California State University, Chico
Encyclopedia
California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University
system. It is located in Chico
, California
, about ninety miles north of Sacramento
. California State University, Chico is commonly known as Chico State or Cal State, Chico.
donated 8 acres (3.2 ha) of land from his cherry orchard
. Then on July 4, 1888, the first cornerstone was laid. On September 3, 1889, doors opened for the 90 enrolled students. The library opened on January 11, 1890 with 350 books. On June 20, 1891 the first graduation took place, a class of 15.
In 1910, Annie Bidwell donated an additional 2 acre (0.809372 ha) of land to be used for work with elementary agriculture. The next year Mrs. Bidwell donated an orange orchard lot 55 × 440 feet (134.1 m) as the children's playground, which is connected to the Training School. Twenty years later in 1921, legislation was enacted to change the school's name to Chico State Teacher's College. In 1922, Chico State Teacher's College added a junior college curriculum and awarded a certificate after two years. Also in 1922, Bidwell Mansion
was turned into a women's dormitory, Bidwell Hall. In 1923 the first college paper, The Collegian, was published. In 1924, the state board of education allowed the school to grant baccalaureate
degrees. Also in 1924, the wildcat
was chosen as the mascot
. In 1925 the alumni organization was founded. In 1927 a fire destroyed the Normal Building. That same year a gym was built on the grounds of Bidwell Mansion. In 1929, the cornerstone for the new administration building was laid on top of Normal Building's original cornerstone. In 1929 the student bookstore was established.
In 1935, Bidwell Hall was turned into a recreation and student center - the first student union. Also in 1935 a legislative act changed the college name from Chico State Teachers College to Chico State College. In 1937 evening classes started on campus and athletic fields were purchased from the Chico Board of Education. In 1939, chimes were installed in library tower. Sororities held a fund drive to raise $600 for them. In 1940 the college offered civilian pilot classes.
In 1948, dorms for 200 male students were set up on west side of Warner Street. The buildings were built during World War II
and were used as bachelor quarters for a Marine Hospital in Klamath Falls, Oregon
. They were brought to Chico State in sections and reconstructed in the spring of 1948. The two-story barrack-like structures had 36 rooms, each occupied by 4 students. North Hall later became a girls dormitory
. The speech and debate team was founded by Herbert Rae, Speech & Drama Department Chair.
In 1950, California's governor allowed state colleges to grant Master of Arts degrees. In 1951 the college reorganized from 18 departments into seven divisions with chairmen. Then in 1956 a new flagpost and sign in front of Kendall Hall was donated by the class of 1956. In the following year, 1957, a new cafeteria
was built and the rose gardens were planted. In 1958 the first "telecourse" was taught, Psychology 51.
KCSC, a student-run radio station, launched, broadcasting old-time radio dramas on the campus public address system in 1951.
In 1972, Chico State College became California State University, Chico as a result of legislation passed in 1971.
In 1975, broadcasts of classes through closed circuit TV were used for the first time by residents in Oroville
, Marysville
and Colusa
. Also in 1975, The Orion
, the campus student newspaper, published its first issue. In 1977, the other campus paper, The Wildcat, changed its name to Chico News and Review
and moved off campus to become an independent publication. In 1978 bike riding was restricted on campus.
Chico State's library was renamed for Ted Meriam in 1981. Notably, the 75th Pioneer Days was held in 1985, but the event was canceled in 1987, ostensibly because of a riot
.
In 1987, Chico State was ranked as the number one party school by Playboy
and has subsequently been ranked as a party school by other publications. Chico State was not included on Playboy's most recent list of party schools.
CSU Chico opened its first sub-campus in Redding
, affiliated with Shasta College, in 2007.
In 2005, student Matt Carrington
was hazed to death at the Chi Tau
house, which had previously been expelled from the university in 2001 due to violations. Carrington died as a result of water intoxication
during a hazing session involving the victim being forced to exercise and drink large quantities of water.
In 2007, CSU, Chico was awarded the grand prize in the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Chill Out contest, recognizing the campus's innovative programs to reduce global warming pollution.
In 2010, the President of the Associated Student body, Joseph Igbineweka, was stabbed in a racially motivated attack.
In 2011, CSU, Chico received a Civic Learning Initiative Grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation extend its efforts to establish civic engagement as a key component of students’ academic success.
The school has several libraries, including Meriam Library, which has several special collections of Native American
and Californian history.
Colusa Hall, completed in 1921 is the oldest building on campus. It was used for purposes related to the industrial arts, but now it serves as an art gallery and public events facility.
Sutter Hall, a five-story residence hall, complete with a state-of-the-art dining hall completed in 2010, received LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency in 2011.
s, and foodservice
s, as well as the campus bookstore. The students of CSU, Chico also own their own student union
building named the Bell Memorial Union which houses the Marketplace Cafe, the Chico State Wildcat Store, and the student government offices. Student officers are elected annually from among and by the students. Students are assessed a mandatory Activity Fee at registration which funds the student government and other programs.
The AS is generally divided into three areas, each the responsibility of one of three Associated Students standing committee
s. The AS' role as a government is manifested in the Government Affairs Committee. The student union is administered under the original authority of the Bell Memorial Union Committee. The administration of the businesses is under the original authority of the Business Committee. All of these areas are under the ultimate authority of the AS Board of Directors.
Male to Female Percentage: Male 48% - Female 52%
The university's student-run weekly newspaper, The Orion
first began publishing in 1975. In 1989, The Orion won the National Pacemaker Award, the first of nine times the paper has won the top prize in college journalism. In 2009, The Orion won the National Pacemaker Award for the 11th time at the College Media Convention. The Orion is the only newspaper to win the award, considered the highest honor in college journalism, four consecutive years.
In 1997 Wild Oak Music Group
, an independent record company, was founded and is run by the Music Industry students within the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.
, cross country
, golf
, and track and field
for both men and women. The school sponsors softball
and volleyball
for women, and baseball
for men.
The school's athletic director
is Anita Barker. The school competes in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
in the California Collegiate Athletic Association
. The Chico State baseball team plays at Nettleton Stadium
and has won the NCAA Division II World Series in 1997 and 1999 and appeared in the title game in 2002, 2006.
The school finished third in the 2004-2005 NACDA Director's Cup
. In 1997 Chico State ended its football program citing rising insurance costs.
CSU Chico won the NCAA Division II national championships in men's swimming and diving in 1973, 1974 and 1976. The program was eliminated several years after the 1976 national championship season. The men's soccer program lost in the title game in 2003.
In 2001 the women's rugby team won a Division I national championship.
Since 1998, Chico State’s athletic teams have won 99 NCAA Championship berths, 40 CCAA titles, 24 West Region titles, and 15 National titles.
Hail to Chico State
She's our dear old alma mater
Where our teams so great
lead us on to victory
Rah Rah Rah
Where our men are square
and our fair coeds are fairer
Come let us give a cheer
for dear old Chico State
CSU, Chico was once again designated as a member of the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. The 2010 honor roll, sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, highlights the University’s civic engagement activities during 2009.
In 2006, the year the community service honor roll program was launched, CSU, Chico was one of 10 schools to be a finalist for President George W. Bush
’s Higher Education Community Service Award for Excellence in General Community Service. In 2006-07 CSU,
CSU, Chico is the four-time collegiate champion in raising money on behalf of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for children’s cancer research, and the fastest school to reach $1 million.
CSU, Chico has set records for the number of volunteers taking part to raise money (2,021) and the number of letters sent out requesting support (in excess of 37,000).
Among the civic engagement programs at CSU, Chico are Community Action Volunteers in Education (CAVE) and Community Legal Information Center (CLIC).http://www.aschico.com/?Page=8 CAVE student volunteers help more than 30,000 clients annually, and CLIC student volunteers provide free referrals and legal information to more than 13,000 clients.
The Orion
is Chico State's nationally acclaimed school newspaper, and has been named (on several occasions) the number one weekly collegiate publication.
The newspaper was inducted into the Associated College Press Hall of Fame in 2005.
The University was ranked on a list of 15 colleges and universities around the world cited for their leadership in sustainability and environmental programs. Grist Magazine
, a well-known Web-based environmental news and commentary publication, has placed CSU, Chico on its list of “15 Green Colleges and Universities.” The DailyGreen, a popular Web site that bills itself as “The consumer’s guide to the green revolution,” has featured CSU, Chico in a list of 10 top colleges and universities that includes Harvard University, Duke University, Middlebury College and Oberlin College.
Chico Professor Jeff Price
, shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
as a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
, and is also Senior Fellow for Climate Change and Biodiversity at the United Nations Environment Program – World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC).
CSU, Chico University Printing Services has been awarded Forest Stewardship Council
chain-of-custody certification by Scientific Certification Systems (certificate number SCS-COC-001517), supporting CSU, Chico’s campuswide commitment to sustainability. CSU, Chico is one of the first universities in the country to receive this certification.
CSU, Chico's executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Development is Scott McNall. Complete information on the University's involvement in sustainable issues is listed on the Sustainable News Web site.
Chico State made The Princeton Review’s 2011 "Guide to Green Colleges," honoring campuses that "demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation."
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system. It is located in Chico
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, about ninety miles north of Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. California State University, Chico is commonly known as Chico State or Cal State, Chico.
History
On March 12, 1887, a legislative act was enacted to create the Northern Branch State Normal School of California. Less than a month later, Chico was chosen as the location. On June 24, 1887, General John BidwellJohn Bidwell
John Bidwell was known throughout California and across the nation as an important pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist...
donated 8 acres (3.2 ha) of land from his cherry orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
. Then on July 4, 1888, the first cornerstone was laid. On September 3, 1889, doors opened for the 90 enrolled students. The library opened on January 11, 1890 with 350 books. On June 20, 1891 the first graduation took place, a class of 15.
In 1910, Annie Bidwell donated an additional 2 acre (0.809372 ha) of land to be used for work with elementary agriculture. The next year Mrs. Bidwell donated an orange orchard lot 55 × 440 feet (134.1 m) as the children's playground, which is connected to the Training School. Twenty years later in 1921, legislation was enacted to change the school's name to Chico State Teacher's College. In 1922, Chico State Teacher's College added a junior college curriculum and awarded a certificate after two years. Also in 1922, Bidwell Mansion
Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
Bidwell Mansion, located at 525 Esplanade in Chico, California, was the home of General John Bidwell and Annie Bidwell from the late 1868 until 1900, when Gen. Bidwell died. Annie continued to live there until her death in 1918...
was turned into a women's dormitory, Bidwell Hall. In 1923 the first college paper, The Collegian, was published. In 1924, the state board of education allowed the school to grant baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degrees. Also in 1924, the wildcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
was chosen as the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. In 1925 the alumni organization was founded. In 1927 a fire destroyed the Normal Building. That same year a gym was built on the grounds of Bidwell Mansion. In 1929, the cornerstone for the new administration building was laid on top of Normal Building's original cornerstone. In 1929 the student bookstore was established.
In 1935, Bidwell Hall was turned into a recreation and student center - the first student union. Also in 1935 a legislative act changed the college name from Chico State Teachers College to Chico State College. In 1937 evening classes started on campus and athletic fields were purchased from the Chico Board of Education. In 1939, chimes were installed in library tower. Sororities held a fund drive to raise $600 for them. In 1940 the college offered civilian pilot classes.
In 1948, dorms for 200 male students were set up on west side of Warner Street. The buildings were built during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and were used as bachelor quarters for a Marine Hospital in Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
. They were brought to Chico State in sections and reconstructed in the spring of 1948. The two-story barrack-like structures had 36 rooms, each occupied by 4 students. North Hall later became a girls dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
. The speech and debate team was founded by Herbert Rae, Speech & Drama Department Chair.
In 1950, California's governor allowed state colleges to grant Master of Arts degrees. In 1951 the college reorganized from 18 departments into seven divisions with chairmen. Then in 1956 a new flagpost and sign in front of Kendall Hall was donated by the class of 1956. In the following year, 1957, a new cafeteria
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
was built and the rose gardens were planted. In 1958 the first "telecourse" was taught, Psychology 51.
KCSC, a student-run radio station, launched, broadcasting old-time radio dramas on the campus public address system in 1951.
In 1972, Chico State College became California State University, Chico as a result of legislation passed in 1971.
In 1975, broadcasts of classes through closed circuit TV were used for the first time by residents in Oroville
Oroville, California
Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census...
, Marysville
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
and Colusa
Colusa, California
Colusa is the county seat of Colusa County, California. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. Also in 1975, The Orion
The Orion (California State University, Chico)
The Orion is the student newspaper of California State University, Chico and produces 32 issues every year, 16 each semester. Its offices are in the basement of Plumas Hall on the Chico State campus. It has won numerous state and national awards, including several National Pacemakers...
, the campus student newspaper, published its first issue. In 1977, the other campus paper, The Wildcat, changed its name to Chico News and Review
News and Review
The News & Review is a group of free alternative weekly newspapers published by Chico Community Publishing, Inc. of Chico, California...
and moved off campus to become an independent publication. In 1978 bike riding was restricted on campus.
Chico State's library was renamed for Ted Meriam in 1981. Notably, the 75th Pioneer Days was held in 1985, but the event was canceled in 1987, ostensibly because of a riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
.
In 1987, Chico State was ranked as the number one party school by Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and has subsequently been ranked as a party school by other publications. Chico State was not included on Playboy's most recent list of party schools.
CSU Chico opened its first sub-campus in Redding
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
, affiliated with Shasta College, in 2007.
In 2005, student Matt Carrington
Matt's Law
Matt's Law is a California law that allows for felony prosecutions when serious injuries or deaths result from hazing rites. The bill amended the California Education Code and California Penal Code to change charges for some hazing rituals from misdemeanors to felonies, and for the first time gave...
was hazed to death at the Chi Tau
Chi Tau
Chi Tau was a local fraternity at Chico State University that landed in the media spotlight following the 2005 hazing death of Matthew Carrington.-Fraternity history:The Delta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi was installed at Chico State in the 1950s...
house, which had previously been expelled from the university in 2001 due to violations. Carrington died as a result of water intoxication
Water intoxication
Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits by over-consumption of water....
during a hazing session involving the victim being forced to exercise and drink large quantities of water.
In 2007, CSU, Chico was awarded the grand prize in the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology Chill Out contest, recognizing the campus's innovative programs to reduce global warming pollution.
In 2010, the President of the Associated Student body, Joseph Igbineweka, was stabbed in a racially motivated attack.
In 2011, CSU, Chico received a Civic Learning Initiative Grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation extend its efforts to establish civic engagement as a key component of students’ academic success.
Academics
Chico State is known for academic excellence in engineering, science, computing, business, technology, environmental studies, Theatre Arts and communication. Chico State has more than 50 Departments and offers more than 150 undergraduate degrees. It is organized into seven colleges and four schools.Colleges
|
Schools
|
The school has several libraries, including Meriam Library, which has several special collections of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and Californian history.
Rankings
Academic- 6th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2011) from U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. - 6th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2009) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 6th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2008) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 4th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2007) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 4th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2006) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 3rd Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2005) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 3rd Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2004) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 4th Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2003) from U.S. News & World Report.
- 3rd Best Public Master's Level University in the West (2002) from U.S. News & World Report.
Campus
The California State University, Chico campus consists of a 119 acres (48.2 ha) main campus and a 1040 acres (420.9 ha) university farm.Early construction
The construction of the normal school building was begun in September, 1887. It was a large brick building, consisting of three stories and full basement. It was of Romanesque design with Elizabethan gables and artificial stone trimmings. The building was destroyed by a fire in 1927. The current administration building Kendall Hall was built on the site of the normal school in 1929.Residence halls
Currently, there are seven on-campus residential halls. Sutter, Whitney, Shasta and Lassen halls are on the main campus, while Esken, Mechoopda and Konkow are near the athletic fields about a block and a half away from the main campus. Whitney, Shasta and Lassen are the names of major mountains in Northern California, and the others are named after Indian tribes which used to inhabit the area. Most buildings that make up the campus are named after counties in California. University Village or "UV" is a university-owned dorm about a mile off campus. The university opened its newest dorm, Sutter Hall, for the Fall 2010 semester. It is located between Whitney and Shasta and Lassen halls. For much of the Fall 2010 semester, Sutter Hall's dining area remained closed. However, it opened in the Spring 2011 semester, featuring new dining options for students.Recent construction
The Wildcat Recreation Center (WREC), approved by a 2005 student ballot initiative, opened in August 2009. It has received a LEED rating of Gold for its sustainable and environmentally conscious features.Sutter Hall, a five-story residence hall, complete with a state-of-the-art dining hall completed in 2010, received LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency in 2011.
Associated Students, Chico
Associated Students, Chico is the student government at California State University, Chico. Associated Students, Chico owns and operates several student services on-campus including all vending machineVending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s, and foodservice
Foodservice
Food Service or catering industry defines those businesses, institutions, and companies responsible for any meal prepared outside the home...
s, as well as the campus bookstore. The students of CSU, Chico also own their own student union
Student union
Student union may refer to:* Students' union, or student government in the U.S., a student organization at many colleges and universities dedicated to student governance...
building named the Bell Memorial Union which houses the Marketplace Cafe, the Chico State Wildcat Store, and the student government offices. Student officers are elected annually from among and by the students. Students are assessed a mandatory Activity Fee at registration which funds the student government and other programs.
The AS is generally divided into three areas, each the responsibility of one of three Associated Students standing committee
Standing Committee
In the United States Congress, standing committees are permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. . Because they have legislative jurisdiction, standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for...
s. The AS' role as a government is manifested in the Government Affairs Committee. The student union is administered under the original authority of the Bell Memorial Union Committee. The administration of the businesses is under the original authority of the Business Committee. All of these areas are under the ultimate authority of the AS Board of Directors.
Demographics
| Undergraduate | |
|---|---|
| African American African American African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States... |
2% |
| Asian American Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,... |
5% |
| White American White American White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa... |
60.9% |
| Hispanic American | 15% |
| Native American Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... |
.08% |
| International International ----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries... |
3.6% |
| Ethnicity unreported/unknown | 9.4% |
Male to Female Percentage: Male 48% - Female 52%
Student media
In 1951, KCSC Radio became the newest media outlet belonging to the Associated Students at Chico State. KCSC remains the university's lone student-owned and operated radio station. The music philosophy is very broad, including everything except the most popular Top 40. Featuring a number of student DJ's, KCSC broadcasts a variety of musical genres including electronic, drum and bass, indie, alternative rock, reggae and much more. In addition, KCSC features a sports talk show and a sex talk show, adding to the variety of the station's content.The university's student-run weekly newspaper, The Orion
The Orion
The Orion is a skyscraper located at 350 West 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Hell's Kitchen or Clinton neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The building rises 604 feet above street level, containing 58 floors of residential units...
first began publishing in 1975. In 1989, The Orion won the National Pacemaker Award, the first of nine times the paper has won the top prize in college journalism. In 2009, The Orion won the National Pacemaker Award for the 11th time at the College Media Convention. The Orion is the only newspaper to win the award, considered the highest honor in college journalism, four consecutive years.
In 1997 Wild Oak Music Group
Wild Oak Music Group
Wild Oak Music Group is an independent record label operated out of the Music Industry program at California State University, Chico in Chico, California and was founded in the fall of 1997. The Wild Oak name was coined due to its surrounding environment of the city’s boisterous and edgy music...
, an independent record company, was founded and is run by the Music Industry students within the College of Humanities and Fine Arts.
Chico State Wildcats
The school sponsors soccer, basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
for both men and women. The school sponsors softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
for women, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for men.
The school's athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
is Anita Barker. The school competes in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
in the California Collegiate Athletic Association
California Collegiate Athletic Association
The California Collegiate Athletic Association or CCAA is an intercollegiate athletic conference in the Division II of the NCAA. All of its current members are public universities, and all except for UC San Diego are members of the California State University system.It was founded in December 1938...
. The Chico State baseball team plays at Nettleton Stadium
Nettleton Stadium
Nettleton Stadium is a baseball stadium in Chico, California on the campus of California State University, Chico. It is the home field for the CSU Chico Baseball team, the Wildcats, and the Chico Outlaws of the independent Golden League. It holds 4,200 people. The stadium was named for majority...
and has won the NCAA Division II World Series in 1997 and 1999 and appeared in the title game in 2002, 2006.
The school finished third in the 2004-2005 NACDA Director's Cup
NACDA Director's Cup
The NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup is an award given annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to the colleges and universities with the most success in collegiate athletics...
. In 1997 Chico State ended its football program citing rising insurance costs.
CSU Chico won the NCAA Division II national championships in men's swimming and diving in 1973, 1974 and 1976. The program was eliminated several years after the 1976 national championship season. The men's soccer program lost in the title game in 2003.
In 2001 the women's rugby team won a Division I national championship.
Since 1998, Chico State’s athletic teams have won 99 NCAA Championship berths, 40 CCAA titles, 24 West Region titles, and 15 National titles.
Fight song
Chico State Fight SongHail to Chico State
She's our dear old alma mater
Where our teams so great
lead us on to victory
Rah Rah Rah
Where our men are square
and our fair coeds are fairer
Come let us give a cheer
for dear old Chico State
Service and recognition
In 2006, the year the community service honor roll program was launched, CSU, Chico was one of 10 schools to be a finalist for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s Higher Education Community Service Award for Excellence in General Community Service. In 2006-07 CSU,
CSU, Chico is the four-time collegiate champion in raising money on behalf of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for children’s cancer research, and the fastest school to reach $1 million.
CSU, Chico has set records for the number of volunteers taking part to raise money (2,021) and the number of letters sent out requesting support (in excess of 37,000).
Among the civic engagement programs at CSU, Chico are Community Action Volunteers in Education (CAVE) and Community Legal Information Center (CLIC).http://www.aschico.com/?Page=8 CAVE student volunteers help more than 30,000 clients annually, and CLIC student volunteers provide free referrals and legal information to more than 13,000 clients.
The Orion
The Orion (California State University, Chico)
The Orion is the student newspaper of California State University, Chico and produces 32 issues every year, 16 each semester. Its offices are in the basement of Plumas Hall on the Chico State campus. It has won numerous state and national awards, including several National Pacemakers...
is Chico State's nationally acclaimed school newspaper, and has been named (on several occasions) the number one weekly collegiate publication.
The newspaper was inducted into the Associated College Press Hall of Fame in 2005.
Sustainability
CSU, Chico has received a number of honors for its leadership role in sustainability and environmental awareness and education. CSU, Chico’s Green Campus Program won the Best Practices award for Student Energy Efficiency in the CSU in April 2008. In 2007, the University was awarded the Grand Prize by the National Wildlife Federation for efforts to reduce global warming.The University was ranked on a list of 15 colleges and universities around the world cited for their leadership in sustainability and environmental programs. Grist Magazine
Grist Magazine
Grist is a free American liberal non-profit online magazine that has been publishing environmental news and commentary with a wry twist since 1999. Grists taglines are "Gloom and doom with a sense of humor" and "A beacon in the smog"...
, a well-known Web-based environmental news and commentary publication, has placed CSU, Chico on its list of “15 Green Colleges and Universities.” The DailyGreen, a popular Web site that bills itself as “The consumer’s guide to the green revolution,” has featured CSU, Chico in a list of 10 top colleges and universities that includes Harvard University, Duke University, Middlebury College and Oberlin College.
Chico Professor Jeff Price
Jeff Price
Jeff Price is the associate head men's basketball coach at South Alabama.Price went to USA after a one-year stint as the head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College. The Bobcats earned just their second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in Price's first season.Price was the head coach at Georgia...
, shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
as a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
, and is also Senior Fellow for Climate Change and Biodiversity at the United Nations Environment Program – World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC).
CSU, Chico University Printing Services has been awarded Forest Stewardship Council
Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Its main tools for achieving this are standard setting, independent certification and labeling of forest products...
chain-of-custody certification by Scientific Certification Systems (certificate number SCS-COC-001517), supporting CSU, Chico’s campuswide commitment to sustainability. CSU, Chico is one of the first universities in the country to receive this certification.
CSU, Chico's executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Development is Scott McNall. Complete information on the University's involvement in sustainable issues is listed on the Sustainable News Web site.
Chico State made The Princeton Review’s 2011 "Guide to Green Colleges," honoring campuses that "demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation."
Notable alumni
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Chico | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annette Abbott Adams Annette Abbott Adams Annette Abbott Adams was an American lawyer and judge.-Biography:Born Annette Grace Abbot in Prattville, California, Adams was educated at the Chico State Normal School and the University of California, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in 1904, and her law degree in 1912... |
First female Assistant Attorney General of the United States | |||
| Matthew Axelson Matthew Axelson Sonar Technician 2nd Class Matthew Gene Axelson was a United States Navy SEAL and Navy Cross recipient for his actions during Operation Red Wings.-Early life:... |
United States Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan | |||
| Big Poppa E Big Poppa E Big Poppa E is a performer of slam poetry. His live performances combine poetry, stand-up comedy, and dramatic monologue in high-energy rants about relationships, pop culture, and hot button issues of the day. He has appeared on three seasons of HBO's Def Poetry series and is a National Poetry Slam... |
Professional slam poet | Attended 1994-2000 (Journalism) | ||
| Al Borges Al Borges Alan Borges is an American college football coach and the offensive coordinator of the University of Michigan football team. Borges is known for quarterback development having mentored Cade McNown and Jason Campbell, both first round NFL draft picks... |
Football coach | BA, 1981 | ||
| Nelson Briles Nelson Briles Nelson Kelley "Nellie" Briles was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles... |
Former Major League Baseball Player | |||
| Donald J. Butz Donald J. Butz Donald J. Butz is a retired Major General in the United States Air Force.-Biography:Butz was born in Nevada City, California in 1933. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California before attending Yuba College, Chico State College, the University of California, Berkeley... |
United States Air Force Major General | |||
| Don Carlson Don Carlson Donald Vernon Carlson was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.... |
Former National Basketball Association player | |||
| Doug Chapman Doug Chapman Doug Chapman is a stunt performer and actor, a member of Stunts Canada, who works in film and television.-Biography:Height: 5 ft 10in... |
Actor | BA, 1994 | ||
| Raymond Carver Raymond Carver Raymond Clevie Carver, Jr. was an American short story writer and poet. Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s.... |
Author | |||
| Amanda Detmer Amanda Detmer Amanda Jeannette Detmer is an American actress who has appeared in various films and television shows.-Life and career:... |
Actress | |||
| Board President of Lundberg Family Farms | Clair Engle Clair Engle Clair Engle was an American politician of the Democratic Party and a United States Senator from California.- Early years :Engle was born in Bakersfield... |
United States Senator | BA, 1930 | |
| Horace Dove-Edwin Horace Dove-Edwin Francis Horace Dove-Edwin is a retired Sierra Leonean sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres.Participating in the 1988 Summer Olympics, he failed to make it through to the second round. In 1990 Dove-Edwin migrated to London together with his mother... |
Olympian | MA in Exercise Science, 1999 | ||
| Ken Grossman | Co-founder Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Sierra Nevada Brewing Company The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was established in 1980 by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi.Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the... |
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| Joseph Hilbe Joseph Hilbe Joseph Michael Hilbe is a US statistician and philosopher, atwo-time national champion track & field athlete, and Olympic Games official.He is author of several popular texts on statistical modeling, and is founding chair of the ISI... |
Statistician and philosopher | BA in Philosophy | ||
| Dominik Jakubek | Goalkeeper for Major League Soccer | BA Liberal Studies 2009 | ||
| Mat Kearney Mat Kearney Mathew William "Mat" Kearney is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, now based in Nashville, Tennessee. Kearney has received critical acclaim and widespread recognition for his Columbia Records debut, Nothing Left to Lose. So far, he has a total of four top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40... |
Columbia Recording Artist | Attended Chico State for 2 years | ||
| Adnan Khashoggi Adnan Khashoggi Adnan Khashoggi is a Saudi Arabian arms-dealer and businessman. He is also noted for his engagements with high society in both the Occident and Arabic-speaking worlds, and for his involvement in the Iran–Contra and Lockheed bribery scandals, and numerous other affairs... |
Saudi businessman | |||
| Sandra Lerner Sandra Lerner Sandy Lerner was a co-founder of Cisco Systems . After leaving Cisco, she was a founder of Urban Decay cosmetics, and an advocate of animal welfare.... |
Co-founder of Cisco Systems Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$... |
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| Michael Messner Michael Messner Michael Alan Messner is an American sociologist. His main areas of research are gender and the sociology of sports... |
Sociologist, Professor at the University of Southern California University of Southern California The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university... |
BA, 1974; MA, 1976 | ||
| Bob Mulholland Bob Mulholland Bob Mulholland is a California based political activist. He was a senior advisor to the California Democratic Party from 1991 to 2010.He is married to Jane Dolan, who served from 1979 to 2011 as Butte County Supervisor of the second district in California.... |
Political Strategist | |||
| Matt Olmstead Matt Olmstead Matt Olmstead is an American writer and producer for television shows.-Early life:Olmstead graduated from California State University, Chico. He is an alumnus of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. He went to Hollywood in hopes of being a script writer. Olmstead eventually worked with an... |
Writer and television producer | |||
| Kathleen O'Neal Gear Kathleen O'Neal Gear Kathleen O'Neal Gear is an American writer. Gear is a former state historian and archaeologist for Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska for the U.S. Department of the Interior. She has twice received the federal government's Special Advancement Award for "outstanding management" of our nation's cultural... |
Historian and archaeologist | BA and MA | ||
| Maureen O'Toole Maureen O'Toole Maureen O'Toole is an accomplished American water polo player and coach. In over 30 years in the sport, she set multiple firsts for women in water polo, received all the top honors, and in her time was recognized as one of the best water polo players in the world.O'Toole started playing water polo... |
Olympic silver medalist | |||
| Lubna al Qasimi | Minister for Economy and Planning of the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a... |
BS in Computer Science | ||
| Ed Rollins Ed Rollins Edward John "Ed" Rollins is a Republican campaign consultant and advisor who has worked on several high-profile political campaigns in the United States. In 1983-84, he was National Campaign Director for the Reagan-Bush '84 campaign, winning 49 of 50 states... |
Political Strategist | BA, 1968 | ||
| Thom Ross Thom Ross Thom Ross is an artist based in Seattle, Washington, known for painting, book illustrations, and installation art featuring life-sized cutout figures depicting famous people and historical events.-Biography:... |
Artist | degree in fine arts, 1974 | ||
| Carolyn Shoemaker | Astronomer | |||
| Mike Thompson Mike Thompson Michael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties.... |
Member of the United States Congress United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.... |
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| David M. Traversi David M. Traversi David M. Traversi , is an American investment banker, executive advisor, writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and leadership innovator... |
Author | B.S. in Business Administration, 1981 | ||
| Mark Ulriksen Mark Ulriksen Mark Ulriksen , is an award winning American painter and magazine illustrator.-Education and early professional life:After studying at California State University, Chico and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ulriksen's first major position was as art director of San Francisco Magazine from... |
Painter | |||
| Patrick Vaughan Patrick Vaughan Patrick Vaughan is an American historian and scholar, currently teaching at the MA program in Transatlantic Studies, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland... |
Historian | |||
| Bill Wattenburg Bill Wattenburg Willard Harvey Wattenburg , better known as Dr. Bill Wattenburg or Dr. Bill, is an inventor, scientist, author, and radio talk show host residing in the Sierra Nevada region of California... |
Radio host, author, inventor | |||
| Chris Wondolowski Chris Wondolowski Christopher Elliott Wondolowski is an American soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:... |
Midfielder for Major League Soccer | |||
| Don Young Don Young Donald Edwin "Don" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Republican Party.Young is the 6th most senior U.S. Representative and the 2nd most senior Republican Representative, as well as the 2nd most senior Republican in Congress as a whole... |
Member of the United States Congress United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.... |
BA, 1958 |
Faculty
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Chico |
|---|---|---|
| John Gardner (novelist) | Author | Professor of English |
| Michael Gillis Michael Gillis Michael Jerome Gillis was an American academic and writer.Born in Walpole, Massachusetts, Gillis served as a history instructor at Butte College and, for twenty-five years, as a lecturer at California State University, Chico... |
Historian | Lecturer in history |
| Janja Lalich Janja Lalich Janja Lalich is Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, known for her study of the inner workings of cults.She was a member of the radical "Democratic Workers Party" for 11 years, a group she now considers a cult... |
Sociologist | Professor of Sociology |
| Harold Lang Harold Lang Harold Lang was an American dancer and actor.-Biography:Lang began his professional career as a ballet dancer, making his professional debut with the San Francisco Ballet in 1938 and then going on to perform with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo two years later and American Ballet Theatre in 1943... |
Dancer and actor | Professor of dance, 1970–1985 |
| Peveril Meigs Peveril Meigs Peveril Meigs, III, was an American geographer, notable for his studies of arid lands on several continents and in particular for his work on the native peoples and early missions of northern Baja California, Mexico.... |
Geographer | Professor of geography, 1929–1942 |
| Nicholas Nagy-Talavera Nicholas Nagy-Talavera Nicholas M. Nagy-Talavera was a Hungarian-American dissident, historian, writer and professor, born to prosperous merchants of Sephardic Jewish descent... |
Historian | Professor of History, 1967–1991 |
| Michael Perelman Michael Perelman Michael Perelman is an American economist and economic historian, currently professor of economics at California State University, Chico. Perelman has written 19 books, including Railroading Economics, Manufacturing Discontent, The Perverse Economy, and The Invention of Capitalism.-Biography:A... |
Author | Professor of Economics |
| Jeff Price Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and... |
Shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize | Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences |
| Ivan Sviták Ivan Sviták Ivan Sviták was a Czech philosopher, critic, and poet who ranked among Europe's most prominent proponents of Marxist humanism. In a vast oeuvre of essays, Sviták addressed questions of democracy and socialism, of art in bureaucratic and consumer societies, and of the "unbearable burden" of... |
Philosopher, Critic, Poet | Professor of Philosophy, 1925–1994 |
University presidents
- Edward Timothy Pierce, 1889–1893
- Robert F. Pennell, 1893–1897
- Carleton M. Ritter, 1897–1899
- Charles C. Van Liew, 1899–1910
- Allison Ware, 1910–1917
- Elmer Isaiah Miller, 1910, 1917–1918
- Charles Osenbaugh, 1918–1930
- Clarence Knight Studley, 1930–1931
- Rudolph D. Lindquist, 1931
- Aymer Jay Hamilton, 1931–1950
- George Glenn Kendall, 1950–1966
- Robert Eugene Hill, 1966–1970
- Lew Dwight Oliver, 1970–1971
- Stanford CazierStanford CazierStanford Orson "Stan" Cazier was an American educator, university administrator and scholar. He was president of California State University, Chico from 1971–1979 and Utah State University from 1979–1992.-Biographical background:...
, 1971–1979 - Robert L. Fredenburg, 1979–1980
- Robin WilsonRobin Wilson (author)Robin Scott Wilson is an American science fiction author and editor, and former President of California State University, Chico....
, 1980–1993 - Manuel A. Esteban, 1993–2003
- Scott McNall, 2003–2004
- Paul Zingg, 2004–present