California State University, Bakersfield

California State University, Bakersfield
Motto	It's your university...
Established	1965
Type	Public
Endowment	US$13.0 million[1]
President	Horace Mitchell
Academic staff	441 [Fall 2009][2]
Admin. staff	546 [Fall 2007][3]
Students	7,598 [Fall 2010][4]
Undergraduates	6,525 [Fall 2010][5]
Postgraduates	1,073 [Fall 2010][6]
Location	Bakersfield, California, United States
Campus	Suburban, 375 acres (152 ha)
Former names	California State College, Bakersfield (1965-82)
Colors	Blue and Gold
Athletics	Division I
Nickname	Roadrunners
Affiliations	California State University system
Website	CSUB.edu

California State University, Bakersfield (often abbreviated CSUB or shortened to CSU Bakersfield or Cal State Bakersfield) is a public university located in Bakersfield, California, United States which was founded in 1965. CSUB opened in 1970 on a 375-acre (152 ha) campus, becoming the 19th school in the California State University system. The university offers 31 bachelor's, and 22 master's degree programs.

As of Fall 2002, some 7,700 undergraduate and graduate students attended CSUB, at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the satellite campus, Antelope Valley Center in Lancaster, California. CSU Bakersfield's petroleum geology program is the only one offered by a public university west of the Rockies.^[7]

History

The Walter Stiern Library, CSUB

CSUB owes its founding to the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960, which formalized the creation of the CSU-system, initially as the "California State Colleges" system. The areas in the Southern San Joaquin Valley had been demanding a four-year university since the 1950s. After considering several locations, including nearby Delano and parts of Kings and Tulare County, a steering committee decided on Bakersfield because at the time it was the largest isolated metropolitan area in the United States without a four-year university. Their decision was turned into a bill by Bakersfield's State Senator Walter W. Stiern, ratified by the California State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr.

Under these rules, the school was founded as California State College, Bakersfield in 1965. It opened for classes in September 1970. In 1982 the California State College system became the California State University system and the school changed to its present name.

Athletics

Main article: CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners

Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners

CSUB is currently a NCAA Division I school. They began the process to move from Division II in 2006 and became a full Division I member starting in the 2010-11 school year.^[8] For wrestling, CSUB competes in the Pac-10 conference. CSUB wrestling is the institution's original Division-I sport and has placed 3rd (1996) and 8th (1999) in the NCAA D-I Wrestling Championships.^[9][10] Men's basketball team compete at the Rabobank Arena in downtown Bakersfield. The Women's basketball team plays on campus at the Icardo Center. The men will return to campus when the 2011-12 season begins in November.

On June 1, 2006, Cal State Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell formally announced that CSUB is raising $6 million over a five year period for the additional costs for the athletics program. Part of the additional costs is to start a baseball program and women's golf program.^[11] CSUB is looking to join the Big West Conference, a primarily-Californian conference that includes several former rivals of the Roadrunners, but were denied a membership with University of Hawaii being the most recent addition.^[12] However with University of California, San Diego planning a move to Division I in all sports except football, CSUB and UCSD hope both have a chance to enter the conference simultaneously.^[13]

Rudy Carvajal was CSUB's Athletic Director from 1972 until his retirement on Dec. 31 2010. In 2005, Carvajal received the prestigious CSU Wang Family Award. Under Carvajal's leadership, CSUB has won over 30 national championships and received the Sears Directors Cup in 1998.^[14] Rudy Carvajal announced his retirement effective December 31, 2010.^[15] Nearly 60,000 people attend NCAA sporting events at CSU Bakersfield.^[16]

On May 17, 2007, CSUB announced that Bill Kernen would be the school's first baseball coach, with the school's first official season beginning in Spring of 2009.^[17]

In 2010, a fundraising effort helped save the school's golf, tennis, and wrestling programs.^[18]

On Jan. 8, 2011 Jeff Konya assumed the position of Athletic Director^[19].

Athletic Achievements

National Division II Championships

• Men's basketball: 1993, 1994, 1997
• Men's swimming and diving: 1986-1993, 1998, 2000–2002, 2004
• Wrestling: 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980–1983, 1987
• Men's soccer: 1997
• Softball: 1988, 1989, 1990
• Women's volleyball: 1989

Student life

CSUB has more than 90 official student clubs and organizations (including 10 Greek Organizations). The Associated Students Inc. (ASI) is the recognized student government and is known for having an active role on campus. CSUB's campus has a Student Union and a 75,000 sq ft (7,000 m²) Recreation Center.^[20]

CSUB is predominantly a commuter school, drawing its student body from a mix of recent high school graduates in the local area and working people returning to school or pursuing a degree part-time. In Fall 2006, CSUB received its highest enrollment of first-time freshmen of approximately 820. The university official credit "move to Division I" for the increase of younger students.^[21] While the majority of students live off-campus, the campus dorms can accommodate up to 324 students, or under 5% of the 2002 enrollment figure of 7,700. Space in the dorms has historically been plentiful, with single-occupancy rooms often available and one entire dorm devoted to faculty offices through the mid 1990s.^[22]

The six buildings comprising the dorm complex are each named after locations in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings novel: Rivendell, Rohan, Entwood, Numenor, Dobry, and Lorien. Dorm facilities include a first floor lounge in each building, a dining commons, a swimming pool, a sand volleyball court, a pond, and a parking lot.^[23] CSUB is in the initial stages of building new dorms (referred to as Living Residences) on the northeast side of campus.^[24]

Tradition

The CSUB Fight Song and Alma Mater were selected through a structured contest initiated by the student government, Associated Students Inc. (ASI). The winner of the Fight Song Contest was a current music student, Gwendolyn Wilcox, and the winner of the Alma Mater Contest was a CSUB alumnus and current high school music instructor, Bill Ingram.^[25]

Fight song

CSUB Victory!
Striving on, we face the goal,
And will not be denied.
Always knowing, courage showing,
Strength is on our side.
Fighting on we're holding strong
With victory in sight, We will prevail, we will not fail
to win the fight!
C-S-U-B, CSUB Victory!

Alma mater

Long Live CSUB
The blue and gold stands high for honor,
Thanks to all its pride.
We stand to pay respect and glory,
For us all to guide.
We are proud to shine above the mountains,
And across the sea.
Salute the blue and gold tradition,
Long live C-S-U-B.

Vision of Excellence

In September 2004, CSUB adopted a new mission statement, referred to as the "Vision of Excellence," under the leadership of the university President, Dr. Horace Mitchell.

"By 2014-15, CSU Bakersfield will be the leading campus in the CSU system in terms of faculty and academic excellence and diversity, quality of the student experience, and community engagement. Realization of our vision will be advanced by recruitment, development and promotion of excellent and diverse staff within an organizational culture committed to excellence in all areas."[3]

Notable alumni

• Roy Ashburn, California State Senator^[26]
• Big Poppa E, professional slam poet
• Kathleen O'Neal Gear, archaeologist and author
• Lyle Martin, professional soccer player
• Kevin McCarthy, U.S. Politician^[27]
• Stephen Neal, New England Patriot, NCAA and World Champion Wrestler
• Tito Ortiz, UFC Fighter^[28]
• Kebu Stewart, professional basketball player
• Josh Wicks, professional soccer player

References

1. ^ As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf. Retrieved February 2, 2010. 
2. ^ http://www.csub.edu/irpa/CDS2009_2010.pdf
3. ^ http://www.csub.edu/documents/CSUBFastFacts0809.pdf
4. ^ http://www.csub.edu/irpa/CDS2010_2011.pdf
5. ^ http://www.csub.edu/irpa/CDS2010_2011.pdf
6. ^ http://www.csub.edu/irpa/CDS2010_2011.pdf
7. ^ http://www.calstate.edu/impact/campus/bakersfield.html%7C economic impact report
8. ^ http://www.gorunners.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13300&KEY=&ATCLID=653464
9. ^ http://www.wrestlingstats.com/ncaa/pdf/brackets/NCAA%201996.pdf
10. ^ http://www.wrestlingstats.com/ncaa/pdf/brackets/NCAA%201999.pdf
11. ^ Evans, Jeff (July 26, 2006). "Historic signing: Bellows first to join golf team". Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927035353/http://www.bakersfield.com/150/story/64342.html. Retrieved March 21, 2008. 
12. ^ Evans, Jeff (June 2, 2006). "CSUB commits to Div. I". Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070927035217/http://www.bakersfield.com/150/story/54917.html. Retrieved March 21, 2008. 
13. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/14/ucsd-big-obstacles
14. ^ Loveless, Jaclyn. "AD is 4th CSUB Wang winner". Cal State Today. http://www.csub.edu/CSUBNews/cstoday/fall05/page3.htm. Retrieved March 21, 2008. 
15. ^ [1]
16. ^ CSUB's economic impact report
17. ^ "Bill Kernen Bio". GoRunners.com. http://www.gorunners.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58067&SPID=6320&DB_OEM_ID=13300&ATCLID=1387966&Q_SEASON=2007. Retrieved March 21, 2008. 
18. ^ http://www.turnto23.com/southwest_county/23756994/detail.html
19. ^ {cite web | title = Jeff Konya To Become Roadrunner Director of Athletics Jan. 8 | publisher = GoRunners.com | date = | url = http://www.gorunners.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58247&SPID=6345&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13300&ATCLID=205038806 | accessdate = January 8, 2011}}
20. ^ Facilities Planning Development & Operations - BAS CSUB
21. ^ [2]^{[dead link]}
22. ^ Welcome to CSUB Residential Life
23. ^ http://www.csub.edu/campusmap/quad2/
24. ^ Cal State Today Spring 2006
25. ^ Cal State Today Spring 2005
26. ^ "Biography". Roy Ashburn. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080303072620/http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/18/pro.asp. Retrieved 2008-03-21. 
27. ^ "About Kevin". KevinMcCarthy.House.gov. Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080227192537/http://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/showpage.asp?ID=62. Retrieved 2008-03-21. 
28. ^ "Tito Ortiz Bio". TitoOrtiz.com. http://www.titoortiz.com/bio.html. Retrieved 2008-03-21. 

External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website

Coordinates: 35°21′02″N 119°06′15″W / 35.35056°N 119.10417°W / 35.35056; -119.10417