California State Universities

Before it became a state university, the California State University first operated as a normal school under the name of California State Normal School. Founded on May 2, 1862 through a law passed by the California Legislature, the California State Normal School originated from what was known as Minns Evening Normal School which was established in 1857 in the city of San Francisco, California.

Providing education to teachers, Minns Evening Normal School operated in accordance with the high school system of San Francisco City. Eventually, another normal school under the Minns Evening Normal School system was established in Los Angeles in 1882, named as California State Normal School Campus.

Through a state legislation passed in 1887, the name California State Normal School took out the name “California”, thus assigning the name “State Normal Schools”. Campuses in Chico (1887) and San Diego (1897) and other prominent cities in California rose as part of the State Normal Schools system. Later in 1921, the school was again assigned a new name and became known as the State Teachers Colleges with assigned identities according to the campuses they are found such as San Diego State Teachers Colleges, San Francisco State Teachers Colleges and San Jose State Teachers Colleges.

Being a state college, the State Normal Schools obtained its funds from the federal government. The state school system was again renamed as California State Colleges in 1935 through the Donahue Higher Education Act of 1960. By this time the school was placed under the administration of the California State Department of Education with base in Sacramento. Under the Department of Education, the State Normal Schools gained more autonomy in its operation. After the war period, the school system had additional campuses in Sacramento and Los Angeles followed by 13 more branches from 1947 to 1960 in different locations all over California.

It was in 1972 when the California State Colleges became known as the California State University and Colleges. Not long after, the word “Colleges” was dropped to bring forth the name California State University.