Cal State LA history

CSULA's Greek System began with the establishment of the Alpha Theta Pi Sorority on November 15, 1948.

Los Angeles-Orange County State College, as California State University, Long Beach was first called, was formally established by Assembly Bill Number 8 signed by Governor Earl Warren on January 27, 1949.

The following April, the State Public Works Board agreed to a proposed permanent site, and in June 1950 the citizens of Long Beach voted overwhelmingly to authorize purchase of the property.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for a new Library, one of the first contingent of permanent buildings, took place on May 20, 1953.

Since 1954, Cal State LA 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.

The new one-story building, which would be completed in January 1955, would increase seating to over 300 and house the ever-expanding holdings.

The college opened in its new location in 1958, Howard S. McDonald becomes first full-time president.

The 175-acre (71 ha) campus lacked space for horizontal expansion, following the California State University expansion plan started in 1959.

The University Mace, first used at the annual commencement exercises in June 1960, was designed and executed by Hudson Roysher, Emeritus Professor of Art.

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

North Hall opened in September 1962.

The first Commencement at new site takes place in June 1963.

In 1964, Los Angeles State College was officially renamed California State College at Los Angeles and became part of the California State College system.

In 1965 The College Times was named the best newspaper by California Intercollegiate Press.

1966 - California State Polytechnic College's southern campus at Pomona becomes independent.

In 1968 Cal State LA established the nation's first Chicano Studies department.

John F. Kennedy Memorial Library completed with the addition of the North Wing and was dedicated in 1969.

Gilbert Geis, professor of sociology, named 1970-71 CSC Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

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

On October 2, 1972 The College Times changed its name to University Times, in accordance with the change in university status.

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

July 1976 the CSU Board of Trustees approved the renaming of South Tower to Simpson Tower, in memory of Floyd R. Simpson, first dean of the School of Business and Economics.

Harold Goldwhite, professor of chemistry, named 1977-78 CSUC Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

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.

Lloyd N. Ferguson, professor of chemistry, named 1980-81 CSUC Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

The Early Entrance Program was established at California State University, Los Angeles in 1982.

Goldwhite is the second Cal State LA faculty member from Cal State LA to be appointed as CSU Trustee. (See 1983, Robert D. Kully)

The first on-campus housing was opened on June 1984, and three years later, a second residential life complex was opened.

Dedication of newly designed Edward R. Roybal Institute for Applied Gerontology in Salazar Hall site. (The Roybal Institute was chartered in 1988.)

Hendrik Keyzer, professor of chemistry, named 1989-90 CSU Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

Phoebe Dea, professor of chemistry, named 1990-91 CSU Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

Rosemarie Marshall, professor of microbiology, named 1992-93 CSU Trustees' Outstanding Professor.

In 1993, the California State University (CSU) Chancellor and Trustees approved development of Cal State LA's Charter College of Education, creating the first such college of higher education in the nation.

The school is home to the first commuter train station on a college campus, the CSULA station on Metrolink's San Bernardino Line, which opened in October 1994.

1995 - California State University, Monterey Bay, a redevelopment of former military base Fort Ord, admits its first students.

1996 Chemistry professor Carlos G. Gutiérrez is among the first honorees named by President Bill Clinton to receive the newly established annual Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, at a White House ceremony.

CSULA'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.

In October 1998, the Center for Environmental Analysis (CEA-CREST), first of its kind funded by the National Science Foundation on the West Coast, opened on campus.

Cal State LA’s Mini Baja vehicle (car #38) finished first place overall at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International 1999 Mini Baja West competition, winning first place awards in the endurance and acceleration challenges as well.

In July 2000 the University's Model United Nations (NMUN) chapter places in the top 30, out of 190 teams in the New York City competition, bringing home its first national conference win since the chapter's inception more than 30 years previous.

Cal State L.A. alumna Rosario Marin ’83 confirmed by the United States Senate on August 3, 2001, and sworn in as the 41st Treasurer of the United States on August 16, 2001.

Cal State LA departments of Social Work and Nursing, located within the university’s College of Health and Human Services, were granted the status of School in Winter 2002.

In 2003, Civil engineering professor Mark Tufenkjian led CSULA to receive over half a million dollars in grant money.

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 1,615 miles (2,599 km) per gallon.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education have named Carlos Gutiérrez as the 2005 United States Professor of the Year in the Master’s University and College category.

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 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.

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.

In 2010 The student team received both "Outstanding Delegation" and “Outstanding Position Papers”—the highest honors a delegation can receive.

In April 2011 Cal State L.A. was chosen to become part of the 3-year AVTC EcoCAR2: Plugging into the Future competition managed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by the US Department of Energy and General Motors.

The Corporation Yard, which replaces the bungalows constructed 50 years ago, opened for occupancy on March 1, 2012.

On May 2013 Cal State L.A.’s EcoCAR 2 team came home 2nd place overall in Year Two of the EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future collegiate engineering competition.

On September 18, 2014, Information Technology Services launched the new Gigabit Wi-Fi network, 802.11ac, the very latest standard in wireless technology.

Cal State LA Downtown is a satellite campus opened in January 2016.

April Del Cid, May, 2017 Stephanie Wong, May, 2017

The Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing was dedicated as the first named school at Cal State L.A. in April 2018.

2020 - The CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap: Identifying Best Practices to Ensure Student Achievement in California's K-12 Schools opened at California State University, Long Beach to eliminate equity gaps at all levels of education.