Charles B. Reed
Chancellor

Welcome to the California State University

On this site you will find a wealth of information about our system, our campuses, and higher education in California. I hope that you will take some time to explore the site and learn more about the California State University (CSU).

As you can tell from looking through these pages, the CSU is a unique place. It is the largest university system in the country, with 23 campuses and 427,000 students. It is renowned for the excellence of its faculty and programs and for its emphasis on high-quality teaching. And it plays a critical role in developing programs to meet the needs of business, industry, and communities throughout California.

That's why we say that the CSU is Working for California.

As we carry out our mission to provide access to high-quality education for the students of California, we are focused on providing opportunity, offering accountability, and being responsive to our state's changing needs.

The CSU story begins with its outreach to K-12 schools and students. The CSU has earned a national reputation for its comprehensive K-12 academic outreach programs. The CSU works closely with K-12 schools by offering faculty-to-faculty partnerships, trained CSU student tutors, academic skills enrichment, and college preparation and application support.

At the CSU, the student body proudly reflects one of California's greatest strengths - its diversity. More than 54 percent of CSU students are minorities, which is more than twice the national average for four-year public universities. About one in five CSU students is a first-generation college student, and 40 percent of CSU students come from households where English is not the main language spoken.

The CSU's offerings are as diverse as its students, from art to agriculture, from teaching to nursing, and from high tech to biotech. The CSU's 23,000 faculty members inspire students to excellence by offering hands-on learning experiences in a small-class environment.

The CSU also plays a critical role in preparing the workforce of California. Altogether, the CSU grants more than half the state's bachelor's degrees and one-third of the state's new master's degrees. It prepares more graduates in business, engineering, agriculture, communications, health, and public administration than all other California universities and colleges combined. The CSU also prepares nearly 60 percent of California's teachers.

The CSU also gives back to the state of California through service to its communities. Nearly half of the CSU's 427,000 students are engaged in some type of community service totaling 32 million hours of service annually, a total economic impact of $684 million. In so doing, they better the lives of others while learning about the importance of active citizenship.

Given its massive size and sweeping mission, the CSU is one of the most ambitious and complex public enterprises in the world. As our institution faces new demands and challenges in the coming years, our talented faculty, staff, and administrators will continue to focus on carrying out our primary mission: to provide California's students with access to a high-quality education.

If you would like to learn more about the California State University, please visit http://www.calstate.edu/impact/.

Thank you for your interest in the California State University.