history history began late 19th century establishment normal school san_diego california founded march school opened november class students school allowing grant certificates degrees increased student enrollment college relocated current location east classes beginning february government works programs great depression assisted construction numerous buildings new campus world war affected student enrollment led students faculty members serve armed forces end 1950s student population renamed fourth largest california state institution 1960s 1970s campus saw increased enrollment professional schools multiple incidents student activism january new university population peaked nearly students attained status largest university california tenth nation recently university worked improve academic rankings faced including school shooting large drug bust university continues grant numerous degrees fields developed construction plans replacement older buildings infrastructure establishment late 1890s san_diego officials believed normal school established help town grow increase certification teachers tuition travel town normal schools large san desired closer school san_diego compete los_angeles cities school attempt establish vetoed california governor march governor changed course signed legislation allow establishment state normal school san_diego located total funds appropriated school totaled established met june appointed previously served president new school unanimous decision october january san_diego firm gill selected design new school building architect developed building style responsible design ground broken construction august cornerstone building laid december building dedicated building construction classes held hill block southwest corner 6th street downtown san_diego beginning november classes moved construction continued students women enrolled end year enrollment grew summer san diego normal school california normal school offer summer courses maintained position june class graduated women men later year east wing initial building finished adding rooms appropriated state west wing included gym library laboratories lecture rooms museum west wing completed september california legislature required students high school diploma order admitted normal school requirement entry resigned replaced previously served principal increased faculty size meet demands increased enrollment annual salary president increased salaries faculty administration ranged compared national average industries farm labor hardy argued pay increases claiming increases needed relief entirely justified increased good service buildings added funds total expenditures campus reached expansion space limited training school dropped high school program taught elementary intermediate grades 7th 8th grades new students school year california counties excluding san_diego states proportion remain common school history majority students san_diego area world war world war large impact school newfound sense patriotism administration require students pledge allegiance entrance requirement school war effect enrollment male students gradually left school join war efforts total students including male student students addition students faculty members joined military decreased student enrollment remaining faculty opportunity training campus students faculty worked red_cross organized bond drives sent packages troops overseas period hardy pushed notion granting school college status california legislature school year teacher school placed management july san diego state teachers college usually shortened ranking college grant certificates degrees prior school conversion graduated teachers educated san_diego children training school helped expand economic cultural development city legislature moved college campus issues administrators moved junior college believing overlap material taught teacher school junior college remained school independent june legislature allowed college begin granting bachelor_of_arts degrees included agriculture industrial engineering july junior college courses lower division courses july granted college ability offer credentials secondary education majors english history chemistry romance languages current location initially built maximum capacity students hardy proposed building new campus acre plot park boulevard near rejected san_diego voters california legislature authorized new site san_diego willing buy old school building provide new site following year citizen member committee led mayor initially recommended northeast park located acres location voted san_diego voters location selected time voted total locations proposed final location chosen june offered acres promise build road connecting site site located east miles away old site group proposed site hopes center new retail housing development new site built san_diego voters approve buying old site overwhelmingly new campus old building junior high administrative offices demolished room new wing administrative building selected supervising architect designed new campus initial planned cost october classes dismissed early current students attend groundbreaking held day selected construction firm completed buildings september classes students held february great depression negative local economy benefited federal government money available construction projects attempt stimulate economy campus construction projects included new buildings stadium completed open air theater completed facilities art works federal programs created jobs students increase financial aid june president hardy retired replaced bell tower campus named honor hardy september result california legislature dropping teachers names state colleges college began offering engineering courses period college acquired state purpose purchasing additional acres world war world war significant impact college world war pivotal college history days attack pearl harbor thirteen students withdrew college join military enrollment dropped students low students men spring faculty decreased low war begun war graduates students students faculty entered armed forces losing lives surprisingly city dominated naval base large majority joined navy joined participating japan battles philippines campus war information center nation center established boost civilian morale practice air raid drills campus sugar gas soft drinks paper common war classes cut limited staff courses shifted scientific technological emphasis majority sports canceled war drives held increase supplies sent troops war neared end enrollment increased reached students nearly half students veterans war received monthly assist housing tuition costs sports activities resumed prior levels end 1940s faculty expanded personnel time staff grouped disciplines seven divisions education recreation college awarded master degree end decade offered master degrees areas governor signed legislation making official year liberal arts institution postwar changes expansion president retired replaced previously served president point college students faculty members offered majors budget contributed local san_diego economy end 1950s student population placing fourth largest california state institution larger colleges universities time entering scores examinations ranked universities following years college scores surpassed california state colleges college use identification number student necessary handling records grades tasks large number students student expansion square footage buildings classrooms increased school began offering classes branch campus remained focused teacher training mid-1970s school california state college educational radio station world war faculty attempt reach university status school statement general policy employment faculty stipulated incoming faculty soon receive order hired end 1950s permanent faculty beginning increased psychology professor accused communist san_diego representatives persuaded california legislature governor attempt remove teaching position unable answer communist dismissed february attempted reinstated legislation developed later deemed unconstitutional july result act system included new set regulations school statewide board trustees chancellor school continued grow population san_diego county administrator reflected graduates hired county find difficult county running help president gave graduation commencement address people june kennedy given honorary doctorate degree law ceremony making california award honorary doctorate degree commemorate visit campus added portrait campus library collection granite stone marker placed helicopter landed april plaque commemorated visit stolen recovered spoke proposed legislation improving rights african americans began offering doctorate chemistry joint effort campus different doctorate programs research vital practice faculty 1960s books authored faculty federal research grants increased faculty research included medical scientific research teacher training review nursing named president love best college presidents country president love changed structure college developing divisions professional schools allow schools developed colleges increased possibility university reflected progress time magazine article called college deed fact university late 1960s early 1970s numerous protests sit ins radical changes traditions students author called period colorful challenging state history students mainly protested racism war vietnam march students held week long sit protest decision campus leaders radical instructors protests expanded presence military significant speakers visited campus time including april took students hostage taking examination math building violence students released peacefully protesters later growing smashed windows administration building burned copies student newspaper protesters eventually entered locked building set fires floor moved set fires break windows resulted injuries thousand dollars damages bomb exploded hall injuring african american student group african american students marched campus support jackson women studies program united_states established college year intense organizing women consciousness raising groups rallies petition circulating operating unofficial experimental classes presentations seven committees assemblies early president love retired extraordinary growth students faculty facilities plans new library named honor dedicated brief unsuccessful nomination replace love academic vice president walker acting president new president served implement mainstream changes prior presidents instrumental bringing qualified administrators improve school upcoming years worked establish collecting materials city history established program offered classes older people leaving university person commented end year administration grown institution implied mark left left lead brief academic vice president serving president sixth president proposition passed school faced budget issues day proposed departments combining laying approximately faculty members budget cuts deemed necessary april day proposed cutting faculty members departments upcoming budget cuts comments president love fought hard tenure increase ranking college university california legislature approved renaming school san_diego officials happy january renamed current modern history school reached peak attendance students resulting largest university california 10th nation overwhelming number students available facilities majors decided limit enrollment enrollment dropped lowest attendance result budget crisis ranked campuses ranked school comprehensive universities west 1980s program california decade students scored highest score exam times second nation graduates passing exam january playboy ranked 3rd best party school nation appalled administrators students ranking determined number factors including education offered university social opportunities male female ratio campus activities located near campus students feared ranking diminish quality degree dropped tenth place included specific rank jumping fifth place offered students schools public health nation system president day considered major achievement administration provided training hospitals public health agencies health maintenance organizations care mental health facilities 1990s fourth largest undergraduate program granting master degrees doctoral degrees year result california state government proposed budget cuts campuses marked long period university budget stress faculty unrest student protests fee increases class cuts spring brought large fee increases budget cuts governor state legislature systems impacted unique way schools systems chose board approach campus president time chose use deep narrow approach program cuts result largest student marches protests vietnam war spring systems facing round severe budget cuts dramatic student fee increases state government second time president took deep narrow approach budget cuts time proposed elimination time faculty professors entire majors attempt alleviate fears students majors large meeting president day planned student center hundreds students teachers meeting quickly turned angry chaotic crowd pressing glass windows outside following meeting students feeling betrayed 2nd time dozen students held temporary occupation president day office occupation led hour administration building summer student bus trips state legislature sacramento large campus student voter registration drive student marches protests fall heavy student teacher public pressure conclusion events ended chancellor eventually reversing president day deep narrow approach saving majors programs fall central parallel student protest movement foot high wooden construction fence encircled new campus building students quickly protest messages paintings cartoons urging students rally vote challenge school president citing need clean campus graduation president day attempted paint symbolic construction fence wall night attempted wall paint president day large police force arrested students peacefully sitting wall morning word quickly gathered campus arrests dozens student rushed sit wall ultimately stopping painters student government dedicated permanent memorial wall later new yards wall edge student memorial protests included wall painting president day head president day retired july incoming freshman success rate graduating university years day replaced university seventh president month later august known shooting year old graduate student pulled defending thesis killed professors student pleaded guilty serving life sentence prison term august memorial dedicated professors included trees set tables benches july new station opened campus construction began station connected students faculty areas san_diego county helped combat low availability parking campus million station university construction projects occurred 2000s starting late 1990s million college community redevelopment project led development million million fraternity row future developments million row million retail office apartment project million research office park pedestrian bridge opened connecting main campus year campus advanced largest classroom capable holding students completed campus began work constructing new alumni center expanding modifying storm hall add office classroom space june deemed number small research university nation ranking determined based faculty productivity honorary awards publications journals number research grants received point campus usually studies progress fields study revealed campus economic impact billion san_diego region projections current future growth study indicated school economic impact expected increase billion announced arrest individuals students variety drug charges multiple month sting called operation sudden fall kilograms cocaine seized pounds marijuana pills oil drug guns cash months announcement reported majority defendants pleaded guilty charges defendants placed probation required enter drug diversion programs defendants received cases dismissed years president announced upcoming retirement following year credited improving graduation rate graduating years senior vice president named replace assumed appointed role president july
History of San Diego State University