About the CSU

• About the CSU System
• CSU Campuses
• CSU Facts
• CSU Historical Milestones
• CSU International Programs
• Governance
• Office of the Chancellor
• Trustees

The California State University (CSU)

The California State University is the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year public university. With 23 unique campuses and seven off-campus centers, the CSU serves approximately 460,000 students and employs more than 56,000 faculty and staff. Each year, the university awards nearly 130,000 degrees, changing the trajectory of students’ lives by opening doors to opportunities for upward mobility. Nearly one-third of CSU students are the first in their families to attend college and more than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. For one of the most affordable tuitions in the country, students learn from world-class faculty, gain valuable hands-on experiences and receive strong career advising, empowering them to become leaders in the changing workforce. CSU graduates are serving as leaders in the industries that drive California’s economy, including business, agriculture, entertainment, engineering, teaching, hospitality and health care. To learn more, visit the California State University website. 

A Tradition of Excellence for More than Six Decades

Since 1961, the CSU has provided an affordable, accessible and high-quality education to millions of Californians. While each campus is unique based on its curricular specialties, location and campus culture, every CSU is distinguished for the quality of its educational programs. All campuses are fully accredited, provide a high-quality, broad liberal educational program and offer opportunities for students to engage in campus life through the Associated Students, Inc., clubs and service learning.

CSU Facts

• Today, one in every 20 Americans with a college degree is a CSU graduate.
• 1 in every 10 employees in California is a CSU graduate.
• The CSU’s network of more than 4 million alumni is larger than the population of 23 U.S. states.
• The CSU awards nearly half of the bachelor’s degrees earned in California.
• The CSU awards more than one-third of California’s undergraduate nursing degrees.
• Between 2016 and 2021, the CSU prepared more of California’s teachers than any other state institution.
• About four percent of the nation’s teachers graduate from the CSU.
• In 2021-22, CSU students earned more than 20,000 business degrees and more than 7,500 engineering degrees.
• The CSU offers more than 4,000 degree programs that align with the state’s workforce demands.
• The CSU’s online concurrent enrollment program gives students the ability to enroll in courses offered by other campuses in the CSU.
• Through CSU community engagement centers, 52,000 student volunteers participated in service-learning, contributing 2 million hours of service in 2021-22

CSU Historical Milestones

The individual California State Colleges were established as a system with a Board of Trustees and a chancellor in 1960 by the Donahoe Higher Education Act. In 1972, the system was designated as the California State University and Colleges, and in 1982 the system became the California State University. Today, the CSU is comprised of 23 campuses, including comprehensive and polytechnic universities and, since July 1995, the California State University Maritime Academy, a specialized campus.

The oldest campus-San José State University-was founded in 1857 and became the first institution of public higher education in California. The newest-California State University Channel Islands-opened in fall 2002, with freshmen arriving in fall 2003. And in 2022, the Humboldt campus became Cal Poly Humboldt, joining San Luis Obispo and Pomona as that state’s third public polytechnical university.

In 1963, the CSU’s Academic Senate was established to act as the official voice of CSU faculty in university wide matters. Also, the California State College Student Presidents Association- which was later renamed the California State Student Association (CSSA), was founded to represent each campus student association on issues affecting students.

Through its many decades of service, the CSU has continued to adapt to address societal changes, student needs and workforce trends. While the CSU’s core mission has always focused on providing high-quality, affordable bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, over time the university has added a wide range of services and programs to support student success - from adding health centers and special programs for veterans to building student residential facilities to provide a comprehensive educational experience.

In 2010, in an effort to accommodate community college transfer students, the CSU, in concert with the California Community Colleges (CCC), launched the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), which guarantees CCC transfer students with an ADT admission to the CSU with junior status.  The ADT has since proven to be one of the most effective paths to a CSU for community college transfer students. In 2023, the CSU will launch the Transfer Success Pathway program to guarantee future CSU admission to high school graduates who are entering a California community college and who commit to transferring within three years. 

Always adapting to changes in technology and societal trends to support student learning and degree completion, the CSU launched CSU Fully Online, which enables CSU students to complete online courses at other CSU campuses, expanding enrollment opportunities and providing more educational opportunities for students who may prefer an online format to a traditional classroom setting.

The CSU marked a significant educational milestone when it broadened its degree offerings to include professional doctoral degrees. The CSU independently offers Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Audiology (AuD), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree programs. Additionally, the CSU was recently authorized to offer the independent Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). A limited number of other doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and private institutions in California.  

The CSU strives to continually develop innovative programs, services and opportunities that will give students the tools they need to meet their full potential. In 2016, the university launched Graduation Initiative 2025, a bold plan to support students, increase the number of California’s graduates earning high-quality degrees and eliminate achievement and equity gaps for all students. Through this initiative, the CSU is ensuring that all students have the opportunity to graduate according to their personal goals, positively impacting their lives, families and communities.

By providing an accessible, hands-on education that prepares graduates for career success, the CSU has created a network of alumni that is so extensive and renowned that it spans across the globe.  More than 4 million CSU alumni are making a difference in the lives of the people of California and the world. 

CSU Campuses

The California State University International Programs

Developing intercultural communication skills and international understanding among its students is a vital mission of the California State University (CSU). Since its inception in 1963, the CSU International Programs (CSU IP) has contributed to this effort by providing qualified students an affordable opportunity to continue their studies abroad for a full academic year in all programs and a semester option in some countries and programs.

More than 20,000 CSU students have taken advantage of this unique study option. Also, through the CSU IP exchange partnerships, more than 5000 international students have come to study at the CSU campuses.

International Programs participants earn resident academic credit at their CSU campuses while they pursue full-time study at a host university or study center abroad. CSU IP serves the needs of students in more than 100 designated academic majors. Affiliated with nearly 60 recognized universities and institutions of higher education in 18 countries, CSU IP also offers a wide selection of study abroad destinations and learning environments.

Australia - Griffith University, Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland, Western Sydney University

Canada - Concordia University

Chile - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

China - Peking University (Beijing)

Denmark - Danish Institute for Study Abroad

France - Institut Catholique de Paris, Institut Supérieur d’Electronique de Paris, Université d’Aix-Marseille (Aix-en-Provence), Université de Cergy- Pontoise, Universités de Paris I, III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, Université d’Evry Val d’Essonne, and Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

Germany - University of Tübingen and a number of institutions of higher education in the Federal state of Baden-Württemberg

Ghana - University of Ghana

Israel - University of Haifa

Italy - CSU Florence Study Center, Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze

Japan - Waseda University, University of Tsukuba

Mexico - Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Querétaro

South Africa - Nelson Mandela University

South Korea - Yonsei University

Spain - Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Jaén

Sweden - Uppsala University

TaiwanNational Taiwan University

United Kingdom - University of Bradford, University of Bristol, University of Hull, Kingston University, Swansea University, University of Birmingham

Students participating in CSU IP pay CSU tuition and program fees, and are responsible for airfare, accommodations, meals and other personal expenses. Financial aid, with the exception of Federal Work-Study, is available to qualified students and limited scholarship opportunities are also available. All programs require students to maintain good academic and disciplinary standing, many programs are open to sophomores or graduate students. California Community College transfer students are eligible to apply (to select programs) directly from their community colleges. Students must possess a current cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or 3.0, depending on the program, and must fulfill all coursework prerequisites. Additional program information and application instructions can be found on the International Programs Website.

Governance

The CSU is governed by the Board of Trustees, most of whom are appointed by the governor and serve with faculty and student representatives. The CSU chancellor is the chief executive officer, reporting to the board. The campus presidents serve as the campus-level chief executive officers. The trustees, chancellor and presidents develop university-wide educational policy. The presidents, in consultation with the CSU Academic Senate and other campus stakeholder groups, render and implement local policy decisions.

Office of the Chancellor

The California State University

401 Golden Shore

Long Beach, California 90802-4210

(562) 951-4000

Dr. Jolene Koester - Interim Chancellor

Mr. Steve Relyea - Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer

Dr. Sylvia A. Alva - Executive Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs

Mr. Andrew Jones - Executive Vice Chancellor, General Counsel Ms. Leora D. Freeman - Vice Chancellor, Human Resources

Mr. Vlad Marinescu - Vice Chancellor and Chief Audit Officer

Ms. Jessica Darin - Interim Chief of Staff

Ms. Michelle Kiss - Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Board of Trustees 

Trustees of the California State University

EX OFFICIO TRUSTEES

The Honorable Gavin Newsom

Governor of California

The Honorable Eleni Kounalakis

Lieutenant Governor of California

The Honorable Anthony Rendon

Speaker of the Assembly

The Honorable Tony Thurmond

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Dr. Jolene Koester Interim Chancellor, California State University

OFFICERS OF THE TRUSTEES

The Honorable Gavin Newsom - President

Lillian Kimbell - Chair

Wenda Fong - Vice Chair

Andrew Jones - Secretary

Steve Relyea - Treasurer

APPOINTED TRUSTEES

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

Correspondence with trustees should be sent to: c/o Trustees Secretariat, The California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach, California 90802-4210.