San José State University

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

Academic, alumni, departmental and CSU publications all serve important functions at San José State University. Academic publications, whether created by unions or national professional organizations, provide members with updates about important political and social events which may affect job status and wages. Alumni publications seek to inform members about new developments regarding their alma mater, keep them connected to former classmates, and raise funds for the university. Departmental publications act as a vehicle in which staff, faculty and students are informed about changes in policy, upcoming events and achievement recognition. Similarly, California State University (CSU) publications disseminate news to the staff, faculty and administration regarding noteworthy events for the entire CSU system.