California State University, Chico history

Then on July 4, 1888, the first cornerstone was laid.

On September 3, 1889, doors opened for the 90 enrolled students.

The library opened on January 11, 1890, with 350 books.

On June 20, 1891, the first graduation took place, a class of 15.

1901 - California Polytechnic School is established at San Luis Obispo.

In 1910, Annie Kennedy Bidwell donated an additional 2 acres (0.81 ha) of land to be used for work with elementary agriculture.

1921 - "Normal Schools" become "Teachers Colleges."

Also in 1922, Bidwell Mansion was turned into a women's dormitory, Bidwell Hall.

1923 - Teachers Colleges are authorized to confer B.A. degrees in education.

In 1924 it began granting baccalaureate degrees.

In 1925 the alumni organization was founded.

In 1927 a fire destroyed the Normal Building.

In 1929 the student bookstore was established.

1935 - "Teachers Colleges" become "State Colleges."

In 1937 evening classes started on campus and athletic fields were purchased from the Chico Board of Education.

1938 - California State Polytechnic School establishes a southern campus at San Dimas.

1946 - Graduate instruction is offered in the form of a fifth year of study leading to the secondary teaching credential.

They were brought to Chico State in sections and reconstructed in the spring of 1948.

In 1951 the college reorganized from 18 departments into seven divisions with chairmen.

Then in 1956 a new flagpost and sign in front of Kendall Hall was donated by the class of 1956.

In the following year, 1957, a new cafeteria was built and the rose gardens were planted.

In 1958 the first "telecourse" was taught, Psychology 51.

Previously, system offices had been in leased space in Inglewood (1961-65) and then in Los Angeles.

1962 - The CSC Foundation is created to promote and assist education, administration and related services of the CSC, the trustees and the chancellor.

1963 - The Statewide Academic Senate is established to represent State College faculties.

1964 - The first annual five-year Academic Master Plans is designed to project future degree programs developed by each college and approved by the Board of Trustees.

1968 - A systemwide computer network is established to connect 19 campuses to a central data center at the Chancellor's Office.

In 1970, the university closed First Street on campus to through traffic.

1971 - The first undergraduate and graduate external degree pilot programs are implemented to serve populations not previously reached.

Chico State was officially named California State University—Chico in 1972.

1973 - The Consortium of The California State University and Colleges is established.

The Dominguez Hills campus attained university status in 1974.

Also in 1975, The Orion, the campus student newspaper, published its first issue.

In 1976, Assembly Bill 3063 renames California State College, Sonoma to Sonoma State College.

1977 - An Alumni Trustee position is created, and a first member is named to a two-year term.

1978 - Trustees authorize the first joint doctoral program between a CSUC campus and a private university, a Ph.D. in education at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate School.

Academic departments and programs, previously grouped by schools, were reorganized into colleges, and, in 1982, the campus was dedicated as an arboretum.

1983 - A Faculty Trustee position is created, and the first member is named to a two-year term.

1984 - Incoming freshmen and transfer students are now required by the CSU Board of Trustees to meet basic admissions requirements of college preparatory English (four years) and math (two years).

In 1987, Chico State was ranked as the top party school in the nation by Playboy.

1988-89 - The 20th campus is created at San Marcos, and a founding president is named.

Today, the campuses of the CSU include comprehensive and polytechnic universities and, since July 1995, the California State University Maritime Academy​, a specialized campus.

The athletic program received a big boost when it joined the CCAA in 1998 and was able to offer athletic scholarships.

2000 - A second Student Trustee position is created.

2003 - California State University Channel Islands begins accepting freshmen at the new campus.

In 2004, the Wildcat baseball team finished with a record of 42 and 21, and were the CCAA and West Region champions.

2005 - California State University, Hayward is renamed California State University, East Bay.

CSU Chico opened its first sub-campus in Redding, affiliated with Shasta College, in 2007.

2010 - The California State University celebrates its 50th anniversary.

In 2011, CSU, Chico received a Civic Learning Initiative Grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to extend its efforts to establish civic engagement as a key component of students' academic success.

2013 - Cal State Online, a systemwide collection of services that support the delivery of fully online programs at campuses, launches its first degree completion program.

2014 - The CSU STEM VISTA Program launches to increase the number of students, especially from underrepresented communities, graduating with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees.

Doctor Shawn Schwaller speaks on white supremacism, law enforcement corruption, and Latinx lives in Kern County – material from his 2018 Univ. of Calif.