Overview of San José State University
Established in 1857, San José State University is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast. Located in downtown San José at the heart of “Silicon Valley,” San José State is a major, comprehensive public university. As the Silicon Valley’s metropolitan university, it is one of largest of twenty-three campuses in the California State University system. It boasts a highly diverse student body of nearly 30,000 (23,300 full-time equivalent), some 1,800 full-time, part-time and temporary faculty members, and 1,450 dedicated staff. The availability of resources of this large urban area, and the proximity of a number of major universities, contribute to a rich cultural and intellectual environment.
The university is comprised of a main campus, and a sports and physical education campus situated two miles to the south. Auxiliary sites are located at Mineta San José International Airport, supporting the aviation program, and the Art Sculptural Facility near the main campus. The total combined area is 154 acres. Today the campus is a mixture of older buildings and newly constructed facilities joined by landscaped pedestrian malls. Pedestrian entrances to San José State University are highlighted by the Heritage Gateways that are designed to provide a welcome to the campus and to symbolize the access to higher education that SJSU offers.
San José State University maintains a commitment to strong undergraduate education in liberal arts and sciences, while also offering a wide range of highly regarded applied and professional programs. It is the number one supplier of engineering, education, computer science, and business graduates to the area. San José State University is pre-eminent in broadly educating leaders and professionals for an increasingly complex and global society. The university offers 69 baccalaureate degrees with 81 concentrations and 65 master’s degrees with 29 concentrations. The university is planning to launch its Ed.D. program in educational leadership in fall 2009.
The most popular undergraduate programs are: art, business administration – management, nursing, business administration – marketing, and psychology. The most popular graduate programs are: library & information science, software engineering, electrical engineering, educational administration and supervision, and social work.
The academic organization consists of the seven colleges of Applied Sciences and Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, Humanities and the Arts, Science, and Social Sciences; schools of journalism and mass communications, library and information science, music and dance, nursing, and social work; international and extended education; and, the University Library. The university is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Twenty-four programs hold accreditation from national professional associations.
San José State University is the home of a number of centers and institutes that maintain specialized resource materials, conduct research, and produce publications that contribute to the SJSU community and the surrounding community. These include the Steinbeck Center, the Beethoven Studies Center, the Center for Community Learning and Leadership, the Center for Literary Arts, the Mineta Transportation Institute, and more.
San José State competes in intercollegiate athletic programs at the NCAA Division I-A level and is a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
The General Education Clusters To learn more about San José State University, view a brief video located on the university’s web page. www.sjsu.edu
University Mission
In collaboration with nearby industries and communities, SJSU faculty and staff are dedicated to achieving the university’s mission as a responsive institution of the state of California: to enrich the lives of its students, to transmit knowledge to its students along with the necessary skills for applying it in the service of our society, and to expand the base of knowledge through research and scholarship.
Goals
For both undergraduate and graduate students, the university emphasizes the following goals:
- In-depth knowledge of a major field of study.
- Broad understanding of the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts.
- Skills in communication and in critical inquiry.
- Multicultural and global perspectives gained through intellectual and social exchange with people of diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds.
- Active participation in professional, artistic, and ethnic communities.
- Responsible citizenship and understanding of ethical choices inherent in human development.
Character and Commitment
The university’s distinctive character has been forged by its long history, by its location, and by its vision - a blend of the old and the new, of the traditional and the innovative. Among its most prized traditions is an uncompromising commitment to offer access to higher education to all persons who meet the criteria for admission, yielding a stimulating mix of age groups, cultures, and economic backgrounds for teaching, learning, and research. SJSU takes pride in and is firmly committed to teaching and learning, with a faculty that is active in scholarship, research, technological innovation, community service, and the arts.
Student Life
The resources of a large university, coupled with many relatively small class sections, access to faculty, opportunities for internships and field experiences, active departmental student associations, and a large variety of other student activities, give students opportunities for involvement within smaller communities of interest. The Division of Student Affairs assesses the quality of student life, sets benchmarks, and measures on-going progress to improve the overall student experience.
More than 200 clubs and organizations, including many nationally chartered fraternities and sororities, offer students companionship and activities for all interests. The Associated Students of San José State University has over 100 years of student service and leadership. It is the students' voice on campus regarding fees, academic excellence and non-academic services as well as the center of student activism and representation regarding student life and shared governance.
Eligible students may enter the university directly from high school, but two–thirds are community college transfers. In addition, many students are already well into their career and professions, or are preparing for a change in career. Instruction is offered in the evening, as well as daytime, to serve the needs of working students. A substantial proportion of students are employed either full-time of part-time. Thus, the university strives to serve multiple student profiles: those who seek a university education following high school or community college, students who balance academic goals with work or family responsibilities, and students who look to the university as a means for career re-tooling. The majority (90%) of the students come from the greater San Francisco Bay Area, but there are students from throughout the United States and from foreign countries.
The first phase of the Campus Village Housing project opened in August 2005; it provides housing for 2,300 students and parking for 700 cars. Residents in the Campus Village enjoy amenities such as high-speed Internet access, video on-demand, computer lab, and a convenience store. After phases two and three are completed, the university will have doubled student housing to 5,700 beds. Additional students live in private housing within walking or biking distance of the university.
The campus is engaged in planning new facilities for students that will provide open, inviting places for activities that connect students with each other and with faculty and staff. The plans include an addition to the student union, renovation of the existing student union, new recreational facilities, and new facilities for the student health center.
To access the Clery Crime Statistics report, click on Clery.
San José State Faculty
A tradition of teaching excellence lies at the heart of the university experience for San José State students. Most faculty members have earned doctoral degrees from prestigious universities across the nation. The faculty strives to sustain a dynamic teaching and learning environment in a multicultural setting. The Center for Faculty Development supports the university’s mission of enriching lives of students through their contact with faculty members who effectively combine teaching, scholarship, and service and to help create a campus culture that values and supports excellence in teaching, learning, and research. Offered are new faculty orientation and workshops and training to assist existing faculty members to improve their teaching techniques.
While firmly committed to teaching, faculty engagement in research places the university in the top 200 research universities in the nation.
The SJSU Academic Senate is the principal agency for the formulation of university policy. The Senate and its committees communicate recommendations to the president on such matters as faculty affairs, curriculum, instruction, student affairs, finances and other matters relevant to the welfare of SJSU. San José State University was the first California State University campus to have an official faculty representative body.
Life in San José
The City of San José has distinguished itself with a pioneering past and enterprising future. Although the roots of San José are in agriculture, the city today is better known for its rich harvest of innovative technology and entrepreneurship. Today, there are more than 6,000 innovative technology firms. Firms with headquarters in San José include Adobe Systems, BEA Systems, Cisco Systems, and e-Bay. Other firms with major facilities are Hewlett-Packard and IBM. The San José metropolitan area has a highly educated workforce with over 40% having a bachelor’s degree or higher.
San José has consistently been ranked as one of the safest large cities in the United States. The city is the third largest in California and the tenth largest in the United States. It’s been ranked as the fifth best place to live in America by Money magazine, and Sunset magazine described downtown San José as an "eminently walkable area with level streets, balmy weather and well-marked attractions." The area is abound with parks, hiking trails, and public recreation space. The ocean, the mountains, and many other attractions are just a short drive away.
Mineta San José International Airport serves 11 million passengers annually; plans are underway for expansion of terminal gates and passenger services. Airlines provide cross country service, service in the western states, and some international travel.
The metropolitan area’s public transportation needs are supported by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA). It operates numerous bus routes, paratransit services, and light rail lines, with connections to AMTRAK and an express train to San Francisco.
Within the downtown area are the San Jose Museum of Modern Art, the Tech Museum of Innovation, HP Pavilion (home to the NHL San Jose Sharks), the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, the Japanese American Museum, and the San Jose Convention Center. Major League Soccer designated San José as the location for an expansion team beginning in 2008. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies lists San José, California as the metropolitan area with the most nanotechnology organizations.
San José is rich in culture; it is a highly diverse community where 52 languages are spoken. It maintains a reputation as a great place to live and work.
Enjoying over 300 days of sunshine annually, the local Mediterranean type climate boasts moderate temperatures. January's average high is 59 °F and average low is 42 °F. July's average high is 84 °F and average low is 58 °F, with heat exceeding 100 °F several days. The mean annual rainfall is 14.4 inches.
Alumni
Currently, there are more than 185,000 alumni and many are active in the alumni association. San José State alumni are leaders in business, serve on school boards, hold elected public offices, and are CEO’s of respected international corporations; nearly 200 graduates have founded, co-founded or serve as top-level executives of major public and private companies. Among the alumni are Peter Ueberroth, a Time Magazine man of the year; author Amy Tan; pro golfer Julie Inkster; Gordon Moore, founder of Intel Corporation; David Wickersham, president and COO of Seagate Technology; Linda Gold, founder and CEO, M3iworks; fashion designer Jessica McClintock; Valerie Coleman-Morris, former CNNfn anchor; playwright and film director Luis Valdez; NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia; Colorado’s U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell; entertainers Tom and Dick Smothers; Dick Vermeil, former professional and collegiate football coach; Carl Guardino, CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group; Mike Honda, member of the House of Representatives from Santa Clara County; Marshall Drummond, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District; Harry Edwards, sports sociologist; and the late Bill Walsh, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
Financial Status
Historically, state revenue support for public higher education has been very generous. Due to a multitude of demands on state revenue, public institutions of higher education are receiving a smaller proportion of the state budget. The California Master Plan for Higher Education’s principles of access, quality, and relatively low fees are challenged. Yet, for those students who commit to full-time enrollment, it is possible to complete a baccalaureate degree in the traditional four-year period. The CSU Board of Trustee policy on student fees provides for a large financial aid component. Annual fees for full-time undergraduate students in 2007/08 are $2,772 plus $860 for student union, health center, Associated Students, transit, child care, and other campus-based fees.
Over the past decade private support for the university has been a priority. In 2006/2007, gifts receipts from individuals, corporations and foundations reached $50.6 million. During this time the San José State Research Foundation administered over $60 million in grants and contracts. Despite regional economic weakness and the downturn in philanthropic giving in the Silicon Valley, the amount of non-state funds are expected to increase each year as various strategies and programs are introduced.
Facilities
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, a $177 million joint use facility by the university and the City of San José, opened in 2003; it was a pioneering partnership that now serves as a national model being replicated in several cities. A plan was developed to demolish 50-year old student housing facilities and replace them with the Campus Village over three phases; the first phase, a $215 million project to construct a nearly one-million square foot village, opened in August 2005 with 2,281 student beds and 196 apartments for faculty and staff. Academic buildings are being renovated to attain better efficiency and usefulness, and to enhance teaching through the use of technology resources. In March 2006, a $19 million project renovated the former Clark Library into Clark Hall; it now accommodates a number of student services and instructional and administrative functions that were displaced when several buildings were demolished to make way for the new library. Tower Hall, where the President's office is located, was recently renovated. This is the oldest university building on campus, dating back to 1910 and is the landmark building on campus. The president’s residence is located three miles from campus in the Rose Garden district. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, a consortial effort of seven CSU campuses and located on the Monterey Bay, is administered by San José State University.
A new wireless network for students, faculty and staff on campus was launched in spring 2006. Covering 63 acres of campus area, the new Comcast-run wireless network offers 552 access points to access e-mail and the Internet for those having a SJSUOne account, which provide four times the coverage offered by the earlier BlueSocket wireless network.
Current Institutional Goals
During the 2007-08 year, the university is making plans to institutionalize diversity as a valued educational resource and an ingredient for every student's success including improving graduation rates of minority students, to make campus computer and electronic media accessible to people with disabilities, to implement recommendations stemming from the WASC re-accreditation, and to strengthen the university's ties with San José and Silicon Valley communities.
Presidential Responsibilities
As chief executive and academic officer of San José State University, the president leads the institution by managing the human and financial resources to fulfill the stated mission. Working in harmony with internal and external constituencies, the president provides overall leadership and guidance for the university. The president is expected to nurture and expand the academic reputation of the university and to orchestrate the charting of the future course of the campus. The president is the leading spokesperson for the institution with internal stakeholders and external constituencies. The president is expected to symbolize the best qualities of the institution; the president represents the campus interest within the CSU system, with local, state and national elected officials, and with the state and national higher education community.
In addition to oversight of the state funded programs of the university, the president has the authority and responsibility for the fiscal integrity and overall operation of campus auxiliaries including the bookstore, food service, the San José State University Foundation, the Tower Foundation, parking, Associated Students, Student Union, and university housing. This authority is vested in the president through CSU regulations and delegations from the CSU Board of Trustees and chancellor in accord with state statutes.
Specified responsibilities of the president are to:
- Provide leadership for the university, exhibiting vision, initiative, and creativity that sustain and improve the quality of the institution.
- Work with various constituencies, internal and external, to build consensus on issues of concern to the university.
- Lead planning efforts that prepare the university to be a significant educational entity for the 21st century by shaping and communicating a vision for the institution based on current strengths and anticipated new programs that contribute to the economic vitality of the region.
- Oversee the management of the university’s financial resources and work with the campus constituent groups to formulate and adjust the university’s budget for current and future years.
- Take an active leadership role in securing the human and financial resources needed to achieve the university’s long-range goals.
- Exercise leadership in creating a campus environment that is responsive to the needs of the students, staff, faculty, and the community.
- Serve as a catalyst and facilitator who helps others transform ideas into results.
- Organize and lead a strong team of senior campus managers.
- Maintain and support a collegial governance structure that involves members of the campus community in current activities and future plans of the university, welcomes participation, respects academic freedom, and promotes respect for dialogue and open communication.
- Lead, support, and foster efforts to further increase employee and student diversity, and foster an environment supportive and understanding of cultural diversity on campus and in the community.
- Oversee the institutional advancement program that garners an increasing amount of non-state resources for university programs and promotes the reputation of the university. These resources include increased grants and contracts, foundation gifts, and individual donations, particularly from the SJSU alumni.
- Take an active personal role in management of the university’s institutional and community relations programs, serving as the primary spokesperson for the San José State University, and articulating to the community the priority of the academic mission of the university and the unique qualities of this metropolitan university.
- Build and expand partnerships between San José State University and business, industry, governmental entities, non profit, and public benefit organizations in the region
- Participate actively as a member of the California State University system executive group along with the chancellor and other campus presidents.
Professional Qualifications
Leading candidates for the position of San José State University president will have a strong record of academic accomplishment and significant executive or senior management experience. Preferred qualifications include:
- A commitment to strong academic programs and a desire to make the academic mission the priority of the university.
- A doctorate or equivalent terminal degree or professional experience.
- A record of successful teaching and scholarship, as a faculty member in an institution of higher education.
- Significant experience as a senior level administrator/executive in a complex organization with oversight responsibilities of complex financial resources. There will be a demonstrated record of progressive responsibility and increasing oversight of fiscal, human, and physical resources.
- Evidence of successful fund raising and an interest in private sector partnerships.
- Understanding of current issues and trends in higher education.
- Demonstrated abilities to foster, plan, and manage change, including the skill to reduce conflict and promote a sense of shared commitment to change.
- Demonstrated success in promoting diversity and sensitivity to cultural diversity and multi-cultural education.
- Evidence of the ability to implement decisions, the ability to articulate the reasoning for decisions, and the ability to achieve a widespread understanding of the rational for decisions.
- A style that emphasizes leadership by consultation and consensus building, and teamwork among the managers.
- An understanding of the value-added education obtained by students at San José State University.
- An ability to understand the distinct characteristics and traditions of San José State University and a commitment to preserve those characteristics that have intrinsic value in the context of the campus mission.
Personal Characteristics
In addition to the strong academic and administrative skills required for the executive leadership of San José State University, the president should be visionary, energetic, open-minded, approachable, sensitive to opinion of the members of the campus community, and enthusiastic about the university. The president should possess integrity, be a good listener, a capable delegator, and have a sense of humor. The president must be able to communicate easily within the university and within the local community. The president must relate to the students, potential students, and the communities San José State serves. The president should be willing to explore diversifying sources of revenue. The president should be a strategic thinker, be passionate about the university, be visible in the community, and have a “can do” attitude.
Reporting Relationships
Like the other campus presidents in the California State University system, the president is responsible to the CSU Board of Trustees through the chancellor. The president is a member of the CSU Executive Council, which advises the chancellor and the CSU Board of Trustees on policy matters.
The chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of the CSU system and is an ex officio member of the CSU Board of Trustees. The chancellor is charged with responsibility for overall leadership and management of the system, working with and through the campus presidents.
The CSU Board of Trustees is the governing body of the CSU system; it sets academic, fiscal, and personnel policy, and has the appointing authority for the chancellor and the presidents. The CSU Board of Trustees consists of 24 voting members and one non-voting member, including 16 public members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate for eight-year terms, two student trustees who serve on staggered terms and a faculty trustee appointed by the governor for two-year terms, and alumni trustee designated by the CSU Alumni Council, and five ex officio trustees: the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the state assembly, the state superintendent of public instruction, and the chancellor.
The president determines the university reporting lines.
Starting Date
The preferred starting date is July 1, 2008.
Nominations and Applications
For optimal consideration, résumés should be forwarded by February 6, 2008, when candidate screening begins. Nominations should be made well in advance of this date. It is expected that the final group of candidates will be recommended to the CSU Board of Trustees and a selection made by the board in May 2008.
Nominations or applications with current résumés should be sent to:
Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor
The California State University
401 Golden Shore, Suite 641
Long Beach, California 90802-4210
E-mail: executivesearch@calstate.edu
Electronic submittal (MS Word format) is strongly encouraged. |
