INTRODUCTION

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Description of the University

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San Francisco State University (SFSU) was established in 1899 as San Francisco State Normal School. Its development through the years is highlighted by four name changes: San Francisco State Teacher’s College in 1921; San Francisco State College in 1935; California State University, San Francisco in 1972; and San Francisco State University in 1974. It was authorized to grant the bachelor of arts degree in 1923 and its first master’s degree in education in 1949.

The mission of SFSU is "to create and maintain an environment for learning that promotes respect for and appreciation of scholarship, freedom, human diversity, and the cultural mosaic of the City of San Francisco and the Bay Area; to promote excellence in instruction and intellectual accomplishment; and to provide broadly accessible higher education for residents of the region and the State as well as the nation and the world."

The main campus is located on 94 acres in the Southwest corner of the city of San Francisco, California. There are four satellite centers: the Romberg Tiburon Center; the Sierra Nevada Field Campus; the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Monterey Bay, which involves five other California State Universities; and the SFSU Downtown Center, at which courses primarily from the Colleges of Business and Extended Learning are offered.

The University enrolls approximately 27,000 students; students come from every state and more than 90 countries. About 92% are California residents and 56% of the undergraduates come as transfer students. SFSU is one of the most diverse institutions in the world with ethnic minorities representing about 68% of the undergraduate and 42% of the graduate student populations.

The academic programs are offered through the nine colleges: Behavioral and Social Sciences, Business, Creative Arts, Education, Ethnic Studies, Extended Learning; Health and Human Services; Humanities, and Science and Engineering.

San Francisco State University was first accredited by WASC in 1952. Its last 10-year review was in 1992, which led to the reaffirmation of its accreditation. The next comprehensive review was initially scheduled for the spring of 2000, but by the request of SFSU was postponed until the spring of 2001.

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Changes Since the Last Visit

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SFSU has undergone significant change since the WASC visitation in 1992. This change is documented in the self-study and includes major administrative changes at the senior level; the addition of 5 new baccalaureate and 4 new master’s degree programs; the elimination of twenty-two undergraduate degree programs and/or concentrations, two minor programs, and seven graduate degree programs and/or concentrations; significant additions and improvements in the physical plant, and successes in increasing extramural funding support, to name a few. Both the student population and the faculty have become more diverse.

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Response to the 1992 Visiting Team Report and the Corresponding WASC Statement on the Reaffirmation of Accreditation

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The 1992 Report cited planning, setting budget priorities and improving library acquisitions and bibliographic services as issues to be addressed by SFSU. The development of the new strategic plan in 1998, the restoration of the library acquisition budget, and the current self-study’s focus on the strategic plan and assessment have addressed the 1992 concerns. The issue of budget and academic/programmatic priorities, however, remains a concern.

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Type of Self-Study and Nature of the Visit and Review

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With the approval of WASC, SFSU chose to conduct a self-study that focused on the implementation and assessment of its strategic plan. The Self-Study was organized around the six initiatives of the strategic plan and two sections that addressed University-wide assessment endeavors and other important areas not specifically mentioned in the strategic plan. The Visiting Team’s review was organized around four areas that relate to the various sections of the Self-Study: Area 1 – Planning and Administration; Area 2 – Academic Excellence; Area 3 – Teaching and Learning and Community Orientation; and Area 4 – Diversity, Internationalization, and User-Friendliness.

During the course of the visit, the Team had opportunities to meet with a broad range of campus constituents and key individuals and to review numerous documents. The interviews included the President, the Provost, other senior administrators, faculty staff, students, departmental chairs, program heads, members of the academic senate, members of other key committees, student leaders, and others. Separate open meetings were held for faculty, students and staff. The Team also met with several departments. These interviews together with a review of the Self-Study and other documents gave the Team adequate information to complete its evaluation.

The Self-Study was thorough and though somewhat descriptive, did provide adequate analyses and recommendations for future improvements. It appeared that the self-study process provided opportunities for university-wide involvement, and the draft and final self-study documents were made available for review and comment by the university community.

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