San Diego State University

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. It is the third-oldest university in the California State University system, and one of the oldest universities in California. SDSU has a student body of approximately 34,500 (as of the beginning of the Fall 2006 academic year) and an alumni base of more than 200,000.

The Carnegie Foundation has designated San Diego State University a "Research University with high research activity." SDSU is the only California State University campus with this classification, which places it among the top 200 higher education institutions in the country conducting research Foundation link).

San Diego State University awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees (Ph.D., Ed.D, and Au.D) in a total of 151 fields. It offers the most doctoral degrees of any campus of the California State University system, currently in sixteen (16) academic and research disciplines.

San Diego State University is a member of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, the Southwest Border Security Consortium, and recently (July 2006) became a member of Oak Ridge Associated Universities, a national organization of universities that promotes science and technology education and research.

History and important facts

With more than a century of achievement in education, research and service, and with an enrollment of more than 34,000 students, San Diego State University (SDSU) is one the largest institution of higher education in the southern California region and one of the largest in California.

One in seven San Diegans with a college degree attended SDSU ^[1], making SDSU a primary educator of the region's work force. Committed to serving the diverse San Diego region, SDSU ranks among the top ten (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 minority students. ^[2] For the fall 2007 semester, SDSU received more than 57,000 undergraduate applications, more than any other CSU campus.^[3]

San Diego State University has achieved the prestigious "Research University" status granted by the Carnegie Foundation.^[4] University faculty consistently attract hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars annually in grants and contracts for research and program administration, and SDSU's research and graduate degree programs lead all other campuses of the California State University system.^[5]

In what could be considered an honor (depending on one's viewpoint), San Diego State University was listed as the fifth most popular "party school" in the May 2006 issue of Playboy. SDSU ranked behind the University of Wisconsin, Madison, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Arizona State University and Indiana University and ahead of Florida State University, Ohio University, the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee and Canada's McGill University in Montreal. Playboy's Top Ten Party Schools has been released by the magazine twice. In 1987, the top pick went to California State University, Chico, and in 2002, Arizona State (currently 3rd) received top billing.

For the beginning of the 2006-2007 academic year, San Diego State University expanded its classrooms and support space by more than 200,000 square feet with the opening of three new buildings, the College of Arts and Letters, the Calpulli Center and BioScience Center. The buildings, respectively, feature high-technology classrooms, upgraded health and wellness facilities, and scientific research laboratories.

Significant Rankings and Distinctions

See SDSU Significant Rankings and Distinctions

Schools & Colleges

• College of Arts & Letters
• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Health & Human Services (and Graduate School of Public Health)
• College of Sciences
• College of Professional Studies & Fine Arts
• College of Extended Studies (and American Language Institute)

Endowment

See also San Diego State University Research Foundation for additional information

The permanent financial endowment of San Diego State University (SDSU) is presently valued at $99.6 million U.S. dollars (USD) as of the end of the 2004-2005 academic year.^[6]

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 auxiliary foundations and corporations.

SDSU received a then-record $149 million USD in external funding during the 2003-2004 academic year for research purposes and other related matters, and also an additional $63 million USD in donations and other charitable giving.^[7] For the 2004-2005 academic year, the amount increased to new record level, over $157 million USD in external funding, as well as an additional $57 million USD in donations and charitable giving.^[8]

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 and at SDSU Aztecs).

In addition to its permanent endowment, San Diego State University raises over $55 million U.S. dollars per year (approximately) in philanthropic gifts to support its research and academic affairs.^[9]

Academic and Research Affairs

San Diego State University is the leader in the California State University system in awarding Ph.D. or Ed.D degrees, currently awarding such degrees in 16 academic disciplines. As a result of recent statutory changes (SB 724), SDSU intends to expand the scope and number of doctoral degree programs that it offers its graduate students Link.

• San Diego State University, Division of Graduate and Research Affairs
• Choosing graduate education and research at SDSU
• SDSU Graduate and Professional Degrees listing

Research Institutes and Centers

• American Language Institute
• Center for Advanced Water Technologies
• California Institute for Transportation Safety (CITS)
• Center for Bio/Pharmaceutical and Biodevice Development at SDSU
• Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education
• Center for International Business Education & Research
• The Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology
• Coastal and Marine Institute
• Computational Science Research Center
• Entrepreneurial Management Center
• The Fred J. Hansen Institute for World Peace
• Interwork Institute
• International Security and Conflict Resolution Program (ISCOR)
• Institute for Public Health
• June Burnett Institute
• Pacific Estuarine Research Laboratory (PERL)
• Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming (SITG)
  • The Research Center at SITG
• The SDSU Global Change Research Group

Research Consortium

• California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2)
  • Official Site
  • Membership Page
• California Space Grant Consortium
  • Official Site
  • Membership Page
• Southern California Earthquake Center
  • Official SCEC site
• Southwest Border Security Consortium
  • Press Release
• Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research & Policy (SCERP)

Renowned Facilities

• The SDSU Campus Library - The Infodome
• Chemical Sciences Laboratory
• Coastal Waters Laboratory
• Facility for Applied Manufacturing Enterprise
• SDSU Biological Field Stations
  • Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve TRNERR
• SDSU BioScience Center
• SDSU Michrochemical Core Facility
• Social Science Research Laboratory (SSRL)
• The Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation Center for Earth Systems Analysis Research (CESAR)
• SDSU Center for Information Technology and Infrastructure (CITI)
  • The SDSU Visualization Center

Observatory

• Mount Laguna Observatory
  • An astronomical observatory owned by SDSU and operating concurrently with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • Official Site of the SDSU Astronomy Department
    • SDSU is the only institution in the California State University system that offers a complete academic program in Astronomy, including the awarding of graduate degrees.

High-Speed Computing

• The SDSU campus is a backbone node of the High Performance Research and Education Network (HPWREN).
• Gateway of Geospatial Information Technology at SDSU
  • SDSU hosts and manages the data network for San Diego County, California:
    • San Diego Emergency Response GIS Data Portal (NOTE: no access; password protected)

Media, Newspapers and Magazines

SDSU Media and Publications

• San Diego State University Press
  • The oldest university press in the California State University system with noted specializations in Border Studies, Critical Theory, Latin American Studies, and Cultural Studies.
• Hyperbole Books
  • Hyperbole Books
• KPBS Public Broadcasting TV/FM
  • Television, digital television, and FM radio for the San Diego community
  • Official site of KPBS
  • An affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) network
  • "A Broadcasting Service of San Diego State University"
• KCR (AM)
  • Student-run broadcast station
• 360 Magazine
  • The quarterly SDSU alumni and San Diego community magazine

Official SDSU Campus Newspapers

• The SDSU News & Media webpage
• SDSUniverse news service
  • News and information for the SDSU community
• The Daily Aztec Newspaper - Serving the SDSU Community
  • The largest daily collegiate newspaper in California, publishing daily since 1960.

Other

• The Koala at SDSU
  • The Koala is a student-run humor publication at San Diego State University.

Athletics

See main article at SDSU Aztecs

SDSU 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). Ice hockey team competes in the ACHA with other western region club teams. Crew's championship regatta is the WIRA (Western International Rowing Association). The university colors are scarlet (red) and black, SDSU's athletic teams are nicknamed "Aztecs", and its current mascot is the Aztec Warrior, historically referred to as "Monty - Montezuma".

Image:SDSU athletics logo larger.gif

Football

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

Basketball

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

Baseball

• The baseball team plays in Tony Gwynn Stadium on the SDSU campus, named after the SDSU baseball and basketball player (currently head coach of the SDSU baseball team), Tony Gwynn.

Volleyball

• The women's volleyball team plays in Peterson Gym on the SDSU campus.
• The men's volleyball team won the NCAA Championship in 1973, but the team has since been disbanded.

Soccer

• Both the men's and women's teams both play at the Sports Deck on the SDSU campus. The women compete in the Mountain West Conference while the men compete in the Pacific Ten Conference (Pac-10).

Other Sports

• The new $12 million dollar aquatic sports complex (known as the Aztec Aquaplex), includes an Olympic-size swimming pool, a separate recreational pool and beach, and a hydrotherapy spa. This facility is home for the swimming and diving teams, in addition to providing recreational use for all SDSU students and community members.

SDSU Campus Recreation pool webpage

• 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.

Traditions

• See SDSU Traditions

• The San Diego State Marching Aztecs, and Pep and Varsity Bands are often seen at many sporting events including Football, Basketball and even Volleyball (The University Bands).

• The San Diego State University (SDSU) campus is known as "Montezuma Mesa," as the university is situated on a mesa overlooking Mission Valley and is located at the intersection of Montezuma Road and College Avenue.

Popular culture

• The SDSU campus is the setting of Hearst College, the fictional university in The CW television network show Veronica Mars (link).

• The exterior shots of Rancho Carne High School, in the movie Bring it On, were mainly filmed at San Diego State University

Student Housing

Residence Halls

West Side

• Chapultapec Hall, "Chappy", 11 stories, houses 540 students
• University Towers, 9 stories, 560 students
  • formerly known as "El Conquistador" or "El Conq"

East Side

• Cuicacalli Suites, "Cuic", houses 686 students
  • Tepeyac, 6 stories
  • Tacuba, 6 stories
• The Living Learning Center, "LLC", houses 426 students
  • Maya, 3 stories
  • Olmeca, 3 stories
• Tenochca Hall, 8 stories, houses 380 students
• Zura Hall, "The Zoo", 9 stories, houses 585 students
• Villa Alvarado, "VA", Furnished Apartments, 90-Units, houses 360 students

Apartments

• Aztec Corner (coming fall 2007), formerly College Manor, furnished, houses up to 600 students.
• Piedra del Sol, Unfurnished, 66-Units, houses up to 225 students
  • This is NOT a residence hall but university owned student housing - it has leases rather than license agreements and no RA's

Former Residence Halls

• Queztal (women only)

Opened in 1937 as the first residence hall. It was next to present day Aztec Center.

• Templo del Sol, Zapotec, Toltec & Tarastec Halls

This complex was on the west side of the campus next to Tony Gwynn Stadium across from Chapultepec. Currently it is the site of a new Softball stadium and tennis court complex. They were the same red brick design and floor plan as Maya & Olmeca halls on the east side of campus.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Main article: List of San Diego State University alumni and faculty

Branch Campuses

• Imperial Valley Campus
  • Located in Calexico, California
  • Additional campus in Brawley, California along with research park and related facilities
  • Upper division, teacher certification, and graduate classes only
• North County Campus
  • Formerly located in northern San Diego County
  • Closed; converted to California State University, San Marcos

Notes

1. ^ SDSU Significant Rankings and Distinctions
2. ^ SDSU Significant Rankings and Distinctions
3. ^ KPBS.com. SDSU Gets Most Undergraduate Applications in CSU System. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.
4. ^ Foundation (http://www.carnegiefoundation.org) database entry and article on San Diego State University
5. ^ SDSU Significant Rankings and Distinctions
6. ^ "Retire? Guess again, SDSU president says," San Diego Union Tribune, Mar. 12, 2006
7. ^ "College Endowments Rose in Last Year, But Giving to CSU System is Down" L. Petrillo, San Diego Union-Tribune, Feb. 4, 2005
8. ^ 2004-2005 Annual Report on External Funding, California State University
9. ^ "San Diego State University Reports $55.2 Million in Philanthropic Gifts for 2004-05" Official SDSU Press Release, Oct. 7, 2005"

• • See also, 2004-2005 Annual Report on External Funding, California State University
  • See also, 2003-2004 Annual Report on External Funding, California State University

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