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San Diego State University

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A landmark architecture featured in the school logo.

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

The Carnegie Foundation has designated the institution a "Doctoral/Research University - Intensive," and the campus offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees (Ph.D and Ed.D) in a total of 151 fields. SDSU is the largest university in San Diego and the third largest in California. It offers the most doctoral degrees of any campus of the California State University system, currently in 16 academic and research academic disciplines.

History

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

The curriculum was limited at first to English, history and mathematics, but course offerings broadened rapidly under the leadership of Samuel T. Black, who left his position as state superintendent of public instruction to become the new school’s first president. Black served from 1898 to 1910.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Endowment

San Diego State University's financial endowment is presently valued at $91,000,000.00 ($91 million U.S. dollars) as of the end of the 2003-2004 academic year, as reported in the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. The same article reports that San Diego State University received a record $146,000,000.00 in external funding during the 2003-2004 academic year for research purposes and other related matters, and also an additional $65,000,000.00 in donations and other charitable giving.


The primary philanthropic arm of San Diego State University is The Campanile Foundation, controlled by the University Advancement division of the university. The San Diego State University Research Foundation, an auxiliary corporation owned and controlled by the university, is the manager and administrator of all philanthropic funds and external funding for the university and its affiliated and auxilliary foundations and corporations.

An auxiliary to The Campanile Foundation is the Aztec Athletic Association, which primarily raises funds for the student athletes in the San Diego State University athletics programs (see discussion of Athletics below).

In addition to its permanent endowment, San Diego State University raises approximately $55 million U.S. dollars per year in philanthropic gifts to support its research and academic affairs.


Athletics

The university has organized facilities for baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, softball, rowing (crew), water polo, and swimming. It competes in NCAA Division I (I-A for football). Its primary conference is the Mountain West Conference; its women's water polo team participates in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and its men's soccer team participates as an Associate Member of the Pacific Ten Conference (the "Pac-10" Conference). Crew's championship regatta is the WIRA (Western International Rowing Association).

SDSU athletics
SDSU athletics

The school colors are scarlet and black, SDSU's athletic teams are nicknamed "Aztecs", and its current mascot is the Aztec Warrior, historically reffered to as "Monty - Montezuma".

San Diego State Athletics have contributed richly to the National Football League (NFL). Distinguished NFL head coaches were proud members of the Aztec Football program:

  • Joe Gibbs - Lengendary coach of the Washington Redskins, former Aztec player.
  • John Madden - Super Bowl winning coach of the Oakland Raiders, former Aztec Coach.
  • Don Coryell - Hall of Fame Coach of the San Diego Chargers, former Aztec Head Coach.
  • Ted Tollner - NFL Coach of the Rams and 49ers, former Aztec Head Coach.

The baseball team plays in Tony Gwynn Stadium on the SDSU campus.

The softball team and the mens & women's tennis teams play at new stadiums recently opened on the SDSU campus. SDSU Athletics Facilities

The basketball teams play at Cox Arena (see also Cox Arena website) on the SDSU campus.

The soccer and track teams perform at the remarkable SDSU Sports Deck on the SDSU campus. SDSU Athletics Facilities

The football team plays at Qualcomm Stadium (formerly known as "Jack Murphy" Stadium). See also The Q .

In conjunction with the UCSD, the Associated Students organization of San Diego State University runs the Mission Bay Aquatic Center (MBAC) in Mission Bay, California, just a few miles west of the main campus. See also the MBAC homepage. The MBAC provides for all manner of outdoor activities and sports for SDSU students, administration, and faculty.

A detailed listing of the SDSU athletics facilities, including photographs and descriptions, is found here: SDSU Athletics Facilities.

Academic and Research Affairs

San Diego State University, Division of Graduate and Research Affairs The official Graduate and Research Affairs website

As a result of recent statutory changes (SB 974), San Diego State University, the leader in the California State University system in awarding Ph.D or Ed.D degrees, currently awarding such degrees in 16 academic disciplines, intends to expand the scope and number of doctoral degree programs that it offers its graduate students. Link

Research Institutes and Centers

Research Consortium

Renowned Facilities

Other

Student Housing

Residence Halls

  • Chapultapec Hall, "Chappy", 11 stories, houses 540 students
  • Cuicacalli Suites, 6 stories, houses 686 students
  • The Living Learning Center, "LLC"
    • Maya, 3 stories, houses 200 students
    • Olmeca, 3 stories, houses 200 students
  • Tenochca Hall, 8 stories, houses 380 students
  • University Towers, 9 stories, 560 students
    • formerly known as "El Conquistador" or "El Conq"
  • Zura Hall, "The Zoo", 9 stories, houses 585 students

Apartments

  • Villa Alvarado, "VA" Furnished
  • Piedra del Sol, Unfurnished

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni

Faculty and Staff

  • Vernor Vinge, PhD, Sci-Fi writer and visionary, retired SDSU professor [non-alumni]


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