California State University, Los Angeles
Encyclopedia
California State University, Los Angeles (also known as Cal State L.A., CSULA, or CSLA) is a public
comprehensive university
, part of the California State University
(CSU) system. The campus is located in the eastern region
of Los Angeles
, California
, United States
, in the University Hills district, facing the San Gabriel Mountains
, at the center of Los Angeles
metropolitan area
just five miles (8 km) from Los Angeles
civic and cultural center. It is located next to two major interstate highways
: Interstate 10 and Interstate 710.
, as well as more than 215,000 alumni. CSULA operates year round on the quarter system. Four quarters, each 11 weeks in duration. Cal State L.A. is organized into eight colleges that incorporate 50 academic departments and divisions offering a variety of majors
. The eight colleges offer nationally recognized science
, arts
, business
, criminal justice
, engineering
, nursing
, education
and humanities
programs. CSULA is home to the critically acclaimed Luckman Jazz
-Orchestra
and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 11.
The 175 acres (70.8 ha) hilltop campus core is home to the nation's first Charter
College of Education, a NASA
-funded SPACE program, Rockefeller-supported humanities center, a National Science Foundation
funded environmental research center and other award-winning engineering programs. U.S. News
has ranked CSULA's undergraduate business program as one of the best in the nation. The School of Nursing is considered to be one of the best in the state of California.
The Charter College of Education has awarded more teaching credentials in the state of California than any other public institution, and includes an innovative baccalaureate degree program designed to train teachers for the specific demands of urban
schools. Cal State L.A. also has the nation's largest early/pre-teen collegiate program, and one of the few and the longest-operating graduate Criminal Justice and Criminalistics program west of the Mississippi river
. The Television, Film, and Media Studies
program is one of the foremost film schools in the CSU system, coordinating film
and TV production experiences with the neighboring Hollywood film industry. The university awards more bachelor's degrees to Hispanic
s than any other California college
or university
. It is also among the highest of any college or university in the United States today.
It is also home to two high schools the Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
(LACHSA), a prestigious arts high school, notable for being the only arts high school in Los Angeles that allows for students from any district within Los Angeles County to attend. Classrooms are shared with Cal State L.A., however, LACHSA activities tend to be separate from those of Cal State L.A's. Notable LACHSA alumni include singer Josh Groban
, actress Jenna Elfman
, actor/singer Corbin Bleu
, and UCLA Athletics senior executive Ron "Country Club" Kobata.
's 36 original adobes
, built in 1776 by Franciscan
missionaries and destroyed by fire in 1908. These lands once were part of a Spanish land grant known as Rancho Rosa Castilla
, given to Juan Batista Batz, a Basque
rancher from northern Spain
who settled here in the 1850s. The inspiration for the name of the rancho, according to local historians, was the wild rose
s that once grew near the ranch home. The main drive through the campus is known as Paseo Rancho Castilla, in acknowledgment of the University's historic heritage.
CSULA was founded on July 2, 1947 by an act of the California legislature
and opened for classes as "The Los Angeles State College" (LASC) on the campus of Los Angeles City College
(LACC). In 1949, the Los Angeles State College was reconstituted by the Legislature as "The Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences." In 1964, the Board of Trustees of the California State Colleges changed the name of the college to the "California State College at Los Angeles," and in 1968 to "California State College, Los Angeles" (CSCLA), when it became part of the California State College (CSC) system. In 1972, CSCLA was awarded University status and was renamed California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).
From 1947 to 1955, the college shared the campus of the Los Angeles City College but the shared-campus experiment proved to be unwieldy and the college moved to its present campus of 175 acres (70.8 ha) in the northeastern section of the City of Los Angeles, 5 miles (8 km) east of the Civic Center.
In 1952 the state proposed a new satellite campus for CSULA, at the time known as Los Angeles State College, and in July 1958, the campus separated from CSULA and was renamed San Fernando Valley State College (Now known as California State University, Northridge
).
Since 1954, CSULA has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC). The University's credential programs are approved by the Commission for Teacher Credentialing Committee on Accreditation.
In 1968 CSULA established the nation’s first Chicano Studies department. In 1993, the CSU Chancellor
and Trustees approved development of Cal State L.A.'s Charter College of Education, creating the first such college of higher education in the nation.
The original mascot of the school was the Diablo
. In 1980, new university President James Rosser adopted a new mascot, Eddie the Golden Eagle
, designed to be more reflective of the campus' highly diverse community. The theme was extended to student facilities such as the student union and bookstore.
A Statue of Confucius
, a gift of the Republic of China
in Taiwan
, was dedicated June 1987. The statue was moved to a new campus location in summer 2005. Its home is now on the grassy area, south of the State Playhouse.
Cal State L.A. has one of the lowest tuition fees, even though quarterly fees have nearly doubled since the 2001-02 academic year. Tuition and fees for in-state is $5,472; and $14,400 for out-of-state with a student:Faculty ratio 23:1. Classes are scheduled weekdays from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and on Saturdays.
Near the edge of the city of Los Angeles, adjacent to the western San Gabriel Valley cities of Alhambra
and Monterey Park
, the Campus affords views of the mountains
to the north, the San Gabriel Valley
to the east, metropolitan Los Angeles to the west, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Catalina Island
to the south.
The Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex, the campus' northern gateway, was dedicated in 1994. An architectural tour-de-force, the buildings house a 1,152-seat theater, art gallery
and the black box Intimate Theatre
, completed in 2004.
Construction on a $30 million University-Student Union
(U-SU) building has recently been completed, the facility offers a place for students and faculty to congregate and interact before or after class. It replaces the 1975 U-SU building that was closed down in 2004, due to seismic concerns. The U-SU, with a theatre, a fitness center, and an array of other services dedicated to the student body. Its meeting rooms connect to those of The Golden Eagle via a third floor bridge. The Golden Eagle includes a food court, a Barnes and Noble operated bookstore and major conference facilities. The university food court
is owned by Pepsi-Co, offering a selection of fast food chain restaurants that include El Pollo Loco
, Carl's Jr.
, Rice Garden, Juice It Up, and Kikka Sushi
. The new U-SU facility houses additional selection of fast food that includes Sbarro
and Starbucks
. In addition to this there are different places inside the campus serving food and coffee
. CSULA virtual tour
CSU Los Angeles is one of only eight institutions in North and South America selected as a Rockefeller Foundation humanities fellowship residency site.
Popular mountain and desert resorts are within a two-hour drive, and beaches are less than an hour away by car.
Cal State L.A. students, faculty, and staff can get a wireless connection to the Internet by interconnected Wi-Fi
hot spots
throughout the campus. See wireless coverage map here.
built six off-campus, 10-story high-rise residential halls to house 3,600 students. The 175 acres (70.8 ha) campus lacked space for horizontal expansion, following the California State University expansion plan started in 1959. This doubled the university's housing capacity, making Cal State L.A. the largest in the California State University
system. Maxwell Starkman & Associates, AIA, of Beverly Hills, designed the development plan. Unlike other components of the Cal State University system being developed in the 1960s, the residence halls were privately financed by Louis Lesser Enterprises, Inc. The first on-campus housing was opened on June 1984, and three years later, a second residential life complex was opened. CSULA has a student-housing complex where students can rent a house at double occupancy for $655.00 per month (as of November 2009). During 1984 Summer Olympics
that took place in Los Angeles
CSULA student houses were upgraded and expanded because it housed the athletics of the 1984 Summer Olympics. Lesser also pioneered “underground parking”, with his Cal State L.A. development, at the time considered unusual enough to merit a separate newspaper section header, “Parking Underground”, which described a two-level underground parking lot as a “concept” of “subterranean spaces”.
developed "underground parking” in his off campus residential housing development for the university in 1964, with only a two level underground parking structure considered so unusual as to merit a separate newspaper section header, “Parking Underground”, and calling the parking “subterranean spaces."
Cal State L.A. now has ample parking spaces for its students and staff. Student permits for parking at Cal State L.A. cost about $90 (as of Spring 2010) for a one quarter parking permit.
Cal State L.A. is uniquely commuter friendly. There are several large parking structures, and surface lots for automobiles. In addition, the school is home to the first commuter rail
station on a college campus, the CSULA station on Metrolink's
San Bernardino Line
, which opened in October 1994. Southern California’s only campus Metrolink station, second only to Union Station
as L.A.’s busiest. The school is also accessible from the California State University, Los Angeles
station on the El Monte Busway
; both stations are located at the south end of the campus. Metro Local
lines 665, 71, and 256, as well as neighborhood shuttles serve the school.
as having one of the nation’s top 100 undergraduate business schools. U.S. News & World Report also rates the engineering program in its America's best colleges issue among the nation’s best undergraduate programs for more than a decade. Cal State L.A. is the only highly ranked public undergraduate (master’s-awarding) university in the greater Los Angeles area. The 2008 issue ranked Cal State L.A.'s engineering program 34th. Cal state L.A. is one of only six CSU programs in the top ranked tier of engineering programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
(ABET). Since 2000, when it began surveying nursing graduate programs, U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools” issues have listed the nursing graduate program among the top programs in California.
For two consecutive years, CSU Los Angeles has had the largest group of students from the CSU selected for the 2008-09 Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship. Since 2008, 32 students have been granted $3,000 each to pursue doctoral studies in music, the sciences, language, literature, and education.
The CSU Los Angeles student delegation garnered top awards in all categories at the 2009 annual National Model United Nations
conference in New York
. The student team received both “Outstanding Delegation” and “Outstanding Position Papers”—the highest honors a delegation can receive.
Having established the nation’s first Chicano Studies Department in 1968, today, CSU Los Angeles is a top source of bachelor’s and master’s degrees for Hispanic students in California.
Cal State LA's academic departments and programs are organized into 8 colleges:
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recognized seven CSU Los Angeles professors over the past two years, giving them the opportunity to research and teach at universities in Qatar, Hong Kong, Japan, Iceland, Togo, and Cyprus. In 2009, the CSU Los Angeles Fulbright contingent was one of the largest in the country, ranked in the top 10 nationally out of the more than 400 universities in the program.
, Computer Science
, and Technology
(ECST) has achieved international recognition with its advanced vehicles. The College was funded by NASA
to advance aerospace
technology and space
research. Cal state L.A's Team Solar Eagle
has built three cars that competed in solar car races in the United States and Australia
, winning a national championship at the American Solar Challenge in 1997. The 1997 champion Solar Eagle III
was the first solar and only Hot Wheels
(r) reproduction of a student-built vehicle. The Solar Eagle II
is on display at the California Science Center
in Los Angeles.
The ultra-high gas mileage car ECST Super Eagle won the American Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) 2004 mileage competition with a tested fuel consumption of 1615 miles (2,599.1 km) per gallon. The faculty team advisor, James Ettaro, was honored by the SAE. The Solar Eagle and Super Eagle are the latest in a long line of solar-powered cars and other super-efficient vehicle technologies.
Cal State L.A.'s NASA
University Research
Center is the first and only of its kind in the state of California.
On August 2006 Cal State L.A. became the first university west of the Mississippi and second overall to achieve successful flight powered by fuel cells. The unmanned aerial vehicle was developed by a team of mechanical engineering
students working in Cal State L.A.'s Multidisciplinary Flight dynamics
and Control
Laboratory (MFDCLab).http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/mfdclab/MFDC_enter.htm
(EEP) is an early college entrance program
for gifted individuals of middle school and high school ages a unique educational program that is specifically designed to permit young, highly gifted students to enroll in college as full time students. The Early Entrance Program was established at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State L.A) in 1982. The Program allows qualified students as young as 11 years of age, the opportunity to excel at the university level. The average entering age is currently 13.5 years and all EEP students must be under the age of 16 by June 1 of the year in which they apply. The program maintains a population of approximately 150 full-time highly gifted teen-age students known as "EEPsters." Every year, approximately 100 academically gifted students from all over the United States apply to EEP, with 25-40 applicants admitted. Students must achieve a combined verbal and mathematics score of 1100 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, with neither score falling below 550; or at least a 24 in English and a 23 in mathematics on the American College Test. After a preliminary interview with the EEP director, prospective students must also undergo a rigorous assessment period called a Provisional Quarter before final admission.
program, which has been a part of the University curriculum since the founding of the school. CSULA is home of one of the few and the longest-operating graduate Criminal Justice
and Criminalistics program west of the Mississippi river
. The university’s Department of Criminal Justice
and Criminalistics is located in the new Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab
. The new Hertzberg
-Davis
Forensic Science Center, which was dedicated on May 11, 2007, jointly house the LAPD
’s Scientific Investigation Division, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department
Scientific Services Bureau and CSULA Criminal Justice and Criminalistics programs. This partnership form the California Forensic Science Institute at CSULA. The California Forensic Science Institute mission is to serve the Los Angeles Regional Crime Laboratory.
in Port Hueneme, California. In 2003, Civil engineering
professor Mark Tufenkjian led CSULA to receive over half a million dollars in grant money. The award of $594,253 is the largest grant ever received by CSULA's Department of Civil Engineering.
is a field station of the California State University located in Zzyzx, California
in the Mojave Desert
. The purpose of the Center is to provide opportunities to conduct research
, receive instruction and experience the Mojave Desert environment. Is officially operated by the California Desert Studies Consortium, a consortium
of 7 CSU campuses: Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, Long Beach, San Bernardino
, Northridge
, Domingues hills and Los Angeles.
. The first student newspaper, at that time called The College Times, was published in June 1948 for the first time. In 1965 The College Times was named the best newspaper by California Intercollegiate Press. On October 2, 1972 The College Times changed its name to University Times, in accordance with the change in university status.
In January 2007, The University Times changed its publication schedule from a twice-weekly paper to a weekly paper, publishing on Tuesdays. The format change to a style similar to the alternative newspaper, LA Weekly
, allowed for a greater number of pages to run and allow more in-depth coverage of news stories relevant to the student body and surrounding community.
During the summer of 2007, the University Times underwent a transition period as the paper started a merger process with its new online presence, Cool State. The paper scaled back production to four issues at the end of the summer quarter and began to gear up for a formal re-launching with the start of the Fall Quarter. The paper is currently published once a week on Thursday.
On Sunday, June 26 2011 the UT related website CoolStateLA.com won in the category "Best Student Website
," and garnered second place notice for best campus paper and best headlines for a publication with a circulation of less than 5,000 at the Los Angeles Press Club Southern California Journalism
Awards. The second place for "Best Headline for Publication Under 5,000 Circulation" was for the UT’s take on President James Rosser’s dismissal of former provost Desdemona Cardoza. In this category, the University Times was competing against mainstream publications, not just campus papers.
Excluding the Greek Council and Order of Omega
, as of Fall 2005, the CSULA Campus is home to fourteen “social” fraternal organizations, seven fraternities and seven sororities. Within that population there are three IFC fraternities, two NPHC fraternities, one statewide Latino fraternity, one International Latino Fraternity, one Armenian fraternity, two NPC sororities, two NALFO sororities, two (2) local sororities, Alpha Theta Pi, Delta Phi Sigma, and one statewide Asian sorority. The representative governing body of the Greek system is the CSULA Greek Council. It is advised and regulated by the university through the Center for Student Involvement, a division of CSULA’s University-Student Union. This division is under the auspices of both the University-Student Union and the Department of Student of Affairs. CSULA’s Greek System began with the establishment of the Alpha Theta Pi Sorority on November 15, 1948. It has grown into a vast social network of collegiate men and women composed of chapters that are local, statewide, national, and international.
Sigma Nu
, Phi Sigma Kappa
, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon
are the nationally and internationally based social fraternities of the CSULA Greek System, otherwise known as the IFC Fraternities. The parent organizations of Sigma Nu, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Lambda Beta
are members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference
. Delta Zeta
and Alpha Sigma Tau
are the sorority equivalencies of the IFC fraternities, otherwise known as NPC Sororities. Their parent organizations are members of the National Panhellenic Conference
, a governing body for 26 women's national and international sororities. Also, Delta Phi Sigma Sorority Inc. a diverse leadership and social organization founded on unity and leadership is a local sorority established since 1991.
CSULA is host to five Latino Greek-lettered organizations: The largest Latino based Fraternity in the nation Sigma Lambda Beta
, Lambda Theta Nu
, Lambda Theta Alpha
and Gamma Zeta Alpha
. Each of these organizations are NALFO organizations or those whose parent organizations are members of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations
with the exception of Sigma Lambda Beta
fraternity, which is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference
. Additionally, CSULA is also home to Beta Gamma Nu a local fraternity. Recently with the continuing growth of Latino organizations on campus, CSULA has become the home for Delta Sigma Chi a co-ed Latino fraternity.
Alpha Phi Alpha
and Phi Beta Sigma
are the Black Greek-letter fraternities on the CSULA campus, also known as NPHC fraternities. Delta Sigma Theta
and Zeta Phi Beta
are the Black Greek Sororities on CSULA, also known as NPHC sororities. Their parent organizations are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council
. It promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.
Additionally, CSULA is home to one statewide Asian Greek-letter sorority, Kappa Zeta Phi
, and one statewide Armenian Greek-letter fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Omega and Asian fraternity and sorority from Philippines Kappa Rho Kappa.
(CCAA) and compete on the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA). The university fields eleven intercollegiate teams for men or women in Baseball
, Basketball
, Cross Country
, Soccer
, Tennis
, Volleyball
,
Indoor Track, and outdoor Track and Field
. CSULA previously competed in Division I and was a founding member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association
in 1969. it left the conference in 1974. Their football
program, which was disbanded in 1978.
Cal State L.A.’s more than 11 acres (4.5 ha) of athletic facilities is named the Billie Jean King
Sports Complex. The sports complex—designation which was approved by the CSU Board of Trustees Sept. 21—features the Eagles Nest Gymnasium, the University Stadium, Jesse Owens Track and Field, Reeder Field (baseball), the swimming pool, and tennis and basketball courts.
The Eagles Nest is home to the Cal State L.A. basketball and volleyball teams. The arena seats just over 3,200 fans at full capacity. In 1984, the Eagles Nest hosted the Summer Olympics judo
competition. In July 1984 the Olympic Mural
, “Olympic Fantasy,” a mosaic
tile
work by muralist Guillermo “Bill” Granizo, was installed on west side of the arena in remembrance of the event.
indicating the location of the University within the city of Los Angeles. The open book symbolizes the educational purpose of the University, with the numerals indicating the date of founding. The original design for the seal, created by John R. Siebon, was accepted by the Associated Students as their official emblem in November 1949, and was adopted officially by the President of the University and the Executive Council in April 1953.
is a ceremonial piece symbolizing the authority under which the University is chartered. It is identified with the Office of the President and is carried in academic processions for commencements
and other official University gatherings. The honor of serving as mace-bearer
is accorded to the Chair of the Academic Senate
.
The University Mace, first used at the annual commencement exercises in June 1960, was designed and executed by Hudson Roysher, Emeritus
Professor of Art. The head of the mace bears the seal of the University. The crowning ornament on the head depicts three buds of the bird of paradise
, official flower of the City of Los Angeles. The buds represent the arts, letters, and sciences. The design at the foot of the mace is derived from the poppy
, floral emblem of the State of California. The decorative bands encircling the mace symbolize the mountainous terrain of Southern California.
sculpture
in title “Time Line for Forgotten Ancestors” has been displayed on the lawn west of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library’s Palmer Wing, across from the bookstore. It was donated to the CSULA Art Department by artist Michael Davis. The sculpture was supposed to face the sun, so it can create a very specific shadow
but the university installed it wrong destroying its main purpose.
Construction has begun on the future home of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
(LACHSA) — a 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²), three-story building. This facility on the north side of campus near the Music Building will serve the 600 LACHSA students as well as benefit CSULA as a shared-use facility.
Construction is nearing completion on a Hydrogen
Fueling Station
on campus. The station will operate as a teaching resource for classes on alternative energy
and fuel system
s, as well as a public accommodation selling and dispensing hydrogen to those driving fuel cell
vehicles. CSULA is one of only three organizations in the state to be awarded CARB funding for such a facility.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
comprehensive university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, part of the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
(CSU) system. The campus is located in the eastern region
East Los Angeles (region)
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles and City Terrace, south of Cypress Park, and north of Vernon, California and...
of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the University Hills district, facing the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
, at the center of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
just five miles (8 km) from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
civic and cultural center. It is located next to two major interstate highways
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
: Interstate 10 and Interstate 710.
Overview
CSULA has a student body of approximately 21,000 students primarily from the greater Los Angeles areaGreater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
, as well as more than 215,000 alumni. CSULA operates year round on the quarter system. Four quarters, each 11 weeks in duration. Cal State L.A. is organized into eight colleges that incorporate 50 academic departments and divisions offering a variety of majors
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
. The eight colleges offer nationally recognized science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
programs. CSULA is home to the critically acclaimed Luckman Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 11.
The 175 acres (70.8 ha) hilltop campus core is home to the nation's first Charter
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
College of Education, a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
-funded SPACE program, Rockefeller-supported humanities center, a National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
funded environmental research center and other award-winning engineering programs. U.S. News
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
has ranked CSULA's undergraduate business program as one of the best in the nation. The School of Nursing is considered to be one of the best in the state of California.
The Charter College of Education has awarded more teaching credentials in the state of California than any other public institution, and includes an innovative baccalaureate degree program designed to train teachers for the specific demands of urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
schools. Cal State L.A. also has the nation's largest early/pre-teen collegiate program, and one of the few and the longest-operating graduate Criminal Justice and Criminalistics program west of the Mississippi river
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The Television, Film, and Media Studies
Cal State LA Studios
Cal State LA Studios is the production area of the Department of Television, Film, and Media Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, the only CSU campus in the Los Angeles basin....
program is one of the foremost film schools in the CSU system, coordinating film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and TV production experiences with the neighboring Hollywood film industry. The university awards more bachelor's degrees to Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
s than any other California college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
or university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. It is also among the highest of any college or university in the United States today.
It is also home to two high schools the Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts is a Visual and Performing Arts high school located on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1984, the public, tuition-free school offers both college preparatory courses and...
(LACHSA), a prestigious arts high school, notable for being the only arts high school in Los Angeles that allows for students from any district within Los Angeles County to attend. Classrooms are shared with Cal State L.A., however, LACHSA activities tend to be separate from those of Cal State L.A's. Notable LACHSA alumni include singer Josh Groban
Josh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
, actress Jenna Elfman
Jenna Elfman
Jennifer Mary "Jenna" Elfman is an American television and film actress. She is known for her role as Dharma on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg and as Billie on the short-lived CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose....
, actor/singer Corbin Bleu
Corbin Bleu
Corbin Bleu Reivers , known professionally as Corbin Bleu, is an American actor, model, dancer, producer, and singer-songwriter. He performed in the High School Musical film series, the Discovery Kids drama series Flight 29 Down, and the Disney Channel Original Movie Jump In!...
, and UCLA Athletics senior executive Ron "Country Club" Kobata.
History
The campus is located on the site of one of CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's 36 original adobes
Adobes
Adobes is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 68 inhabitants....
, built in 1776 by Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionaries and destroyed by fire in 1908. These lands once were part of a Spanish land grant known as Rancho Rosa Castilla
Rancho Rosa Castilla
Rancho Rosa Castilla was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given to Juan Ballesteros in 1831 by Governor Manuel Victoria. The land grant failed to receive confirmation from the Public Land Commission...
, given to Juan Batista Batz, a Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
rancher from northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
who settled here in the 1850s. The inspiration for the name of the rancho, according to local historians, was the wild rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
s that once grew near the ranch home. The main drive through the campus is known as Paseo Rancho Castilla, in acknowledgment of the University's historic heritage.
CSULA was founded on July 2, 1947 by an act of the California legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
and opened for classes as "The Los Angeles State College" (LASC) on the campus of Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
(LACC). In 1949, the Los Angeles State College was reconstituted by the Legislature as "The Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences." In 1964, the Board of Trustees of the California State Colleges changed the name of the college to the "California State College at Los Angeles," and in 1968 to "California State College, Los Angeles" (CSCLA), when it became part of the California State College (CSC) system. In 1972, CSCLA was awarded University status and was renamed California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).
From 1947 to 1955, the college shared the campus of the Los Angeles City College but the shared-campus experiment proved to be unwieldy and the college moved to its present campus of 175 acres (70.8 ha) in the northeastern section of the City of Los Angeles, 5 miles (8 km) east of the Civic Center.
In 1952 the state proposed a new satellite campus for CSULA, at the time known as Los Angeles State College, and in July 1958, the campus separated from CSULA and was renamed San Fernando Valley State College (Now known as California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
).
Since 1954, CSULA has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC). The University's credential programs are approved by the Commission for Teacher Credentialing Committee on Accreditation.
In 1968 CSULA established the nation’s first Chicano Studies department. In 1993, the CSU Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
and Trustees approved development of Cal State L.A.'s Charter College of Education, creating the first such college of higher education in the nation.
The original mascot of the school was the Diablo
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
. In 1980, new university President James Rosser adopted a new mascot, Eddie the Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, designed to be more reflective of the campus' highly diverse community. The theme was extended to student facilities such as the student union and bookstore.
A Statue of Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
, a gift of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, was dedicated June 1987. The statue was moved to a new campus location in summer 2005. Its home is now on the grassy area, south of the State Playhouse.
University Presidents
| Presidents of CSULA | Years as President | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. Victor Peterson | 1947-49 |
| 2 | Howard S. McDonald | 1949-62 |
| 3 | Albert D. Graves | 1962-63 |
| 4 | Franklyn A. Johnson | 1963-65 |
| 5 | John A. Greenlee | 1965-79 |
| 6 | James M. Rosser | 1979 to date |
Campus life and cost of university
| Undergraduate | |
|---|---|
| Black (Non-Hispanic) | 6.2% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 18.1% |
| White | 9.2% |
| Hispanics | 51.8% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.1% |
| International | 5.0% |
| Ethnicity unreported/unknown | 9.5% |
Cal State L.A. has one of the lowest tuition fees, even though quarterly fees have nearly doubled since the 2001-02 academic year. Tuition and fees for in-state is $5,472; and $14,400 for out-of-state with a student:Faculty ratio 23:1. Classes are scheduled weekdays from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and on Saturdays.
Near the edge of the city of Los Angeles, adjacent to the western San Gabriel Valley cities of Alhambra
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
and Monterey Park
Monterey Park, California
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future"...
, the Campus affords views of the mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
to the north, the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
to the east, metropolitan Los Angeles to the west, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
to the south.
The Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex, the campus' northern gateway, was dedicated in 1994. An architectural tour-de-force, the buildings house a 1,152-seat theater, art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
and the black box Intimate Theatre
Black box theater
The black box theater is a relatively recent innovation, consisting of a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor.-History:...
, completed in 2004.
Construction on a $30 million University-Student Union
Student union
Student union may refer to:* Students' union, or student government in the U.S., a student organization at many colleges and universities dedicated to student governance...
(U-SU) building has recently been completed, the facility offers a place for students and faculty to congregate and interact before or after class. It replaces the 1975 U-SU building that was closed down in 2004, due to seismic concerns. The U-SU, with a theatre, a fitness center, and an array of other services dedicated to the student body. Its meeting rooms connect to those of The Golden Eagle via a third floor bridge. The Golden Eagle includes a food court, a Barnes and Noble operated bookstore and major conference facilities. The university food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
is owned by Pepsi-Co, offering a selection of fast food chain restaurants that include El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco is a fast-food restaurant chain specializing in Mexican grilled chicken, headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. "El Pollo Loco" is Spanish for "The Crazy Chicken".Their main dish is pollo asado, a grilled marinated chicken...
, Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
, Rice Garden, Juice It Up, and Kikka Sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
. The new U-SU facility houses additional selection of fast food that includes Sbarro
Sbarro
Sbarro is a bankrupt chain of pizza restaurants that specializes in traditional Italian cuisine, including its most popular menu item "pizza by the slice." Its headquarters is located in Melville, Huntington, New York.- History :...
and Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
. In addition to this there are different places inside the campus serving food and coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
. CSULA virtual tour
CSU Los Angeles is one of only eight institutions in North and South America selected as a Rockefeller Foundation humanities fellowship residency site.
Popular mountain and desert resorts are within a two-hour drive, and beaches are less than an hour away by car.
Cal State L.A. students, faculty, and staff can get a wireless connection to the Internet by interconnected Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
hot spots
Hotspot (Wi-Fi)
A hotspot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network through the use of a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider...
throughout the campus. See wireless coverage map here.
Associated Students
Associated Students Incorporated (A.S.I.) is the student government of California State University, Los Angeles. A.S.I. is governed by a student Board of Directors who is elected each year by the student body of Cal State L.A. A.S.I. represents the interest of the student body and act as the officially recognized voice of the students. In addition, A.S.I. sponsors a number of campus events and activities using mandatory student fees. A.S.I. Official WebsiteEagle Advocates aka Lobby Corps
Eagle Advocates, or A.S.I.'s Lobby Corps, is the sole student advocacy group representing the entire student body of the school. Each CSU campus has a Lobby Corps and is open to all students. Students are trained in advocacy and lobbying throughout the school year. A focus is aimed at the State Legislature although local and federal issues are followed as well. A.S.I. Lobby Corps WebsiteStudent housing
From 1964 to 1972, developer Louis LesserLouis Lesser
Louis Lesser is an American business magnate. He received frequent press coverage in the 1950s and 1960s for his ability to earn money and for his various business operations. He sold the Taj Mahal to New York real estate developer Donald Trump...
built six off-campus, 10-story high-rise residential halls to house 3,600 students. The 175 acres (70.8 ha) campus lacked space for horizontal expansion, following the California State University expansion plan started in 1959. This doubled the university's housing capacity, making Cal State L.A. the largest in the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system. Maxwell Starkman & Associates, AIA, of Beverly Hills, designed the development plan. Unlike other components of the Cal State University system being developed in the 1960s, the residence halls were privately financed by Louis Lesser Enterprises, Inc. The first on-campus housing was opened on June 1984, and three years later, a second residential life complex was opened. CSULA has a student-housing complex where students can rent a house at double occupancy for $655.00 per month (as of November 2009). During 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
that took place in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
CSULA student houses were upgraded and expanded because it housed the athletics of the 1984 Summer Olympics. Lesser also pioneered “underground parking”, with his Cal State L.A. development, at the time considered unusual enough to merit a separate newspaper section header, “Parking Underground”, which described a two-level underground parking lot as a “concept” of “subterranean spaces”.
Parking and Public Transportation
Cal State L.A.'s parking received press coverage for pioneering the concept of underground parking; to deal with the limitations of ground space for expansion under the initial California State expansion plans of the early 1960s. Developer Louis LesserLouis Lesser
Louis Lesser is an American business magnate. He received frequent press coverage in the 1950s and 1960s for his ability to earn money and for his various business operations. He sold the Taj Mahal to New York real estate developer Donald Trump...
developed "underground parking” in his off campus residential housing development for the university in 1964, with only a two level underground parking structure considered so unusual as to merit a separate newspaper section header, “Parking Underground”, and calling the parking “subterranean spaces."
Cal State L.A. now has ample parking spaces for its students and staff. Student permits for parking at Cal State L.A. cost about $90 (as of Spring 2010) for a one quarter parking permit.
Cal State L.A. is uniquely commuter friendly. There are several large parking structures, and surface lots for automobiles. In addition, the school is home to the first commuter rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
station on a college campus, the CSULA station on Metrolink's
Metrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
San Bernardino Line
Metrolink San Bernardino Line
The San Bernardino Line is the busiest of Southern California's seven Metrolink lines, running from Downtown Los Angeles east through the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire to San Bernardino. It is one of the three initial lines on the original Metrolink system...
, which opened in October 1994. Southern California’s only campus Metrolink station, second only to Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
as L.A.’s busiest. The school is also accessible from the California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles (LACMTA station)
California State University, Los Angeles is Metrolink station serving the San Bernardino Line and the Metro Silver Line bus rapid transit line. Local bus services operate from outside the station.-Layout:...
station on the El Monte Busway
El Monte Busway
The El Monte Busway is a 11 mile shared-use bus corridor and high occupancy vehicle lane running west along the Interstate 10 from the Interstate 605 and El Monte Bus Station via transitway stations at California State University Metro Station, USC Medical Center Metro Station into Downtown Los...
; both stations are located at the south end of the campus. Metro Local
Metro Local
Metro Local is a bus system in Los Angeles County operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . This retronym designation was placed to differentiate it from the Metro Rapid service...
lines 665, 71, and 256, as well as neighborhood shuttles serve the school.
Academics
CSU Los Angeles has repeatedly been named by U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
as having one of the nation’s top 100 undergraduate business schools. U.S. News & World Report also rates the engineering program in its America's best colleges issue among the nation’s best undergraduate programs for more than a decade. Cal State L.A. is the only highly ranked public undergraduate (master’s-awarding) university in the greater Los Angeles area. The 2008 issue ranked Cal State L.A.'s engineering program 34th. Cal state L.A. is one of only six CSU programs in the top ranked tier of engineering programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
ABET, Inc., formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, is a non-profit organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology...
(ABET). Since 2000, when it began surveying nursing graduate programs, U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools” issues have listed the nursing graduate program among the top programs in California.
For two consecutive years, CSU Los Angeles has had the largest group of students from the CSU selected for the 2008-09 Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship. Since 2008, 32 students have been granted $3,000 each to pursue doctoral studies in music, the sciences, language, literature, and education.
The CSU Los Angeles student delegation garnered top awards in all categories at the 2009 annual National Model United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
conference in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The student team received both “Outstanding Delegation” and “Outstanding Position Papers”—the highest honors a delegation can receive.
Having established the nation’s first Chicano Studies Department in 1968, today, CSU Los Angeles is a top source of bachelor’s and master’s degrees for Hispanic students in California.
Cal State LA's academic departments and programs are organized into 8 colleges:
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Business and Economics
- Charter College of Education
- College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology
- College of Health and Human Services
- College of Natural and Social Sciences
- College of Extended Studies and International Programs
- Honors College
Faculty
It includes the first United States Presidential Award recipient in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring and 12 faculty members honored with CSU Outstanding Professor Awards—more than any other university in the 23-campus system.The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recognized seven CSU Los Angeles professors over the past two years, giving them the opportunity to research and teach at universities in Qatar, Hong Kong, Japan, Iceland, Togo, and Cyprus. In 2009, the CSU Los Angeles Fulbright contingent was one of the largest in the country, ranked in the top 10 nationally out of the more than 400 universities in the program.
The "Solar Eagle" and "Super Eagle" Competitions
The college of EngineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, and Technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
(ECST) has achieved international recognition with its advanced vehicles. The College was funded by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
to advance aerospace
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
technology and space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
research. Cal state L.A's Team Solar Eagle
Cal State LA Solar Car Team
The Cal State LA Solar Car Team is an engineering team from California State University, Los Angeles. The team develops the Solar Eagle, a series of solar cars that have taken part in solar car races in the United States and in Australia.-Solar Eagle:...
has built three cars that competed in solar car races in the United States and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, winning a national championship at the American Solar Challenge in 1997. The 1997 champion Solar Eagle III
Cal State LA Solar Car Team
The Cal State LA Solar Car Team is an engineering team from California State University, Los Angeles. The team develops the Solar Eagle, a series of solar cars that have taken part in solar car races in the United States and in Australia.-Solar Eagle:...
was the first solar and only Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
(r) reproduction of a student-built vehicle. The Solar Eagle II
Cal State LA Solar Car Team
The Cal State LA Solar Car Team is an engineering team from California State University, Los Angeles. The team develops the Solar Eagle, a series of solar cars that have taken part in solar car races in the United States and in Australia.-Solar Eagle:...
is on display at the California Science Center
California Science Center
The California Science Center is a state agency and museum located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. Billed as the West Coast's largest hands-on science center, the California ScienCenter is a public-private partnership between the State and the California Science Center Foundation...
in Los Angeles.
The ultra-high gas mileage car ECST Super Eagle won the American Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) 2004 mileage competition with a tested fuel consumption of 1615 miles (2,599.1 km) per gallon. The faculty team advisor, James Ettaro, was honored by the SAE. The Solar Eagle and Super Eagle are the latest in a long line of solar-powered cars and other super-efficient vehicle technologies.
Cal State L.A.'s NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
University Research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
Center is the first and only of its kind in the state of California.
On August 2006 Cal State L.A. became the first university west of the Mississippi and second overall to achieve successful flight powered by fuel cells. The unmanned aerial vehicle was developed by a team of mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
students working in Cal State L.A.'s Multidisciplinary Flight dynamics
Flight dynamics
Flight dynamics is the science of air vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. The three critical flight dynamics parameters are the angles of rotation in three dimensions about the vehicle's center of mass, known as pitch, roll and yaw .Aerospace engineers develop control systems for...
and Control
Control engineering
Control engineering or Control systems engineering is the engineering discipline that applies control theory to design systems with predictable behaviors...
Laboratory (MFDCLab).http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/mfdclab/MFDC_enter.htm
Early Entrance Program
The Early Entrance ProgramEarly Entrance Program (CSU)
The Early Entrance Program is an early college entrance program for gifted individuals of middle-school and high school ages at California State University, Los Angeles and also at the University of Washington, Seattle campus. The program allows participants to skip normal schooling and become...
(EEP) is an early college entrance program
Early college entrance program
Early college entrance programs, sometimes called early admission or early enrollment programs are educational programs that allow high school students to be accelerated into college, together with other such students, one or more years before the traditional age of college entrance, and without...
for gifted individuals of middle school and high school ages a unique educational program that is specifically designed to permit young, highly gifted students to enroll in college as full time students. The Early Entrance Program was established at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State L.A) in 1982. The Program allows qualified students as young as 11 years of age, the opportunity to excel at the university level. The average entering age is currently 13.5 years and all EEP students must be under the age of 16 by June 1 of the year in which they apply. The program maintains a population of approximately 150 full-time highly gifted teen-age students known as "EEPsters." Every year, approximately 100 academically gifted students from all over the United States apply to EEP, with 25-40 applicants admitted. Students must achieve a combined verbal and mathematics score of 1100 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, with neither score falling below 550; or at least a 24 in English and a 23 in mathematics on the American College Test. After a preliminary interview with the EEP director, prospective students must also undergo a rigorous assessment period called a Provisional Quarter before final admission.
Forensic Sciences
CSULA has had a growing forensic scienceForensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
program, which has been a part of the University curriculum since the founding of the school. CSULA is home of one of the few and the longest-operating graduate Criminal Justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and Criminalistics program west of the Mississippi river
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The university’s Department of Criminal Justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and Criminalistics is located in the new Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab
Crime Lab
A crime laboratory - often shortened to crime lab - is a scientific laboratory, using primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases.- Lab personnel :A typical crime lab has two sets of personnel:...
. The new Hertzberg
Robert Hertzberg
Robert Myles Hertzberg served as Speaker of the California State Assembly. He was twice elected unanimously Speaker of the State Assembly, and served two terms. In the State Assembly, he represented more than 400,000 constituents in the San Fernando Valley communities of Los Angeles...
-Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
Forensic Science Center, which was dedicated on May 11, 2007, jointly house the LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
’s Scientific Investigation Division, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
Scientific Services Bureau and CSULA Criminal Justice and Criminalistics programs. This partnership form the California Forensic Science Institute at CSULA. The California Forensic Science Institute mission is to serve the Los Angeles Regional Crime Laboratory.
Sea Floor Engineering
CSULA also has a comprehensive seafloor-engineering program. Research is conducted at the Naval Facilities Engineering Service CenterNFESC
NFESC, the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center provides engineering services, technology testing, specialized facilities, and expertise in these facilities...
in Port Hueneme, California. In 2003, Civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
professor Mark Tufenkjian led CSULA to receive over half a million dollars in grant money. The award of $594,253 is the largest grant ever received by CSULA's Department of Civil Engineering.
Cal State L.A. Bottled Water
The CSULA Eagle Spring water, sold on campus, is the result of a unique partnership between the University’s administration and the College of Business and Economics. Together the two branches of the University worked together to develop a product that would appeal to student body and still be cost affordable. The college has developed “experiential” learning projects, which students participate in during their final years of schooling. The University’s water bottle project is one such opportunity, recognizing that there is only so much they can teach students from out of a book.Desert Studies Center
The Desert Studies CenterDesert Studies Center
The Desert Studies Center is a field station of the California State University located in Zzyzx, California in the Mojave Desert. The purpose of the Center is to provide opportunities to conduct research, receive instruction and experience the Mojave Desert environment...
is a field station of the California State University located in Zzyzx, California
Zzyzx, California
Zzyzx, California , formerly Camp Soda and Soda Springs, is a settlement in San Bernardino County, California. It is the former site of the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa and now the site of the Desert Studies Center...
in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. The purpose of the Center is to provide opportunities to conduct research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, receive instruction and experience the Mojave Desert environment. Is officially operated by the California Desert Studies Consortium, a consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
of 7 CSU campuses: Fullerton, Cal Poly Pomona, Long Beach, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino, also known as Cal State San Bernardino or CSUSB is a public research university and one of the twenty three general campuses of the California State University system. The main campus sits on in the suburban University District of , United States, with...
, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
, Domingues hills and Los Angeles.
University Times
The University Times (UT) is a student-run newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. The first student newspaper, at that time called The College Times, was published in June 1948 for the first time. In 1965 The College Times was named the best newspaper by California Intercollegiate Press. On October 2, 1972 The College Times changed its name to University Times, in accordance with the change in university status.
In January 2007, The University Times changed its publication schedule from a twice-weekly paper to a weekly paper, publishing on Tuesdays. The format change to a style similar to the alternative newspaper, LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
, allowed for a greater number of pages to run and allow more in-depth coverage of news stories relevant to the student body and surrounding community.
During the summer of 2007, the University Times underwent a transition period as the paper started a merger process with its new online presence, Cool State. The paper scaled back production to four issues at the end of the summer quarter and began to gear up for a formal re-launching with the start of the Fall Quarter. The paper is currently published once a week on Thursday.
On Sunday, June 26 2011 the UT related website CoolStateLA.com won in the category "Best Student Website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
," and garnered second place notice for best campus paper and best headlines for a publication with a circulation of less than 5,000 at the Los Angeles Press Club Southern California Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
Awards. The second place for "Best Headline for Publication Under 5,000 Circulation" was for the UT’s take on President James Rosser’s dismissal of former provost Desdemona Cardoza. In this category, the University Times was competing against mainstream publications, not just campus papers.
Cool State Radio
Cool State Radio is a student run internet radio station based out of CSULA. Cool State Radio or CSR for short has been broadcasting media since its creation in July 2008. CSR currently is restructuring and anticipates a full re-launch by midyear in 2010. CSR’s media can be accessed through CSR’s audio page web page at Cool State Radio.Greek life
Order of Omega
The Order of Omega is an undergraduate Greek society recognizing "fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in inter-fraternity activities." It functions as an adjunct to traditional fraternal organizations, rather than a social or professional group in se...
, as of Fall 2005, the CSULA Campus is home to fourteen “social” fraternal organizations, seven fraternities and seven sororities. Within that population there are three IFC fraternities, two NPHC fraternities, one statewide Latino fraternity, one International Latino Fraternity, one Armenian fraternity, two NPC sororities, two NALFO sororities, two (2) local sororities, Alpha Theta Pi, Delta Phi Sigma, and one statewide Asian sorority. The representative governing body of the Greek system is the CSULA Greek Council. It is advised and regulated by the university through the Center for Student Involvement, a division of CSULA’s University-Student Union. This division is under the auspices of both the University-Student Union and the Department of Student of Affairs. CSULA’s Greek System began with the establishment of the Alpha Theta Pi Sorority on November 15, 1948. It has grown into a vast social network of collegiate men and women composed of chapters that are local, statewide, national, and international.
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu
Sigma Nu is an undergraduate, college fraternity with chapters in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Sigma Nu was founded in 1869 by three cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia...
, Phi Sigma Kappa
Phi Sigma Kappa
-Phi Sigma Kappa's Creed and Cardinal Principles:The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles.-World War II:The...
, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
are the nationally and internationally based social fraternities of the CSULA Greek System, otherwise known as the IFC Fraternities. The parent organizations of Sigma Nu, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta is the largest Latino-based social fraternity established on cultural understanding and wisdom. Founded on April 4, 1986 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, the organization is committed to create and expand multicultural leadership, promote academic excellence, advance...
are members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference
North-American Interfraternity Conference
The North-American Interfraternity Conference , is an association of collegiate men's fraternities that was formally organized in 1910, although it began on November 27, 1909. The power of the organization rests in a House of Delegates where each member fraternity is represented by a single delegate...
. Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
and Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau
Alpha Sigma Tau is a national Panhellenic sorority founded on November 4, 1899, at Michigan State Normal College...
are the sorority equivalencies of the IFC fraternities, otherwise known as NPC Sororities. Their parent organizations are members of the National Panhellenic Conference
National Panhellenic Conference
The National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
, a governing body for 26 women's national and international sororities. Also, Delta Phi Sigma Sorority Inc. a diverse leadership and social organization founded on unity and leadership is a local sorority established since 1991.
CSULA is host to five Latino Greek-lettered organizations: The largest Latino based Fraternity in the nation Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta is the largest Latino-based social fraternity established on cultural understanding and wisdom. Founded on April 4, 1986 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, the organization is committed to create and expand multicultural leadership, promote academic excellence, advance...
, Lambda Theta Nu
Lambda Theta Nu
Lambda Theta Nu' is a Latina-based Greek letter intercollegiate sorority founded on March 11, 1986 at California State University, Chico.- Purpose :...
, Lambda Theta Alpha
Lambda Theta Alpha
Lambda Theta Alpha is a Latina sorority in the United States.The idea for Lambda Theta Alpha began in the late 1970s, when colleges and universities experienced an influx of Latino enrollment; the organization came into being at Kean University in 1975 with Lambda Theta Alpha's seventeen founding...
and Gamma Zeta Alpha
Gamma Zeta Alpha
Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was founded on December 3, 1987 at California State University, Chico in Chico, California. It is a Latino Interest Fraternity that emphasizes Latino culture and the success of Latino males in higher education. Although Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc...
. Each of these organizations are NALFO organizations or those whose parent organizations are members of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations
National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations
The National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations is an umbrella council for 19 Latino Greek Letter Organizations established in 1998...
with the exception of Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta
Sigma Lambda Beta is the largest Latino-based social fraternity established on cultural understanding and wisdom. Founded on April 4, 1986 at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, the organization is committed to create and expand multicultural leadership, promote academic excellence, advance...
fraternity, which is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference
North-American Interfraternity Conference
The North-American Interfraternity Conference , is an association of collegiate men's fraternities that was formally organized in 1910, although it began on November 27, 1909. The power of the organization rests in a House of Delegates where each member fraternity is represented by a single delegate...
. Additionally, CSULA is also home to Beta Gamma Nu a local fraternity. Recently with the continuing growth of Latino organizations on campus, CSULA has become the home for Delta Sigma Chi a co-ed Latino fraternity.
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
and Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
are the Black Greek-letter fraternities on the CSULA campus, also known as NPHC fraternities. Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
and Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
are the Black Greek Sororities on CSULA, also known as NPHC sororities. Their parent organizations are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council
National Pan-Hellenic Council
The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Divine Nine"...
. It promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions.
Additionally, CSULA is home to one statewide Asian Greek-letter sorority, Kappa Zeta Phi
Kappa Zeta Phi
Kappa Zeta Phi is an Asian-American interest sorority based in Southern California. It was founded at California State University, Los Angeles in December 1960 and now has expanded to two other Universities within Southern California since then...
, and one statewide Armenian Greek-letter fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Omega and Asian fraternity and sorority from Philippines Kappa Rho Kappa.
Athletics
The Golden Eagles are member of the California Collegiate Athletic AssociationCalifornia Collegiate Athletic Association
The California Collegiate Athletic Association or CCAA is an intercollegiate athletic conference in the Division II of the NCAA. All of its current members are public universities, and all except for UC San Diego are members of the California State University system.It was founded in December 1938...
(CCAA) and compete on the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA). The university fields eleven intercollegiate teams for men or women in Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Cross Country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, Soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
,
Indoor Track, and outdoor Track and Field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. CSULA previously competed in Division I and was a founding member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association
Big West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
in 1969. it left the conference in 1974. Their football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
program, which was disbanded in 1978.
Cal State L.A.’s more than 11 acres (4.5 ha) of athletic facilities is named the Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
Sports Complex. The sports complex—designation which was approved by the CSU Board of Trustees Sept. 21—features the Eagles Nest Gymnasium, the University Stadium, Jesse Owens Track and Field, Reeder Field (baseball), the swimming pool, and tennis and basketball courts.
The Eagles Nest is home to the Cal State L.A. basketball and volleyball teams. The arena seats just over 3,200 fans at full capacity. In 1984, the Eagles Nest hosted the Summer Olympics judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
competition. In July 1984 the Olympic Mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
, “Olympic Fantasy,” a mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
tile
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
work by muralist Guillermo “Bill” Granizo, was installed on west side of the arena in remembrance of the event.
| Women's Sports | Men's Sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Baseball |
| Soccer | Basketball |
| Tennis | Soccer |
| Volleyball | Track and Field (outdoor) |
| Cross-Country | |
| Track and Field (Indoor) | |
| Track and Field (outdoor) |
Fight song
New Fight Song
- Revision by Fran Baxter in 2008 | Old Fight Song
- Composed by Fran Baxter in 1951 |
University Seal
The University Seal has as its motif the outline of the State of California, with a sunburstSunburst
Sunburst is a type of finish for musical instruments such as electric and acoustic guitars and electric basses. At the center of a sunburst-finished surface is an area of lighter color that darkens gradually towards the edges before hitting a dark rim...
indicating the location of the University within the city of Los Angeles. The open book symbolizes the educational purpose of the University, with the numerals indicating the date of founding. The original design for the seal, created by John R. Siebon, was accepted by the Associated Students as their official emblem in November 1949, and was adopted officially by the President of the University and the Executive Council in April 1953.
University Mace
The University MaceCeremonial mace
The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...
is a ceremonial piece symbolizing the authority under which the University is chartered. It is identified with the Office of the President and is carried in academic processions for commencements
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
and other official University gatherings. The honor of serving as mace-bearer
Mace-bearer
A Mace-bearer, or Macebearer, is a person who carries a mace, either a real weapon or ceremonial.-Armed:When the mace was still in actual use as a weapon, it was deemed fit for close-protection, and hence a mace-bearer could be a bodyguard....
is accorded to the Chair of the Academic Senate
Academic Senate
An Academic Senate is a governing body in some universities and colleges, and is typically the supreme academic authority for the institution.-Scotland:...
.
The University Mace, first used at the annual commencement exercises in June 1960, was designed and executed by Hudson Roysher, Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Professor of Art. The head of the mace bears the seal of the University. The crowning ornament on the head depicts three buds of the bird of paradise
Strelitzia
Strelitzia is a genus of five species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. The genus is named after the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, birthplace of Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. A common name of the genus is bird of paradise flower, because of a supposed resemblance of its...
, official flower of the City of Los Angeles. The buds represent the arts, letters, and sciences. The design at the foot of the mace is derived from the poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
, floral emblem of the State of California. The decorative bands encircling the mace symbolize the mountainous terrain of Southern California.
A-frame sculpture
Since 1982, a wooden A-frameA-Frame
An A-frame is a basic structure designed to bear a load in a lightweight economical manner. The simplest form of an A-frame is two similarly sized beams, arranged in a 45-degree or greater angle, attached at the top...
sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
in title “Time Line for Forgotten Ancestors” has been displayed on the lawn west of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library’s Palmer Wing, across from the bookstore. It was donated to the CSULA Art Department by artist Michael Davis. The sculpture was supposed to face the sun, so it can create a very specific shadow
Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, or reverse projection of the object blocking the...
but the university installed it wrong destroying its main purpose.
Future developments
A two-story single building, 30,000 gross-square-feet Corporate Yard to house Shipping and Receiving, Materials Management, Campus Stores, Facilities Planning and Construction, Environmental Health and Safety, and Facilities Services is currently under construction. The new yard will replace existing aging facilities at the south entrance of the campus.Construction has begun on the future home of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts is a Visual and Performing Arts high school located on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1984, the public, tuition-free school offers both college preparatory courses and...
(LACHSA) — a 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²), three-story building. This facility on the north side of campus near the Music Building will serve the 600 LACHSA students as well as benefit CSULA as a shared-use facility.
Construction is nearing completion on a Hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
Fueling Station
Hydrogen station
A hydrogen station is a storage or filling station for hydrogen, usually located along a road or hydrogen highway, or at home as part of the distributed generation resources concept. The stations are usually intended to power vehicles, but can also be used to power small devices. Vehicles use...
on campus. The station will operate as a teaching resource for classes on alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
and fuel system
Fuel system
An aircraft fuel system allows the crew to store, manage, and deliver fuel to the propulsion system of an aircraft. Fuel systems differ greatly due to different performance of the aircraft in which they are installed...
s, as well as a public accommodation selling and dispensing hydrogen to those driving fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
vehicles. CSULA is one of only three organizations in the state to be awarded CARB funding for such a facility.
Notable alumni
- Lee BacaLee BacaLeroy David "Lee" Baca is the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California. Baca holds a Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Southern California....
- SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County Sheriff's DepartmentThe Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
. - James A. BellJames A. BellJames A. Bell is currently the Corporate President, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Boeing Company. He served as interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Boeing on March, 2005, following the resignation of Harry Stonecipher...
- current CFO and former interim CEO/President of the Boeing Company & the first black American to lead a major aerospaceAerospaceAerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
company. - Samuel Durrance - NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut (ColumbiaSpace Shuttle ColumbiaSpace Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
and EndeavourSpace Shuttle EndeavourSpace Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger...
), astrophysicist and educator. - Art Leahy - current Los Angeles MTALos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityThe Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
CEO - Jaime EscalanteJaime EscalanteJaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez was a Bolivian educator well-known for teaching students calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School, East Los Angeles, California...
- Mathematician and TeacherTeacherA teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional... - J. Jon BrunoJ. Jon BrunoJ. Jon Bruno is the Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles.-Early life and education:Joseph Jon Bruno was born in Los Angeles November 17, 1946 to Dorothy and Joseph J. Bruno...
- BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles 2002 - current - Warren BryantWarren BryantWarren Bryant was the CEO of Longs Drugs Store Corporation out of California prior to the retail chain's acquisition by CVS/Caremark. Hired in 2002 to Longs, he was Senior Vice President of The Kroger Company., a retail grocery chain, from 1999 to 2002...
- Chairman and CEO of Longs DrugsLongs DrugsLongs Drugs is an American chain of over 40 drug stores throughout the State of Hawaii. Before being acquired by CVS Caremark in 2008, it was a chain of over 500 stores, located primarily on the West Coast of the United States...
(B.S. Sociology, 1971) - Octavia Butler - AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, science fiction - Edward DillerEdward DillerEdward Diller was a Professor of Germanic Languages and Literature at the University of Oregon and an author.-Early years and education:...
- Professor of Germanic Languages and Literature, University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :... - Ron "Country Club" Kobata - UCLA Athletics senior management
- Sy Liebergot - NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
flight controllerFlight controllerFlight controllers are personnel who aid in the operations of a space flight, working in Mission Control Centers such as NASA's Mission Control Center, or ESA's Operations Center. Flight controllers sit at computer consoles and use telemetry to monitor in real time various technical aspects of a...
during Project Apollo, Author and Space Historian. - Hisako TerasakiHisako TerasakiHisako Terasaki , is a Japanese American etcher.-Early years:Terasaki's parents were economic migrants from Japan to the United States at the turn of the twentieth century...
, artist - Kent TwitchellKent TwitchellKent Twitchell is an American muralist who is most active in Los Angeles. He is most famous for his larger-than-life mural portraits, often of celebrities and artists. His murals are realism not photorealism according to Twitchell.-Biography:Twitchell's father was Robert Twitchell who was a farmer...
- Muralist - Joseph WambaughJoseph WambaughJoseph Aloysius Wambaugh, Jr. is a bestselling American writer known for his fictional and non-fictional accounts of police work in the United States...
- Novelist and bestselling author - Walter E. WilliamsWalter E. WilliamsWalter E. Williams, is an American economist, commentator, and academic. He is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author known for his libertarian views.- Early life and education :Williams family during childhood...
- Professor at George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County... - Earl G. YarbroughEarl G. YarbroughDr. Earl Glenn Yarbrough Sr. is the president of the Savannah State University since May 30, 2007.-Education:A native of Wichita, Kansas, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial education from Wichita State University in 1969...
- current president of Savannah State UniversitySavannah State UniversitySavannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia... - Sal CastroSal CastroSalvador B. Castro is an Mexican-American educator and activist. He is most well known for his role in the 1968 East Los Angeles high school walkouts, a series of protests against unequal conditions in Los Angeles Unified School District schools...
- American educator and activist. - Michael S. HarperMichael S. HarperMichael Steven Harper is an American poet from Brooklyn, who was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. He has published ten books of poetry, two of which, "Dear John, Dear Coltrane" and "Images of Kin" , have been nominated for the National Book Award. A great deal of his poetry...
- First poet laureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
; Professor at Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,... - Donald SterlingDonald SterlingDonald T. Sterling is an American real estate mogul, attorney, and the owner of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers. Sterling acquired the Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million, and as of the 2008 rankings, the team is valued at $297 million by Forbes magazine, ranking them...
- current owner of the Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
Entertainment alumni
- Dustin Lee AbrahamDustin Lee AbrahamDustin Lee Abraham is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. He penned the 2001 cult movie How High for Method Man and Redman. As of 2009, he produces and writes for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
- producer and screenwriter - Al AnthonyAl AnthonyAl Anthony is a former Los Angeles radio personality. Anthony was most well known as a disc jockey for KAFY 550 AM in Bakersfield, California during the 1950s and later at KFXM 590 AM in San Bernardino, California during the 1960s, where he was also the station's Director of Operations...
- LA area radio personalityRadio personalityA radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,... - Billy BartyBilly BartyBilly Barty was an American film actor.-Biography:Barty, an Italian American, was born William John Bertanzetti in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
- actor, activist for Little People rights - Kara BrockKara BrockKara Brock , is an American television and film actress, who is perhaps best known for her recurring role as Regina Foster on the television series, The Parkers, where she portrayed a sorority sister nemesis to Kim Parker . She was born in Long Beach, California, but was raised primarily in Kansas...
- television and filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
actress. - Joseph Burton - writer, producer and co-founder of A New Dawn Entertainment http://www.anewdawnentertainment.com
- Elizabeth M. Devine - Co-executive Producer, CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
- Barry GordonBarry GordonBarry Gordon is an American film, television and voice actor and political talk show host and producer. He was the longest-serving president of the Screen Actors Guild, having served from 1988 to 1995.-Biography:...
- former president of the Screen Actors GuildScreen Actors GuildThe Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
, adjunct professor of political science - Telma HopkinsTelma HopkinsTelma Louise Hopkins is an American singer and television actress. A member of the 1970s pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn, she later starred in several television sitcoms, including Bosom Buddies, Gimme a Break!, Family Matters, Getting By, and Half & Half...
, actress - Daniel KnaufDaniel KnaufDaniel Knauf, sometimes credited under the pseudonyms Wilfred Schmidt and Chris Neal, is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, director and producer best known for his creation of the 2003 HBO series Carnivàle.-Biography:...
- screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, producerTelevision producerThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and director - Isaac Larian - Chief Executive OfficerChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of MGA EntertainmentMGA EntertainmentMGA Entertainment is a manufacturer of children's toys and entertainment products founded in 1979. Its products include the Bratz fashion doll line, Lalaloopsy, Kachooz!, Moxie Girlz, Moxie Teenz, Hugwallas, BFC, Ink. and Rescue Pets. MGAE also owns The Little Tikes Company... - Steven Lee (music producer)Steven Lee (music producer)Steven Lee is a multi-platinum Korean-American music producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He studied music & theory in California State University, Los Angeles, and began a career in music songwriting and production after he won "Star Search 2002" as a music producer at Studio56 in...
- music producer, composer, instrumentalist - Tiny Lister - actor, former pro wrestler
- Lorin Morgan-RichardsLorin Morgan-RichardsLorin Morgan-Richards born February 16, 1975, of Amish and Welsh descent, is a Hollywood based writer and illustrator of dark literature and composer of dark storytelling.-Early years:...
- author, illustrator - Edward James OlmosEdward James OlmosEdward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
- actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, directorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... - Scott ShawScott ShawScott Shaw is an American actor, author, journalist, film director, film producer, musician, professor and martial artist.-Early life:...
- author, actor, filmmaker, and martial artist - Robin ShouRobin ShouShou Wan Por , known professionally as Robin Shou, is a Hong Kong martial artist and actor. Frequently appearing in numerous martial arts films, Shou was most successful for playing the role of Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat & Gobei with the late Chris Farley in Beverly Hills Ninja.-Career:Shou's first...
- martial artist and actor - Cheryl TiegsCheryl TiegsCheryl Rae Tiegs is an American model and actress.- Early years :Tiegs was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota but raised in Alhambra, California, and she graduated from Alhambra High School in 1965. She also attended the California State University, Los Angeles and became a little sister to the Sigma...
- modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and actress
Political alumni
- Rosario MarinRosario MarinRosario Marin , was the 41st Treasurer of the United States from August 16, 2001 to June 30, 2003 serving under President George W. Bush. She is the first person to assume the post since William Clark who was not born a United States citizen . She is the only U...
- 41st U.S. TreasurerTreasurer of the United StatesThe Treasurer of the United States is an official in the United States Department of the Treasury that was originally charged with the receipt and custody of government funds, though many of these functions have been taken over by different bureaus of the Department of the Treasury... - Mervyn Dymally - 1st foreign born black Member of Congress, first black Lt. Governor of California, former California State Senator and current Member of the California State AssemblyCalifornia State AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
- John J. BenoitJohn J. BenoitJohn Joseph Benoit is a Republican member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, who took office on December 1, 2009...
- California State SenateCalifornia State SenateThe California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote... - Stephen Cooley - District AttorneyDistrict attorneyIn many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
, Los Angeles County - Evan FreedEvan FreedEvan Phillip Freed is an attorney and freelance photographer who traveled with and photographed the presidential campaign of Robert Kennedy. Freed was present when Sirhan Sirhan shot Kennedy. Freed’s testimony has been cited in support of Robert F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories.-Life...
-- Attorney, photographer of Robert Kennedy - Tom LaBongeTom LaBongeThomas J. "Tom" LaBonge is an American politician. He is a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 4th district. He has served since 2001, taking over the position upon the death of John Ferraro. The district represents a wide diversity of incomes and neighborhoods...
- Los Angeles City CouncilLos Angeles City CouncilThe Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after... - Michael D. AntonovichMichael D. AntonovichMichael Dennis Antonovich is a politician and the most senior-serving member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors...
- politician, member of the Los Angeles County Board of SupervisorsLos Angeles County Board of SupervisorsThe Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...
(Fifth District) - Robert A. UnderwoodRobert A. UnderwoodRobert Anacletus Underwood was a Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.Underwood was born in Tamuning, Guam, and attended California State University, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California...
- Delegate of GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Diane WatsonDiane WatsonDiane Edith Watson is a former US Representative for , serving from 2003 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party...
- Member of the United States House of Representatives and ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to MicronesiaFederated States of MicronesiaThe Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c... - Lucille Roybal-Allard - Member of United States House of Representatives and former chair of the Congressional Hispanic CaucusCongressional Hispanic CaucusThe Congressional Hispanic Caucus comprises 21 Democratic members of the United States Congress most of whom are of Hispanic origin. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States and Puerto Rico...
- Joe BacaJoe BacaJoseph N. "Joe" Baca is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 42nd from 1999 to 2003, is located in southwestern San Bernardino County and includes Fontana, Rialto, Ontario and parts of the city of San...
- Member of United States House of Representatives and former chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus - Juanita Millender-McDonaldJuanita Millender-McDonaldJuanita Millender-McDonald was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1996 until her death in 2007, representing California's 37th congressional district, which includes most of South Central Los Angeles and the city of Long Beach, California...
- Member of United States House of Representatives - Maxine WatersMaxine WatersMaxine Waters is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 29th district, serving since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
- Member of United States House of Representatives - Julian C. DixonJulian C. DixonJulian Carey Dixon was an American politician from the state of California.Dixon was born in Washington D.C. and served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1960. He graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in 1962. He was elected to the California State Assembly as a Democrat in...
- Member of the California State AssemblyCalifornia State AssemblyThe California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
, Member of Congress - Elton GalleglyElton GalleglyElton William Gallegly is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 23rd and 21st, serving in Congress since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and pre-congressional career:...
- Member of United States House of Representatives
Sports alumni
- Billie Jean KingBillie Jean KingBillie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
- professional tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player inducted into the International Tennis Hall of FameInternational Tennis Hall of FameThe International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in 1987. - Martin VasquezMartin VasquezMartin Vasquez is a Mexican-born American former professional soccer player. He was most recently the head coach of C.D. Chivas USA in Major League Soccer....
- Head coachHead coachA head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of C.D. Chivas USAC.D. Chivas USAClub Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
, in Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. The first player to play in both the United StatesUnited States men's national soccer teamThe United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and MexicoMexico national football teamThe Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
s national teams. - Mike BurnsMike Burns (baseball pitcher)Michael John Burns is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Calgary Vipers of the North American League. A draft pick by the Houston Astros, Burns made his major league debut in . He spent part of with the Cincinnati Reds with an 8.78 ERA until he was traded on August 28...
- professional Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher for the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"... - Jay GibbonsJay GibbonsJay Jonathan Gibbons is an American professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball. Gibbons was a graduate of Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California...
- professional Major League Baseball former outfielder for the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league... - Walter JohnsonWalter Johnson (football player)Walter Johnson was an American football defensive tackle who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns.-References:...
- former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mal WhitfieldMal WhitfieldMalvin "Mal" Greston Whitfield is a former American athlete, a double winner of 800 m at the Olympic Games...
- gold medalist 1948 London Olympics1948 Summer OlympicsThe 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
and 1952 Helsinki Olympics1952 Summer OlympicsThe 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II... - Felix Wong - professional body builder and professional no-limit holdem poker player
- Frank ZaneFrank ZaneFrank Zane is an American former professional bodybuilder and teacher.- Education :Zane received a B.Sc in Education from Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania in 1964. For 13 years, he taught mathematics and chemistry while living in Florida and California. Later he earned a B.A...
- professional body builder and teacher
Notable professors
- Carlos G. Gutierrez (Professor of ChemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
) - Named one of America's 2008 "100 Most Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business magazineHispanic BusinessHispanic Business, Inc. is a media company based in Goleta, California, in the United States of America. The firm was founded by Jesús Chavarría in 1979 and its publications are oriented towards Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs.-Publications:...
. - Hal FishmanHal FishmanHal Fishman was the longest-running news anchor in the history of American television, having served on-air for Los Angeles television stations continuously between 1960 and his death in 2007...
(adjunct) - KTLAKTLAKTLA, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Los Angeles, California, USA. Owned by the Tribune Company, KTLA is an affiliate of the CW Television Network. KTLA's studios are on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson...
news anchor and the longest-running news anchor in the history of American television. - Christopher IsherwoodChristopher IsherwoodChristopher William Bradshaw Isherwood was an English-American novelist.-Early life and work:Born at Wyberslegh Hall, High Lane, Cheshire in North West England, Isherwood spent his childhood in various towns where his father, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, was stationed...
(adjunct) - Notable British Novelist. Writer of "Berlin Stories". - Ronald Lemos -Highly distinguished professor of Business and Economics
Trustee Professor
- Barry MunitzBarry MunitzBarry Allen Munitz has been a senior administrator at the University of Illinois and the University of Houston, a business executive at Maxxam, Inc., chancellor of the California State University system, and chief executive officer of the world's wealthiest art institution, the J...
- 5th chancellor of the California State UniversityCalifornia State UniversityThe California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system, and 6th president of the University of HoustonUniversity of HoustonThe University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
.