CSUMB was founded in 1994 with a student enrollment of 654 students. Classes began August 28, 1995. The founding president was Peter Plympton Smith. It was the 22nd campus in the California State University system. The university offers 23 bachelor's degrees, 7 master's degrees, and teaching credentials.[7]
As of the fall 2020 semester, the university had 6,276 undergraduate students, 595 graduate students and 186 full-time faculty members.[3][2] The university operates on the semester system. The president is Vanya Quiñones, who was appointed in August 2022.[8]
CSUMB, in conjunction with Hartnell College, developed CS-in-3, a three-year computer science program funded in part by grants from the Foundation established by Matsui Nursery.[9] A donation of 210 acres of prime agricultural land to the Hartnell College Foundation, valued at US$20 million was granted thereafter.[10]
In the fall of 2020, of 482 teaching faculty, 262 held doctorates or another terminal degree, and 96 were members of minority groups.[2] The faculty includes an American Book Award winner and six Fulbright scholars.
Students
As of spring 2020, the student body was 62% female and 38% male. 33% of students enrolled were under 21 years of age, 45% between 21 and 24, 14% between 25 and 30, 8% were 31 or older. The most common majors were business administration (13%), psychology (11%), computer science (9%), kinesiology (8%), and biology (8%). 43% of students came from Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties (all California counties) while 53% came from other parts of California, 2% from other U.S. states and 3% from outside the U.S. Nearly one third (32%) of students were low-income and just over half (53%) were first-generation college students. Distributed across class levels, 14% of students are freshmen, 12% sophomores, 27% juniors and 35% seniors; CSU Monterey Bay has a large proportion of transfer students. Graduate students make up 9%; 2% were seeking credentials and 1% were post-baccalaureate students.[12]
As of fall 2018 Cal State Monterey Bay has the second largest enrollment percentage of Americans of unknown race or ethnicity in the California State University system.[13] Approximately 50% of CSUMB students live on campus.[14]
Academics
Library under construction from Divarty St, May 2008
CSUMB competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports:[22] Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball and water polo.
CSUMB also has a coed sailing team which competes in the fall and spring (although the spring season is more important). The sailing team competes in the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference (PCCSC).
The university's goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030, with a solar array, installed in 2010, currently meeting 16 percent of the university's needs.[25]
Additionally, the university's Dining Commons were awarded LEED Silver certification in 2011. The Dining Commons were designed to include water efficiency and natural and energy-efficient lighting.[26]
Residence Halls
A residence hall in the Quad portion of the campus.
CSUMB offers housing in many areas around campus. On the main campus there are eight residence halls each renovated Army barracks. Willet, Cypress, Manzanita, Asilomar, Yarrow, Avocet, Tortuga, and Sanderling Halls surround the main quad on campus. Pinnacles and Vineyard Suites as well as Strawberry Apartments make up North Quad on the north end of campus. In fall of 2015, the university opened three new residence halls, called Promontory, all of which offering apartment size dormitories.[27]
Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library
The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library has 136,151 square feet (12,648.8 m2) of floor space.[28] It is located at Divarty and Fifth streets, and diagonally across from the Chapman Science Center. A roundabout sits between the library and the science building. The Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library is certified LEED Silver and has been cited for a range of sustainable design strategies from daylighting and low-energy use to healthy carpets, water conservation, and high-recycled content materials.[28]
Aside from being the largest building on the CSUMB campus, it is the greenest in terms of energy usage. Up to 30% less electricity is needed, for example, because of floor-to-ceiling glass walls that let in natural light. Additionally, ventilation techniques operate through the floor instead of the ceiling, allowing cooler air to travel a lesser distance. The light let in from the atrium is indirect rather than direct sunlight.
Other locations
CSUMB has other locations within Monterey County, including CSUMB at Ryan Ranch (in Monterey), CSUMB at North Salinas, and CSUMB at Salinas City Center.[29] The National Steinbeck Center is located at CSUMB at Salinas City Center.[citation needed]
