August 9, 2007

IN FOCUS
CSUF marks its golden year
COURTESY OF FULLERTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
By BOB ZIEBELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In 1924, the University of California Regents rejected Fullerton as a site for a new school. But in 1957, it was a different story and that is why Cal State Fullerton is embarking on its 50th anniversary celebration.

It became official when the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 2680 appropriating $1.65 million for the college and Chapter 1681 of the California Statutes of 1957 officially established the school in our city.

The original 235-acre site was purchased in 1959 and later supplemented by an additional 17-acre purchase.

Classes at Orange County State College began in temporary buildings on the Sunny Hills High School

campus in the fall of 1959 with administrators housed in quarters at Fullerton Union High School. There were 452 fulland part-time students and 46 employees, including 24 part-time faculty.

The classes moved to temporary buildings on the current campus in 1960 and the first permanent building, McCarthy Hall, opened in 1963. That was after the name of the school changed to Orange State College in 1962, and before it became California State College at Fullerton in 1964. The “at” was replaced with a comma in 1968 and, finally, it became California State University, Fullerton, in June of 1972.

William B. Langsdorf was the first president and served until 1970. He was followed by L. Donald Shields (1971-1980), Miles D. McCarthy (acting, 1980), Jewel Plummer Cobb (1980-1990) and Milton A. Gordon, who took over in 1990 and continues to serve.

Students selected the nickname Titans in the school’s first year. The name and the school symbol, the elephant, came together on May 11, 1962 – and the school captured international attention – when a collegiate elephant race was held at the northwest corner of the campus.

But, my, how things have changed through the years and are continuing to change. The spring census showed 34,927 students enrolled in a variety of schools of instruction offering multiple degree programs, including many at the graduate level.

Your writer, a card-carrying member of the Original Orange County State College Elephant Racing Club, joins the whole community in celebrating CSUF’s 50 years in the neighborhood.