Depression, the state government had considered converting Cal Poly San Luis Obispo into a state prison.<ref name="Gerth9">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=35|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=converting%20prison}}</ref>)

Although the state colleges had reported to Sacramento since 1921, the board resolved on August 4, 1961 that the headquarters of the California State Colleges would be set up in the Los Angeles area, and in December, the newly-formed chancellor's office was moved from Sacramento to a rented office on [[Imperial Highway]] in [[Inglewood, California|Inglewood]].<ref name="Gerth_Page_126">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=126|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=imperial%20headquarters}}</ref> This location gained the unfortunate nickname of the "imperial headquarters".<ref name="Gerth_Page_126" /> In 1965, the chancellor's office was moved to a larger office space, again rented, on [[Wilshire Boulevard]] in Los Angeles.<ref name="Gerth_Page_161">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=161|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=wilshire+boulevard}}</ref>

[[Buell G. Gallagher]] was selected by the board as the first chancellor of the California State Colleges (1961–1962), but resigned after only nine unhappy months to return to his previous job as president of the [[City College of New York]].<ref name="Gerth_Page_120">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|pages=120–129|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=gallagher%20ccny}}</ref> Dumke succeeded him as the second chancellor of the California State Colleges (1962–1982).  As chancellor, Dumke faithfully adhered to the system's role as prescribed by the Master Plan,<ref name="ClarkKerr6" /> despite continuing resistance and resentment from state college dissidents who thought he had been "out-negotiated" and bitterly criticized the Master Plan as a "thieves' bargain".<ref name="ClarkKerr4" /> Disappointment with the Master Plan was widespread but was especially acute at Dumke's former campus, San Francisco State.<ref name="Gerth_Page_166">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=166|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=irritation}}</ref> Dumke retorted that his critics' ambitions to turn the state colleges into "baby Berkeleys" were "unrealistic".<ref name="ClarkKerr5" />  Looking back, Kerr thought the state colleges had failed to appreciate the vast breadth of opportunities reserved to them by the Master Plan, as distinguished from UC's relatively narrow focus on basic research and the doctorate.<ref name="ClarkKerr4" />  In any event, "Heilbron and Dumke got the new state college system off to an excellent start."<ref name="ClarkKerr8" />

=== California State University and Colleges ===
[[File:California State University system headquarters.jpg|thumb|right|The first purpose-built headquarters of the California State University, built in 1976 in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]].]]
In 1966, [[James R. Mills]], a state assemblyman from San Diego, suggested studying the possibility of changing the name of the system to California State University.  Much of the leadership on this matter emerged from the San Diego area in the following years, but several bills introduced by San Diego legislators failed to pass in the face of staunch opposition from the University of California.<ref name="Gerth_Page_544">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=544|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=mills}}</ref>  The final compromise was that the system would become the California State University and Colleges.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kumar |first=Amal |date=2023 |title=The origins and evolution of academic drift at the California State University, 1960–2005 |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10734-022-00832-w |journal=Higher Education |language=en |volume=85 |issue=2 |pages=265–281 |doi=10.1007/s10734-022-00832-w |s2cid=247528329 |issn=0018-1560|url-access=subscription }}</ref>  Alex Sherriffs, then serving as an education advisor to Governor Reagan, later explained that he was among those who fought the name change because "most of the campuses are not, by any definition I've ever seen, a university. A university ... includes several colleges and is heavily engaged in scholarship and research. It gives the doctoral degrees".<ref>{{cite archive|first=Alex|last=Sherriffs|item=The Governor's office and public information, education, and planning, 1967–1974, an oral history conducted in 1982 by Sarah Lee Sharp|item-url=|type=|item-id=|date=|page=|pages=|fonds=|series=The Governor's Office and Public Information, And Planning, 1967–1974.|file=|box=|collection=Regional Oral History|collection-url=https://archive.org/details/govofficepub00chalrich/page/n163/mode/2up|repository=|institution=University of California, Berkeley|location=|oclc=|accession=}}</ref> Governor Ronald Reagan signed Assembly Bill 123 into law on November 29, 1971 and the board was renamed the "Trustees of the California State University and Colleges".<ref name="Gerth_Page_545">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=545}}</ref>

In accordance with the new systemwide name, on May 23, 1972, the board of trustees voted to rename fourteen of the nineteen CSU campuses to "California State University," followed by a comma and then their geographic designation.<ref name="Gerth_Page_548">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=548|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=%22may%2023,%201972%22}}</ref>  The five campuses exempted from renaming were the five newest state colleges created during the 1960s.<ref name="Gerth_Page_548" />

The new names were strongly disliked at certain campuses.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Celly |first1=Kirti Sawhney |last2=Knepper |first2=Brenda |date=2010 |title=The California State University: a case on branding the largest public university system in the US: Branding the California State University |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/nvsm.375 |journal=International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=137–156 |doi=10.1002/nvsm.375|url-access=subscription }}</ref>  For example, CSUSF drew the humorous response "[[Response to sneezing|Gesundheit]]," and was frequently confused with [[City College of San Francisco|CCSF]], [[University of San Francisco|USF]], and [[University of California, San Francisco|UCSF]].<ref name="Greenwood">{{cite news |last1=Greenwood |first1=Noel |title=What's in a Name? Plenty, Schools Say |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 21, 1973 |pages=3, 24, 25}}</ref>  Over Dumke's objections, state assemblyman [[Al Alquist|Alfred E. Alquist]] proposed a bill that would rename the San Jose campus back to San Jose State.<ref name="Gerth_Page_548" />  As passed and signed into law, the bill also renamed San Diego and San Francisco back to their old names.<ref name="Gerth_Page_548" /> A few years later, the Sonoma and Humboldt campuses secured passage of similar legislation.<ref name="Gerth_Page_548" />

In September 1976, the chancellor's office was moved from Los Angeles to a custom-built headquarters at 400 Golden Shore on the Long Beach waterfront.<ref name="Gerth_Page_399">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=399|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=1976+long+beach}}</ref> This was the first time CSU had owned its own headquarters building.<ref name="Gerth_Page_399" />

=== California State University ===
[[File:CSUCI-camarillo state hospital bell tower-schafphoto (cropped).jpg|thumb|Established in 2002, [[California State University, Channel Islands]], in [[Camarillo, California|Camarillo]], is the newest CSU campus.]]
Two major changes occurred in 1982. First, CSU was able to quietly obtain passage of a bill dropping the word "colleges" from its name.<ref name="Gerth_Page_554">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=554}}</ref>  Second, [[W. Ann Reynolds]] succeeded Dumke as CSU's third chancellor, and brought a dramatically different management style to the CSU system.<ref name="Gerth_Page_554" />   In many ways, Reynolds was the opposite of the "quiet" and "apolitical" Dumke.<ref name="Gerth_Page_554" />  Despite the severe budget pressures brought about by the passage of [[1978 California Proposition 13|Proposition 13]], Reynolds was able to achieve moderate success in improving parity between CSU and UC funding.<ref name="Gerth_Page_554" /> She was unsuccessful in her other long-term objective, securing for CSU the right to award doctorates independently of UC.<ref name="Gerth_Page_554" />  When she asked Dumke for help, he replied that "he had given his word in 1960 and did not believe it principled to change."<ref name="Gerth_Page_554" />   A week later, he testified before the state legislature and did not support the independent doctorate for CSU.<ref name="Gerth_Page_555">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=555}}</ref>
[[File:Humboldt State University Founders Hall (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Founded in 1913, [[California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt]], in [[Arcata, California|Arcata]], became the third Cal Poly campus in the CSU system in 2022.]]

Meanwhile, various problems with the 400 Golden Shore building forced the chancellor's office to move to a new building after only 22 years.<ref name="Gerth_Page_437">{{cite book|last1=Gerth|first1=Donald R.|title=The People's University: A History of the California State University|date=2010|publisher=Berkeley Public Policy Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=978-0-87772-435-3|page=437 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NKH8c1LMlZ4C&q=401+golden}}</ref>   The solution was to trade spaces with the parking lot across the street to the north, a site with better soil conditions.<ref name="Gerth_Page_437" />  In spring 1998, CSU moved into its current headquarters at 401 Golden Shore, then demolished the old building and turned its site into a parking lot.<ref name="Gerth_Page_437" />

In 1995, California Maritime Academy joined  the California State University system as the twenty-second campus. In 2015 it was renamed as California State University Maritime Academy.

In May 2020, it was announced that all 23 institutions within the CSU system would host majority-online courses in the Fall 2020 semester as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education|impact of the pandemic on education]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=California State University campuses to remain closed through fall semester, online instruction to continue|url=https://abc7.com/6176291/|date=2020-05-13|website=ABC7 Los Angeles|language=en|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Some of California's main universities not likely to return to campus this fall|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/12/us/california-universities-fall-online/index.html|author1=Theresa Waldrop |author2=Jon Passantino |author3=Sarah Moon|website=CNN|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Hubler|first=Shawn|date=2020-05-12|title=Fearing a Second Wave, Cal State Will Keep Classes Online in the Fall|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/12/us/cal-state-online-classes.html|access-date=2020-05-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Near the end of 2022, the CSU actively opposed the proposed expansion of the California Community Colleges' right to confer a limited number of four-year bachelor's degrees.<ref name="Weissman">{{cite news |last1=Weissman |first1=Sara |title=A Legal Impasse or a Turf War? |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/12/05/cal-state-objects-proposed-four-year-programs-two-year-colleges |access-date=September 14, 2023 |work=Inside Higher Ed |date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> The community colleges involved noted how ironic it was for CSU to be pushing back against them, in light of CSU's long-running battle with UC over the right to award the doctorate.<ref name="Weissman" />

In July 2023, CSU's systemwide [[Title IX]] compliance was harshly criticized in a report prepared by the [[Cozen O'Connor]] law firm at the request of the Board of Trustees (at a cost of over $1 million) and separately in another report prepared by the [[California State Auditor]] at the request of the Legislature.<ref name="Le Coz">{{cite news |last1=Le Coz |first1=Emily |last2=Jacoby |first2=Kenny |title=CSU, nation's largest university system, mishandled sexual misconduct, bullying claims |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/07/17/csu-title-ix-violation-investigation/70420045007/ |access-date=21 July 2023 |work=USA Today |date=July 17, 2023}}</ref> The Cozen report found that CSU's legal department and Title IX coordinators were severely understaffed.<ref name="Le Coz" /> Cozen reported there was a widespread perception throughout the CSU system that "individual campus administrators act to protect the interests of the institution rather than care for the individuals who have been harmed".<ref name="Le Coz" />

In January 2024, CSU faculty including professors, lecturers, counselors, librarians and coaches began a system-wide strike.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-22/everything-you-need-to-know-about-cal-state-facultys-first-ever-systemwide-strike|title=Thousands of CSU faculty vow to 'shut down' campuses in first systemwide strike|first=Debbie|last=Troung|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 22, 2024|accessdate=January 22, 2024}}</ref> The strike, which consisted of 30,000 CSU faculty members and affected all of CSU's 23 campuses, was set to be held for five days, with faculty members seeking a 12% pay increase.<ref>{{Cite web |author-last1=Rodriguez|author-first1=Olga R. |date=2024-01-22 |title=California State University faculty reach tentative contract agreement and will end strike |url=https://apnews.com/article/california-state-university-faculty-strike-4d123a00b900fb7007c81b39256bcded |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> The strike, which ended after less than a day, resulted in a tentative agreement with two 5% pay increases (one retroactive to July 1, 2023 and one planned for July 1, 2024) as well as extended parental leave, more increases for lower-paid faculty, and more benefits.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/30000-california-state-university-workers-set-strike/story?id=106561392|title=California State University workers end strike after reaching tentative agreement|first1=Max|last1=Zahn|first2=Jolie|last2=Lash|publisher=ABC News|date=January 23, 2024|accessdate=January 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Matthew |date=2024-01-22 |title=California State Universities reach tentative agreement with faculty and staff - CBS Los Angeles |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/california-state-universities-reach-tentative-agreement-with-staff/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Support for the agreement among faculty has been mixed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-24/cal-state-strike-settles-quickly-to-mixed-reviews|title=CSU and faculty union reach tentative pact with lightening speed, and not all are happy|work=Los Angeles Times|date=2024-01-24|accessdate=2024-01-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/01/23/csu-faculty-seem-split-on-merits-of-tentative-labor-deal-announced-monday/|title=CSU faculty seem split on merits of tentative labor deal announced Monday|first=Dorothy|last=Elder|publisher=Los Angeles Daily News|date=January 23, 2024|accessdate=January 24, 2024}}</ref>

In 2025, the number of CSU campuses shrank by one, as Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo absorbed Cal State University Maritime Academy, which became an off-campus branch by the name of Cal Poly, Maritime Academy.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2024-11-21 |title=CSU Board of Trustees Approves Cal Maritime and Cal Poly Integration {{!}} Cal Poly |url=https://www.calpoly.edu/news/csu-board-trustees-approves-cal-maritime-and-cal-poly-integration |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=www.calpoly.edu |language=en}}</ref>

Today, the campuses of the CSU system include [[comprehensive university|comprehensive universities]] and [[Institute of Technology (United States)|polytechnic universities]] along with the only [[maritime Academy|maritime academy]] in the western United States.

== 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 board of trustees of the California State University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the Board of Trustees {{!}} CSU |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/board-of-trustees/Pages/about-the-bot.aspx |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=www.calstate.edu |language=en-US}}</ref> 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 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, composed of:<ref>California Education Code, §&nbsp;66602</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.calstate.edu/PA/info/BOT.shtml | title = The CSU Board of Trustees | access-date = 2008-01-18 | date = 2008-01-18 | publisher = The California State University | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080201042651/http://www.calstate.edu/PA/info/BOT.shtml | archive-date = 2008-02-01 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www4.csudh.edu/Assets/CSUDH-Sites/LibArchives/docs/almanac-supplement.pdf|title=The California State University Board of Trustees Almanac / Supplement, 1981–1988|date=1989|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830063216/https://www4.csudh.edu/Assets/CSUDH-Sites/LibArchives/docs/almanac-supplement.pdf|archive-date=August 30, 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=May 18, 2018}}</ref>

* The [[governor of California]] (president ex officio)
* Sixteen members appointed by the governor of California with the consent of the Senate
* Two students from the California State University appointed by the governor with the recommendation of the Cal State Student Association
* One tenured faculty member appointed by the governor selected from a list of names submitted by the Academic Senate
* One representative of the alumni associations of the state university selected for a two-year term by the alumni council of the California State University
* Four [[ex officio]] members aside from the governor:
** Lieutenant governor
** Speaker of the Assembly
** State superintendent of public instruction
** The CSU chancellor

The board meets six times each year in the Glenn S. Dumke Auditorium at the Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach.  Unlike the [[Regents of the University of California]], the board does not regularly rotate the locations of its meetings between Northern and Southern California.

=== Chancellor ===
[[File:Csuofficeofthechancellor (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach.]]
The chancellor is the chief executive officer of the CSU, and all presidents of the campuses report directly to the chancellor.<ref name="StandingOrders">[https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6593385/latest/ Standing Orders of the Board of Trustees of the California State University] (as revised through March 21, 2018).</ref>

{{clear}}

==== Chancellors ====
The following persons had served as the chancellor of the California State University system:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/leadership/Pages/past-present-leadership.aspx |title=Past & Present Leadership |publisher=California State University}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Image
!Chancellor
!Start
!End
!{{abbr|Refs.|References}}
|-
|1
|[[File:Buell G. Gallagher, 1959.jpg|70px]]
|[[Buell Gallagher]]
|July 1, 1961
|February 13, 1962
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS19610407.1.5&srpos=3&e=------196-en--20--1-byDA-txt-txIN-Chancellor+Buell+Gallagher----1961--- |title=Buell Gallagher Is Named To Head State College System |newspaper=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]] |volume=105 |number=83 |page=5 |date=April 7, 1961 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]] |quote=Dr. Buell G. Gallagher, a former Californian and currently president of City College of New York, was named chancellor of the 15 colleges and their 90,000 students by the state college trustees Thursday... Dr. Gallagher will take over his $32,000-a-year post after July 1 when the control of the colleges passes from the state education board to the trustees.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=OT19620214.1.1&srpos=3&e=------196-en--20--1-byDA-txt-txIN-Chancellor+Buell+Gallagher+resigns----1962--- |title=State Colleges Chancellor Quits Post |newspaper=[[Oakland Tribune]] |volume=176 |number=45 |page=1 |date=February 14, 1962 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]] |quote=Dr. Buell G. Gallagher resigned yesterday as the first chancellor of California State Colleges and last night was reappointed to his old post as president of the City College of New York, which he left seven months ago.}}</ref>
|-
|2
|[[File:Glenn Dumke.jpg|70px]]
|[[Glenn S. Dumke]]
|April 5, 1962
|August 31, 1982
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS19620406.1.7&srpos=53&e=------196-en--20--41-byDA-txt-txIN-Chancellor+Glenn+Dumke----1962--- |title=Dumke Named Chancellor Of State College System |newspaper=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]] |volume=106 |number=82 |page=7 |date=April 6, 1962 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]] |quote=Dr. Glenn S. Dumke, 44, a vice chancellor of the California state colleges since 1961, was named chancellor Thursday of the 17 college system. Picked for the $32,000 a year post at a board of trustees meeting at San Fernando Valley State college, the new chancellor succeeds Dr. Buell G. Gallagher, who resigned last February to return to his previous post as president of the City College of New York.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://sacbee.newspapers.com/newspage/622148455/ |title=Dumke's CSU Legacy: Quality Education For The Masses |first=Mike |last=Castro |date=July 6, 1982 |page=8 |newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |url-access=subscription |quote=Reynolds takes over as chancellor Sept. 1. Dumke will remain during the transition, probably until mid-September, before retiring.}}</ref>
|-
|3
|
|[[W. Ann Reynolds]]
|September 1, 1982
|May 16, 1990
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-21-mn-1391-story.html |title=Cal State Chief Resigns Under Fire Over Raises : Education: Chancellor W. Ann Reynolds tells an emergency meeting of the trustees in Oakland that she will leave office at end of the year. |first=Larry |last=Gordon |date=April 21, 1990 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-06-01-mn-131-story.html |title=Reynolds May Go From Cal State to Top Job at CUNY |first=Larry |last=Gordon |date=June 1, 1990 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://sacbee.newspapers.com/newspage/625055988/ |title=CSU chancellor to leave post now |date=May 17, 1990 |page=13 |first=Anne |last=Dudley |newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |url-access=subscription |quote=W. Ann Reynolds, embattled chancellor of the California State University system, will leave office immediately instead of October as previously planned. The decision, announced Wednesday at a meeting of the CSU board of trustees, follows intense criticism from the Legislature after Reynolds and other top CSU executives received large, secret raises... To take over the system's top job, the board named Ellis E. McCune, president of CSU Hayward, as acting chancellor, effective immediately.}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|interim
|
|Ellis E. McCune
|May 16, 1990
|July 31, 1991
|
|-
|4
|[[File:Barry Munitz.jpg|70px]]
|[[Barry Munitz]]
|August 1, 1991
|December 31, 1998
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-05-mn-1991-story.html |title=Cal State Turns to Business World to Find Chancellor : Education: Barry Munitz, vice chairman of Pacific Lumber's parent, also headed University of Houston. |first=Larry |last=Gordon |date=April 5, 1991 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[File:Charles B. Reed at lobbying day.jpg|70px]]
|[[Charles B. Reed]]
|January 1, 1998
|December 31, 2012
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-07-me-40189-story.html |title=Area Boosters Pin Hopes on New CSU Chief |first=Fred |last=Alvarez |date=October 7, 1997 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2012-dec-29-la-me-calstate-reed-20121230-story.html |title=Cal State Chancellor Charles B. Reed leaves a mixed legacy |first=Carla |last=Rivera |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=December 29, 2012 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
|-
|6
|[[File:Timothy p white.jpg|70px]]
|[[Timothy P. White]]
|January 1, 2013
|December 31, 2020
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.presstelegram.com/2012/10/04/cal-state-university-leaders-name-timothy-p-white-as-new-chancellor/ |title=Cal State University leaders name Timothy P. White as new chancellor |first1=Kelly |last1=Puente |first2=Ryan |last2=Hagen |date=October 4, 2012 |newspaper=[[Press-Telegram]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="ucrtoday20121004">{{cite web|last=Lovekin|first=Kris|title=Timothy White to Leave UC Riverside to be Chancellor of 23-Campus California State University System|url=http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/9298|work=UCR Today|publisher=[[University of California, Riverside]]|access-date=October 4, 2012|date=October 4, 2012|archive-date=October 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007002746/http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/9298|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/community/timothy-p-white-named-new-chancellor-of-csu-system/ |title=Timothy P. White Named New Chancellor of CSU System |first=Marissa |last=Wallace |date=October 9, 2012 |work=CSUN Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-11/cal-state-executives-paid-millions-resign |title=Cal State pays millions to executives after they resign, with little oversight of what they do |first1=Robert J. |last1=Lopez |first2=Colleen |last2=Shalby |date=March 11, 2022 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
|-
|7
|[[File:Joseph I. Castro at Penn State STEM workshop.jpg|70px]]
|[[Joseph I. Castro]]
|January 4, 2021
|February 17, 2022
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-23 |title=Fresno State president, Valley native Joseph Castro selected as next CSU chancellor |url=https://www.kget.com/news/state-news/fresno-state-president-kings-county-native-joseph-castro-selected-as-next-csu-chancellor/ |access-date=2020-11-03 |work=[[KGET-TV]] |language=en-US |first=Joseph |last=Luiz |archive-date=2020-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021103155/https://www.kget.com/news/state-news/fresno-state-president-kings-county-native-joseph-castro-selected-as-next-csu-chancellor/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/Dr-Joseph-I-Castro-Resigns-As-CSU-Chancellor.aspx |title=Dr. Joseph I. Castro Resigns as CSU Chancellor |date=February 17, 2022 |work=California State University}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|Acting
|
|Steve Relyea
|February 17, 2022
|April 30, 2022
|
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|interim
|
|[[Jolene Koester]]
|May 1, 2022
|September 30, 2023
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/Interim-CSU-Chancellor-Appointed.aspx |title=Jolene Koester Appointed Interim Chancellor of the CSU |date=March 23, 2022 |work=California State University}}</ref>
|-
|8
|
|[[Mildred García]]
|October 1, 2023
|present
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mildred García Appointed 11th CSU Chancellor {{!}} CSU |url=https://www.calstate.edu:443/csu-system/news/Pages/CSU-11th-Chancellor-Appointed-2023.aspx |access-date=2023-07-13 |work=California State University |language=en-US |date=July 12, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|}

=== Student government ===
{{Main|California State Student Association}}
All 22 campuses have student government organizations, and are all members of the [[California State Student Association]] (CSSA). [[California Education Code]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20090430230327/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=89001-90000&file=89300-89304 §&nbsp;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.<ref name="edc89300">[[California Education Code]] [http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=89001-90000&file=89300-89304 §&nbsp;89300] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430230327/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=89001-90000&file=89300-89304 |date=2009-04-30 }}</ref>

== Campuses ==
{{Location map+| California|width=400|float=right|caption=The 22 California State campuses|alt=A topographic map of California with the California State campuses marked|relief=yes|places={{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[San Jose State University|San José]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 37.335278 | lon_deg    = -121.898056 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Chico|Chico]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 39.731667 | lon_deg    = -121.849444 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[San Diego State University|San Diego]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 32.775278 | lon_deg    = -117.072222 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[San Francisco State University|San Francisco]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 37.72318 | lon_deg    = -122.48056 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo|Cal Poly San Luis Obispo]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 35.301667 | lon_deg    = -120.659819 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Fresno|Fresno]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 36.813333 | lon_deg    = -119.75 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt|Cal Poly Humboldt]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 40.875781 | lon_deg    = -124.078560 | position   = right| mark       =  }}  {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Lower|0.3em|{{Nowrap|[[California State Polytechnic University, Pomona|Cal Poly Pomona]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 34.056389 | lon_deg    = -117.821667 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.6em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Los Angeles|LA]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 34.066667 | lon_deg    = -118.167778 | position   = right| mark       =  }}
 {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Sacramento|Sacramento]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 38.560278 | lon_deg    = -121.424167 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Long Beach|Long Beach]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 33.73022 | lon_deg    = -118.112858 | position   = bottom| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Lower|0.5em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Fullerton|Fullerton]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 33.880556 | lon_deg    = -117.885278 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Lower|0.2em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Stanislaus|Stanislaus]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 37.525 | lon_deg    = -120.855833 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, East Bay|East Bay]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 37.656944 | lon_deg    = -122.057778 | position   = right| mark       =  }}
 {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Northridge|Northridge]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 34.241667 | lon_deg    = -118.528333 | position   = top| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Dominguez Hills|Dominguez Hills]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 33.864722 | lon_deg    = -118.256111 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[Sonoma State University|Sonoma]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 38.339722 | lon_deg    = -122.675278 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, San Bernardino|San Bernardino]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 34.1831 | lon_deg    = -117.3240 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Bakersfield|Bakersfield]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 35.350 | lon_deg    = -119.104 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University San Marcos|San Marcos]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 33.128333 | lon_deg    = -117.159444 | position   = right| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University, Monterey Bay|Monterey Bay]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 36.653333 | lon_deg    = -121.796389 | position   = left| mark       =  }} {{Location map~ | California | label      = {{Raise|0.1em|{{Nowrap|[[California State University Channel Islands|Channel Islands]]}}}} | lat_deg    = 34.16205 | lon_deg    = -119.043572 | position   = left| mark       =  }}

}}
The CSU is composed of 22 campuses, of which 10 are located in [[Northern California]] and 12 in [[Southern California]]. The 22 campuses are listed here by order of the year founded:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" |Campus
! rowspan="2" |School name
! rowspan="2" |Founded

! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="number"|Enrollment <br />{{small|(Fall{{nbsp}}2024)}}<ref name="Enrollment">{{Cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/facts-about-the-csu/enrollment |title=Enrollment}}</ref>
!rowspan="2" |Endowment<br />{{small|(FY2024,<br>in millions)}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public NCSE Tables |url=https://www.nacubo.org/Research/2024/Public-NCSE-Tables |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.nacubo.org}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |Athletics
! colspan="9" |Rankings
|-
! style="width:12em;" |Affiliation
! style="width:7em;" |Nickname
!  data-sort-type="number"|''[[U.S. News & World Report|USNWR]]''<br />{{small|(West, 2026)}}<br><ref>{{cite web |year=2025 |title=2026 Best Regional Universities West Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west |access-date=October 30, 2025 |magazine=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2025 |title=2026 Best National University Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities |access-date=October 30, 2025 |magazine=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

!   data-sort-type="number"|''[[The Washington Monthly|Washington <br> Monthly]]''
''<br>''{{small|(Master's, 2025)}} 
<ref>{{cite web |year=2025 |title=2025 Master's University Rankings |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025-college-guide/masters-university-rankings/ |access-date=October 30, 2025 |magazine=Washington Monthly}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web |year=2024 |title=2024 Bachelor's Colleges Rankings |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/bachelors/ |access-date=October 2, 2024 |magazine=Washington Monthly}}</ref>

!   data-sort-type="number"|''[[Forbes]]''<br />{{small|(National, 2025)}}<br><ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 2025 |title=America's Top Colleges 2025-26 |url=https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges |magazine=Forbes}}</ref>
!''[[Center for World University Rankings|CWUR]]''
{{small|(World, 2025)}}

<ref name="CWUR">{{cite web |date= |title=World University Rankings 2025 {{!}} Global 2000 List |url=https://cwur.org/2025.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250611052204/https://cwur.org/2025.php |archive-date=June 11, 2025 |access-date=June 19, 2025 |website=Center for World University Rankings}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Tower Hall - Morris Dailey Auditorium - San Jose State University.jpg|130x130px]] <br /> '''[[San Jose State University|San José]]'''
|San Jose State University
|1857
|33,158
|$203.63
|[[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[NCAA Division I|D-I]]
<small>[[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]</small>
|[[San Jose State Spartans|Spartans]]
|4
|23
|125
|1513
|-
|[[File:Chico State, Kendall Hall, in March 2020 (cropped).jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Chico|Chico]]'''
|California State University, Chico
|1887
|14,581
|$97.90
|NCAA [[NCAA Division II|D-II]]
<small>[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|CCAA]]</small>
|[[Chico State Wildcats|Wildcats]]
|16
|6
|222
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:SanDiegoStUniv EntranceBanner.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[San Diego State University|San Diego]]'''
|San Diego State University
|1897
|39,373
|$459.56
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]</small>
<small>([[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]] in 2026)</small>
|[[San Diego State Aztecs|Aztecs]]
|nowrap|117<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|99<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|87
|625
|-
|[[File:SFSU Library Nov 28, 2023.jpg|130x130px]] <br /> '''[[San Francisco State University|San Francisco]]'''
|San Francisco State University
|1899
|22,357
|$174.85
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[San Francisco State Gators|Gators]]
|208<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|76<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|186
|1388
|-
|[[File:Cal Poly Business School.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California Polytechnic State University|San Luis Obispo]]'''
|California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
|1901
|22,842
|$296.45
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big West Conference|Big West]]</small>
|[[Cal Poly Mustangs|Mustangs]]
|1
|162
|55
|1402
|-
|[[File:Henry Madden Library (cropped2).jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Fresno|Fresno]]'''
|California State University, Fresno<br>''(Fresno State)''
|1911
|24,310
|$254.84
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]</small>
<small>([[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]] in 2026)</small>
|[[Fresno State Bulldogs|Bulldogs]]
|nowrap|183<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|22<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|192
|1432
|-
|[[File:Humboldt State University Founders Hall.jpg|130x130px]] <br /> '''[[California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt|Humboldt]]'''<br>'''Arcata'''
|California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
|1913
|6,045
|$44.06
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks|Lumberjacks]]
|23
|39
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:W.K. Kellogg old stables at Cal Poly Pomona.png|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State Polytechnic University, Pomona|Pomona]]'''
|California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
|1938
|27,196
|$186.73
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal Poly Pomona Broncos|Broncos]]
|3
|11
|144
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Cal State University, Los Angeles.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Los Angeles|Los Angeles]]'''
|California State University, Los Angeles
|1947
|22,740
|$62.52
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles|Golden Eagles]]
|13
|2
|267
|1667
|-
|[[File:Sac State Library Quad.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Sacramento|Sacramento]]'''
|California State University, Sacramento<br>''(Sacramento State)''
|1947
|30,883
|$86.42
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big Sky Conference|Big Sky]]</small>
|[[Sacramento State Hornets|Hornets]]
|22
|3
|280
|1530
|-
|[[File:Walter Pyramid.jpg|130x130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Long Beach|Long Beach]]'''
|California State University, Long Beach<br>''(Long Beach State)''
|1949
|41,189
|$132.91
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big West Conference|Big West]]</small>
|{{sort|Beach|[[Long Beach State athletics|The Beach]]}}{{efn|group=campuses|The baseball team is known as "Dirtbags".}}
|127<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|44<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|97
|1553
|-
|[[File:Humanities and Social Sciences May 2010 Commencement (cropped).jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Fullerton|Fullerton]]'''
|California State University, Fullerton
|1957
|42,999
|$148.68
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big West Conference|Big West]]</small>
|[[Cal State Fullerton Titans|Titans]]
|139<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|60<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|118
|1377
|-
|[[File:CSUSbookstore (cropped).JPG|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Stanislaus|Stanislaus]]'''
|California State University, Stanislaus
|1957
|9,295
|$20.53
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State Stanislaus Warriors|Warriors]]
|9
|5
|301
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Core Campus Perspective, CSUEB.png|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, East Bay|East Bay]]'''<br>'''Hayward'''
|California State University, East Bay
|1957
|10,892
|$21.95
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State East Bay Pioneers|Pioneers]]
|257<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|145<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|308
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Manzanitas Hall.JPG|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Northridge|Northridge]]'''
|California State University, Northridge
|1958
|36,848
|$229.62
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big West Conference|Big West]]</small>
|[[Cal State Northridge Matadors|Matadors]]
|20
|1
|271
|1437
|-
|[[File:New-sci-innov-bldg.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Dominguez Hills|Dominguez Hills]]'''<br>'''Carson'''
|California State University, Dominguez Hills
|1960
|14,262
|$26.55
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros|Toros]]
|36
|4
|452
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:SSU Rec Center 4627.png|130px]] <br /> '''[[Sonoma State University|Sonoma]]'''<br>'''Rohnert Park'''
|Sonoma State University
|1960
|5,784
|$70.47
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|[[Sonoma State Seawolves|Seawolves]]
|23
|84
|221
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Pfau Library (cropped).JPG|130x130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, San Bernardino|San Bernardino]]'''
|California State University, San Bernardino
|1965
|17,900
|$57.61
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes|Coyotes]]
|179<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|31<br />(Nat. Univ.)*
|381
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Library CSUB (cropped).jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Bakersfield|Bakersfield]]'''
|California State University, Bakersfield
|1965
|10,036
|$42.74
|NCAA D-I<br /><small>[[Big West Conference|Big West]]</small>
|[[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
|31
|8
|388
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:Cal State San Marcos.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University San Marcos|San Marcos]]'''
|California State University, San Marcos
|1989
|14,655
|$36.56
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State San Marcos Cougars|Cougars]]
|23
|16
|285
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:CSU Monterey Bay Library.jpg|130px]] <br /> '''[[California State University, Monterey Bay|Monterey Bay]]'''<br>'''Marina/Seaside'''
|California State University, Monterey Bay
|1994
|7,302
|$43.46
|NCAA D-II
[[California Collegiate Athletic Association|<small>CCAA</small>]]
|[[Cal State Monterey Bay Otters|Otters]]
|11
|9
|266
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|-
|[[File:CSUCI-camarillo state hospital bell tower-schafphoto (cropped).jpg|129x129px]] <br /> '''[[California State University Channel Islands|Channel Islands]]'''<br>'''Camarillo'''
|California State University, Channel Islands
|2002
|4,880
|$35.09
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|[[Cal State Channel Islands Dolphins|Dolphins]]
|23
|33
|337
|data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | —
|}

{{Notelist|group=campuses}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranks several universities in the California State University system in the National Universities category as they offer several Ph.D. programs. The other universities are ranked in the Regional Universities (West) category as they offer few or no Ph.D. programs.

<nowiki>^</nowiki> Cal Maritime awards only undergraduate degrees and therefore is ranked separately from the other campuses of the California State University. It is ranked in the "Regional Colleges" category.<ref>[http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-colleges-west Regional Colleges West Rankings | Top Regional Universities West | U.S. News Best Colleges] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102063841/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-colleges-west |date=2016-01-02 }}. Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved on November 14, 2015.</ref>

== Peripheral enterprises ==

=== Off-campus branches ===
A few universities have established off-campus branches to increase education accessibility. These branches differ from typical university extension courses as they offer degree programs and students enjoy the same status as other CSU students. Notably, the California State University, Channel Islands is the newest addition, having transitioned from an off-campus branch of CSU Northridge.  The following is a list of schools and their off-campus branches:[[File:California-maritime-academy-training-ship-golden-bear (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The ''[[Golden Bear (ship)|TS Golden Bear]]'' is the training ship of Cal Poly Maritime Academy, based at [[Vallejo, California|Vallejo]] in the [[Bay Area]].]]
[[File:CSUSB PalmDesertCampus.jpg|thumb|CSU San Bernardino's [[Palm Desert, California|Palm Desert]] campus in the [[Coachella Valley]].]]
[[File:Sacramento State Aquatic Center.jpg|thumb|right|Sacramento State Aquatic Center at [[Lake Natoma]], in [[Gold River, California|Gold River]].]]

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
**[[Cal Poly Maritime Academy|Cal Poly, Solano Campus]]<ref name=":2" />
*California State University, Bakersfield
**Antelope Valley (in [[Lancaster, California]])
*California State University, Chico
**Redding (affiliated with Shasta College)
*California State University, Fullerton
**Garden Grove
**Irvine
*California State University, East Bay
**Concord
**Oakland (Professional & Conference Center)
*California State University, Fresno
**Visalia
*California State University, Los Angeles
**Downtown Los Angeles
*California State University, Monterey Bay
** Salinas (Professional & Conference Center)
*California State University, San Bernardino
**Palm Desert
*California State University, San Marcos
**Temecula/Murrieta
*San Diego State University
**[[San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus|Imperial Valley]] (in [[Brawley, California]] and [[Calexico, California]])
**[[San Diego State University Georgia Campus|SDSU-Georgia]] (in [[Tbilisi]] in [[Georgia (country)|the former Soviet Republic of Georgia]])
*San Francisco State University
**Downtown Campus (in [[San Francisco, California]])
**Sierra Nevada Field Campus (in [[Calpine, California]])
**[[San Francisco State University Romberg Tiburon Campus|Romberg Tiburon Campus]] (in [[Tiburon, California]])
*California State University, Stanislaus
**Stockton, California<ref>[http://stockton.csustan.edu/ CSU Stanislaus | Stockton Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502022421/http://stockton.csustan.edu/ |date=2017-05-02 }}. Stockton.csustan.edu. Retrieved on 2013-07-15.</ref>
{{div col end}}

=== Laboratories ===
[[File:DesertStudiesCenterMainBuildingMarch2010 (cropped).JPG|thumb|right|The [[Desert Studies Center]] in [[Zzyzx, California|Zzyzx]].]]
[[File:MLO-1-npaci.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mount Laguna Observatory]] in the [[Laguna Mountains]].]]
Research facilities owned and operated by units of the CSU:

* [[Desert Studies Center]]
** Research consortium and field site managed by California State University, Fullerton<ref>{{cite web|url=http://biology.fullerton.edu/facilities/dsc/zzyzx.html |title=Desert Studies Center at Soda Springs |work=fullerton.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315192530/http://biology.fullerton.edu/facilities/dsc/zzyzx.html |archive-date=2006-03-15 }}</ref>
* [[Moss Landing Marine Laboratories]]
** Independent degree-granting campus managed by San Jose State University
** Oceanographic laboratory located in the [[Monterey Bay]] area<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlml.calstate.edu|title=Moss Landing Marine Labs|work=calstate.edu}}</ref>
* [[Southern California Marine Institute]]
** Oceanographic laboratory in the [[Los Angeles Basin]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmi.net/ |title=Southern California Marine Institute |website=scmi.net|access-date=2017-11-02}}</ref>
* Telonicher Marine Laboratory at [[Cal Poly Humboldt]] in Trinidad, CA<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hsumarinelab.org/|title=HSU Marine Lab|work=humboldt.edu}}</ref>
** Marine research laboratory on the North California coast
** Home of the research vessel RV Coral Sea

=== Observatories ===
Established in 1968, the [[Mount Laguna Observatory]], managed by San Diego State's Department of Astronomy, is the oldest observatory in the CSU system.<ref>{{cite web |title=San Diego State University Department of Astronomy |url=http://mintaka.sdsu.edu |access-date=2016-12-04 |website=Sdsu.edu}}</ref> The CSU's other observatories include the [[Sonoma State Observatory]], managed by Sonoma State, and the [[Murillo Family Observatory]], the newest observatory in the CSU system and managed by California State University, San Bernardino.<ref>[http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/san-bernardino-county-headlines-index/20101209-san-bernardino-observatory-to-bring-the-universe-to-community.ece SAN BERNARDINO: Observatory to bring the universe to community | San Bernardino County News | PE.com – Press-Enterprise] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022232943/http://www.pe.com/local-news/san-bernardino-county/san-bernardino-county-headlines-index/20101209-san-bernardino-observatory-to-bring-the-universe-to-community.ece|date=2013-10-22}}. PE.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-15.</ref>

=== High-performance networking ===
The California State University is a founding and charter member of the [[Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California]], a nonprofit organization that provides high-performance Internet-based networking to California's K-20 research and education community.

== Research and academics ==
[[File:2008-0817-SJSU-MLKlib.jpg|thumb|[[Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library]], at San José, is the largest library in the [[Western United States]].]]
The California State University (CSU) and most of its campuses are members of [[Association of Public and Land-grant Universities]] (APLU) and the [[American Association of State Colleges and Universities]] (AASCU).

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.[[File:Leo F. Cain Library (cropped2).jpg|thumb|right|Cain Library at Domínguez Hills.]]
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 22 CSU campuses.<ref>{{cite web |title=California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) – CSU |url=http://www.calstate.edu/csuperb |work=calstate.edu}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=CSU Degree Programs |url=http://calstate.edu/hospitality/explore/degrees/campus.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731152939/http://calstate.edu/hospitality/explore/degrees/campus.shtml |archive-date=31 July 2012 |access-date=18 July 2012 |publisher=Hospitality Management Education Initiative}}</ref> CSU awarded 95% of hospitality bachelor's degrees in the state in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Measuring the Value of CSU |url=http://www.calstate.edu/value/systemwide/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804024036/http://www.calstate.edu/value/systemwide/ |archive-date=4 August 2012 |access-date=18 July 2012 |publisher=California State University}}</ref>
[[File:Cal State San Marcos library (cropped).jpg|thumb|Kellogg Library at San Marcos.]]
[[ABET]] (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) is the recognized U.S. accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. The California State University has 18 colleges with ABET-accredited engineering programs (Pomona, San Luis Obispo, Maritime, Chico, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Humboldt, San Diego, San Francisco, and San José).<ref>{{cite web |title=ABET-Accredited Program Search |url=http://main.abet.org/aps/Accreditedprogramsearch.aspx |access-date=18 June 2019 |website=ABET}}</ref>

[[File:Walter Pyramid.jpg|thumb|[[Walter Pyramid]] at Long Beach.]]

== Admissions ==
Historically, the requirements for admission to the CSU have been less stringent than the UC system.  However, both systems require completion of the A-G requirements in high school as part of admission. The CSU attempts to accept applicants from the top one-third of California high school graduates. In contrast, the UC attempts to accept the top one-eighth. 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 Colleges system|California community college]] transfer students.

However, the following 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:<ref name="csumentor.edu">{{cite web| url = https://www.calstate.edu/attend/degrees-certificates-credentials/Pages/impacted-degrees.aspx | title = Impacted Undergraduate Majors and Universities, 2024-25 |access-date = November 29, 2023 | publisher = The California State University}}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Bakersfield (all nursing programs)
* Channel Islands (pre-licensure nursing)
* Chico (recording arts option within music, plus pre-licensure nursing)
* East Bay (nursing)
* Fullerton
* Humboldt (RN-to-BSN nursing only)
* Long Beach
* Los Angeles
* Northridge (accounting, cinema and television arts, music)
* Pomona
* Sacramento (business administration, criminal justice, graphic design, pre-licensure nursing, psychology)
* San Bernardino (criminal justice, kinesiology, pre-licensure nursing, psychology, social work)
* San Diego
* San Francisco (nursing, social work, and undeclared majors expressing an interest in nursing)
* San Jose
* San Luis Obispo
* San Marcos (biological sciences, business administration, electrical engineering, pre-licensure nursing, software engineering)
* Sonoma (criminology/criminal justice, human development, all nursing programs, psychology, sociology)
* Stanislaus (pre-licensure nursing, pre-nursing)
{{div col end}}

Furthermore, five 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 for the academic 2025–26 program. The five campuses that are fully impacted are '''Fullerton''', '''Long Beach''', '''San Diego''', '''San Jose''', and '''San Luis Obispo'''.

The only CSU campuses that are not impacted at either the freshman or transfer level for any academic program are Dominguez Hills, Fresno, and Monterey Bay.

<gallery mode="packed" widths="260" heights="180" caption="Enrollment at the California State University">
File:CSU Total Enrollment 2001-2011.jpg|Enrollment for each CSU campus, 2001–11.
File:CSU Historical Enrollment 1970-2023.png|Enrollment for the CSU system, 1970–2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=CSU – AS – Statistical Reports |url=http://www.calstate.edu/as/stats.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212191423/http://www.calstate.edu/as/stats.shtml |archive-date=2012-02-12 |access-date=2012-02-19 |work=calstate.edu}}</ref>
</gallery>

=== Student profile ===
[[File:Trinity Hall bell tower - California State University, Chico - DSC03144 (cropped).JPG|thumb|upright|Trinity Hall at Chico.]][[File:Julia morgan house.jpg|thumb|right|[[Julia Morgan House]] at Sacramento.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|+ Percentage of students and comparisons statewide nationwide (2024)
! !! Campuses<ref name="calstate">{{cite web |title=CSU; Enrollment by Ethnic Group – Fall 2022 |url=https://tableau.calstate.edu/views/SelfEnrollmentDashboard/EnrollmentSummary?iframeSizedToWindow=true&:embed=y&:showAppBanner=false&:display_count=no&:showVizHome=no |access-date=2023-06-01 |publisher=Calstate.edu}}</ref>
! Under-<br />graduate<ref name="calstate" />
! Graduate &<br /> post-bac<ref name="calstate" />
! California<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: California |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA/PST045222 |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
! United<br /> States<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/US |website=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
|-
| '''[[Native Americans in the United States|American Indians]]''' or '''[[Alaska Natives|Alaskan Natives]]'''
| (<1%)
|(<1%)
|(<1%)|| 1.7% || 1.3%
|-
| '''[[Asian Americans|Asian]]'''
| 15.5%
|15.8%
|13.3%|| 16.5% || 6.4%
|-
| '''Black''' or '''[[African American]]'''
| 4.1%
|4.2%
|3.8%|| 6.5% || 13.7%
|-
| '''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans]]'''<br />(includes [[Chicano]]s, Other [[Latin Americans|Latino]] and [[White Hispanic and Latino Americans|White Hispanics]])
| 48.9%
|50.1%
|40.2%|| 40.4% || 19.5%
|-
|'''[[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]]''' or '''[[Pacific Islander Americans|Other Pacific Islander]]'''
|(<1%)
|(<1%)
|(<1%)
|(<1%)
|(<1%)
|-
| '''[[Non-Hispanic whites|Non-Hispanic White]]'''
| 20.1%
|19.6%
|23.6%|| 34.3% || 58.4%
|-
| '''[[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]]'''
| 4.7%
|4.8%
|3.7%|| 4.3% || 3.1%
|-
| '''Unknown'''
| 3.2%
|3.1%
|4.0%|| N/A  || N/A
|-
| '''[[International student]]s'''
| 3.0%
|1.9%
|11.0^|| N/A || N/A
|}
A 2016 study by the Cal State system estimated that as many as one in ten Cal State students experience homelessness during their time in college.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-26 |title=Cal Poly Humboldt students live in vehicles to afford college. They were ordered off campus. |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-26/cal-poly-humboldt-students-who-live-in-vehicles-are-ordered-off-campus |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Impact ==
[[File:Cesar Chavez Student Center.jpg|thumb|right|César Chávez Student Center at San Francisco.]]
The CSU confers over 110,000 degrees each year, awarding almost half of the state's bachelor's degrees and one-fourth of the state's master's degrees.<ref name="calstate1">{{cite web |url=https://www.calstate.edu/impact/Documents/Economic-Impact-Report-2021.pdf |title=The Impact of the California State University 2021 |website=Calstate.edu |access-date=2022-06-29}}</ref> The entire 22 campus system sustains over 209,000 jobs statewide,<ref name="calstate1" /> generating $1.6 billion in tax revenue. Total CSU related expenditures equate to $26.9 billion.<ref name="calstate1" />

The CSU produces 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.<ref name="calstate1" />{{clarify|date=September 2016}} The CSU is the state's largest source of educators, with more than half of the state's newly credentialed teachers coming from the CSU, expanding the state's rank of teachers by nearly 12,500 per year.<ref name="calstate1" />

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.<ref name="calstate1" /> In the Fall of 2008, 42% of incoming students were from California Community Colleges.<ref name="calstate1" />

== Campus naming conventions ==
[[File:CSUSB Entrance.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to CSU San Bernardino]]
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.<ref name=":0" />

The Fresno and Sacramento campuses formally follow the standard naming pattern, but respectively market themselves as "Fresno State"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brand.fresnostate.edu/editorial-style/editorial-style-guide.html |title=Editorial Style Guide |publisher=University Marketing and Communications, Fresno State |access-date=May 17, 2024 |quote=California State University, Fresno is the official name, but should only be used for specific academic audiences or international audiences. |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227040540/https://brand.fresnostate.edu/editorial-style/editorial-style-guide.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and "Sacramento State", and use those terms for their athletic programs. Chico, Long Beach, and Stanislaus also formally use the standard naming pattern, but use "''Location'' State" for athletics only. Northridge brands its athletic program as "CSUN", and uses that term alongside its formal name in marketing. CSU Bakersfield started the process of rebranding its athletic program, though not the university, as "Bakersfield" in 2023–24.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gorunners.com/documents/2023/9/11/Brand_Style_Guide.pdf |title=Brand Guidelines |publisher=Bakersfield Roadrunners |date=September 11, 2023 |access-date=November 28, 2023}}</ref>

Channel Islands, and San Marcos are the only campuses whose names do not include a comma.<ref name="CampusNames">{{cite web |title=Campus Names |url=https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/csu-branding-standards/editorial-style-guide/Pages/campus-names.aspx |work=calstate.edu |publisher=California State University}}</ref> Some critics, including Donald Gerth (former President of [[California State University, Sacramento|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.<ref name="Gerth">{{cite book| last = Gerth| first = Donald R.| author2 = James O. Haehn| title = Invisible Giant: The California State Colleges| publisher = Jossey-Bass, San Francisco| year = 1971| isbn = 0-87589-110-1| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/invisiblegiantth0000gert}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Cal Poly names">
File:CalPoly72.jpg|[[California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo|California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)]]
File:Cal Poly Pomona campus 1.JPG|[[California State Polytechnic University, Pomona|California State Polytechnic University, Pomona  (Cal Poly Pomona)]]
File:Jolly Giant Commons, July 2022.JPG|[[California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt|California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt  (Cal Poly Humboldt)]]
File:TS Golden Bear.JPG|Formerly the California State University Maritime Academy, the campus became both the [[Cal Poly Maritime Academy]] and Cal Poly, Solano Campus<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cal Poly Maritime Academy {{!}} Cal Poly |url=https://www.calpoly.edu/maritime |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=www.calpoly.edu |language=en}}</ref>
</gallery>

== Differences between the CSU and UC systems ==
Both [[California]] public [[university]] systems are publicly funded higher education institutions. Despite having far fewer students, the largest UC campus, UCLA, as a result of its research emphasis and medical center, has a budget ($7.5 billion as of 2019) roughly equal to that of the entire CSU system ($7.2 billion as of 2019). According to a 2002 study, faculty at the CSU spend about 30 hours a week teaching and advising students and about 10 hours a week on research/creative activities, while a 1984 study reports faculty at the UC spend about 26 hours a week teaching and advising students and about 23 hours a week on research/creative activities.<ref>{{Citation |last=Serpe |first=Richard |title=CSU Faculty Workload Report |date=February 2002 |journal=The Social and Behavioral Research Institute |page=21}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Clinthorne |first=Janice |title=University of California Faculty Time-Use Study |date=October 1984 |journal=Institute for Research in Social Behavior |page=29}}</ref> CSU's Chancellor, [[Charles B. Reed|Dr. Charles B. Reed]], pointed out in his Pullias Lecture at the [[University of Southern California]] 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). However, student per capita spending is lower at CSU, and that, together with the lack of a [[research]] mission or independent [[Doctorate|doctoral programs]] under the [[California Master Plan for Higher Education|California Master Plan]], has led some in American higher education to develop the perception that the CSU system is less prestigious than the UC system.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Smelser |first1=Neil J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ope3J71mTxQC&pg=PA186 |title=Reflections on the University of California: From the Free Speech Movement to the Global University |date=2010 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-94600-2 |location=Berkeley |page=186 |access-date=15 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Renny |first1=Christopher |title=New Working-class Studies |date=2005 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-8967-9 |editor1-last=Russo |editor1-first=John |location=Ithaca |pages=209–219 |chapter=New Working-class Studies in Higher Education |access-date=15 June 2015 |editor2-last=Linkon |editor2-first=Sherry Lee |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BUE7gm9TgkYC&pg=PA211}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Berquist |first1=William |title=Learning to Seek: Globalization, Governance, And the Futures of Higher Education |date=2006 |publisher=Transaction Publishers |isbn=978-1-4128-0615-2 |editor1-last=Anderson |editor1-first=Walter Truett |location=Piscataway, NJ |pages=82–100 |chapter=Leadership at the Interest: New Forms of Governance to Oversee New Form of Higher Education |access-date=15 June 2015 |editor2-last=Dator |editor2-first=James Allen |editor3-last=Tehranian |editor3-first=Majid |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FGTz8Hzfw20C&pg=PA83}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pickens |first1=William H. |title=The Multicampus System: Perspectives on Practice and Prospects |date=1999 |publisher=Stylus Publishing, LLC |isbn=978-1-57922-016-7 |editor1-last=Gaither |editor1-first=Gerald H. |location=Sterling, VA |pages=145–162 |chapter=The California Experience: The Segmented Approach |access-date=15 June 2015 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HgU_Hv427RUC&pg=PA157}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wallace |first1=Amy |date=19 January 1997 |title=The CEO Higher Learning |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-19-tm-19968-story.html |access-date=15 June 2015 |work=Los Angeles Times Magazine |publisher=Tribune Publishing}}</ref> [[Kevin Starr]], the seventh [[State Librarian of California]], described CSU in a published history of California in the 1990s as "in so many ways the [[Rodney Dangerfield]] of public higher education".<ref>Kevin Starr, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fw5N5qg5BHQC&pg=PA583 ''Coast of Dreams: California on the Edge, 1990–2003''] (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004), 583. {{ISBN|9780307795267}}.</ref>

According to the [[California Master Plan for Higher Education]] (1960), both university systems may confer [[bachelors]] or [[Master's degree|master's]] degrees as well as professional certifications, however only the University of California has the authority to issue [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D degrees (Doctor of Philosophy)]] and [[professional degree]]s in the fields of [[law]], [[medicine]], [[veterinary]], and [[dentistry]].<ref>California State Department of Education (1960). [http://www.ucop.edu/acadinit/mastplan/MasterPlan1960.pdf A Master Plan for Higher Education in California: 1960–1975]. Chapter IV – Students: The Problem of Numbers, p. 46. Retrieved: September 12, 2016.</ref> As a result of legislation introduced in 2005 and 2010 (SB 724 and AB 2382, respectively),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-09-22 |title=SB-724 Public postsecondary education: California State University: Doctor of Education degrees. |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200520060SB724 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726060529if_/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200520060SB724 |archive-date=2024-07-26 |website=California Legislative Information}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-26 |title=AB-2382 California State University: Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees. |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200920100AB2382 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228211226if_/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200920100AB2382 |archive-date=2025-02-28 |website=California Legislative Information}}</ref> the California State University may now offer doctoral degrees in [[Doctor of Education|Education]] and [[Doctor of Physical Therapy|Physical Therapy]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Belle |first1=La |last2=J |first2=Thomas |date=2004 |title=Credential Inflation and The Professional Doctorate in California Higher Education. |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED492535 |journal=Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.1.04 |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, the California State University (CSU) offers Ph.D degrees and some professional doctorates as a joint degree in combination with other institutions of higher education, including joint degrees with the University of California and accredited private universities.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cantrell Harris |first1=Judith |last2=Williams |first2=Kimberly |date=2001-06-01 |title=Joint doctoral programs: collaboration while co-mingling university missions |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513540110384475/full/html |journal=International Journal of Educational Management |language=en |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=125–130 |doi=10.1108/09513540110384475 |issn=0951-354X |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

There are 22 CSU campuses and 10 UC campuses representing approximately 437,000 and 237,000<ref>{{cite web |title=The University of California Statistical Summary Fall 2011 |url=http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/uwnews/stat/statsum/fall2011/statsumm2011.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712192132/http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/uwnews/stat/statsum/fall2011/statsumm2011.pdf |archive-date=12 July 2012 |access-date=23 October 2012}}</ref> students respectively. The cost of CSU tuition is approximately half that of UC.

CSU and UC use the terms "president" and "chancellor" internally in opposite ways: At CSU, the campuses are headed by presidents who report to a systemwide chancellor;<ref name="StandingOrders" /> but at UC, they are headed by chancellors who report to a systemwide president.<ref name="ChancellorBylaw">[https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/governance/bylaws/bl31.html Bylaw 31, Chancellors], Bylaws of the Regents of the University of California.</ref>

CSU has traditionally been more accommodating to older students than UC, by offering more degree programs in the evenings and, more recently, online.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2015–16 Budget: Higher Education Analysis |url=http://www.lao.ca.gov/reports/2015/budget/higher-education/hed-budget-analysis-022715.aspx |access-date=2017-04-01 |website=www.lao.ca.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Isaac |last2=Karabel |first2=Jerome |last3=Jaquez |first3=Sean W. |date=2003-11-01 |title=Unequal Opportunity: Student Access to the University of California |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/36h8z95g |language=en}}</ref> In addition, CSU schools, especially in more urban areas, have traditionally catered to commuters, enrolling most of their 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Saavedra |first=Sherry |date=September 23, 2007 |title=As SDSU evolves, demand for housing grows; University was built as commuter campus |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070923/news_1n23house.html |access-date=2008-01-18 |newspaper=[[San Diego Union Tribune]]}}</ref>

The majority of CSU campuses operate on the semester system while UC campuses operate on the quarter system, with the exception of [[University of California, Berkeley|UC Berkeley]], [[University of California, Merced|UC Merced]], all UC law schools, and the [[David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA|UCLA medical school]]. As of fall 2014, CSU began converting its six remaining quarter campuses to the semester calendar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Monday's Message |url=http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/Weekly%203-18-2013%20FINAL2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515140349/http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/Weekly%203-18-2013%20FINAL2.pdf |archive-date=2013-05-15 |access-date=2013-03-29}}</ref> Cal State LA and Cal State Bakersfield converted in fall 2016,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cal State joins national trend to switch to 15-week semesters |url=https://edsource.org/2016/cal-state-joins-national-trend-to-switch-to-15-week-long-semesters/561940 |access-date=2018-05-18 |website=EdSource |language=en}}</ref> while Cal State East Bay and Cal Poly Pomona transitioned to semesters in fall 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meeting Notes May 4, 2018, 2002AB Steering Committee of Semester Conversion |url=http://www.csueastbay.edu/semester/files/docs/minutes/scsc/5-4-18.pdf |access-date=2018-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2018–2019 ACADEMIC CALENDAR BY SEMESTERS |url=https://www.cpp.edu/~academic-programs/Documents/2018-2019_Academic_Calendar_by_Semesters_Detailed_Descriptions_2018-01-25_PresidentApproved.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328170003/http://www.cpp.edu/~academic-programs/Documents/2018-2019_Academic_Calendar_by_Semesters_Detailed_Descriptions_2018-01-25_PresidentApproved.pdf |archive-date=2018-03-28 |access-date=2018-05-17}}</ref> Cal State San Bernardino made the conversion in fall 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-18 |title=Cal Poly, last CSU operating on a quarter system, announces transition into semester system |url=https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/cal-poly-last-csu-operating-on-a-quarter-system-announces-transition-into-semester-system |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=KSBY News |language=en}}</ref> while Cal Poly San Luis Obispo announced its conversion by fall 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raisner |first=Allison |date=2023-11-17 |title=Switch to semester system |url=http://mustangnews.net/switch-to-semester-system/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Mustang News |language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[California State University Employees Union]]
* [[California State University Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association]]
* [[California State University Police Department]]
* [[List of colleges and universities in California]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Donald R. Gerth. ''The People's University: A History of the California State University''. Berkeley: Institute of Governmental Studies, University of California, 2010. {{ISBN|978-0-87772-435-3}}.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.calstate.edu/}}

{{California State University}}
{{Navboxes
|title = California State University Campuses
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|list =

{{California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo}}
{{California State Polytechnic University, Pomona}}
{{Cal Poly Humboldt}}
{{California State University, Bakersfield}}
{{California State University, Chico}}
{{California State University, East Bay}}
{{California State University, Fresno}}
{{California State University, Fullerton}}
{{California State University, Long Beach}}
{{California State University, Los Angeles}}
{{California Maritime Academy}}
{{California State University, Monterey Bay}}
{{California State University, Northridge}}
{{California State University, Sacramento}}
{{California State University, San Bernardino}}
{{San Diego State University}}
{{San Francisco State University}}
{{San Jose State University}}
{{Sonoma State University}}

}}
{{California state agencies}}
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[[Category:California State University| ]]
[[Category:Public university systems in the United States|C]]
[[Category:Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges]]
[[Category:Public universities and colleges in California| California State University system]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1857]]
[[Category:1857 establishments in California]]