California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Explained

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Image Upright:.7
Former Name:California Polytechnic School (1901–1947), California Polytechnic State College (1947–1972)
Motto:Discere Faciendo (Latin)
Mottoeng:"Learn by Doing"
Endowment:$285.3 million (2022-23)[1]
President:Jeffrey Armstrong
Provost:Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore[2]
Faculty:1,469 (Fall 2023)[3]
Administrative Staff:1,630 (Fall 2023)
Undergrad:21,497 (Fall 2023)[4]
Postgrad:782 (Fall 2023)
Country:United States
Campus:Small suburb[5]
Campus Size:9678acres total; 1321acres main campus; 155acres campus core
Colors:Green and gold[6]
 
Parent:California State University
Accreditation:WSCUC
Logo Upright:.9
Free Label2:Newspaper
Free2:Mustang News

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is a public university in San Luis Obispo County, adjacent to the city of San Luis Obispo. It is the oldest of three polytechnics in the California State University system.

The university is organized into six colleges offering 65 bachelor's and 39 master's degrees. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo primarily focuses on undergraduate education and, as of fall 2022, Cal Poly had 20,963 undergraduate and 815 graduate students.[7] The academic focus is on combining technical and professional curriculums with the arts and humanities. Most of the university's athletic teams participate in the Big West Conference.

History

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was established as the California Polytechnic School in 1901 when Governor Henry T. Gage signed the California Polytechnic School Bill after a campaign by a journalist Myron Angel. The polytechnic school held its first classes on October 1, 1903, to 20 students, offering secondary level courses of study, which took three years to complete.[8] The school continued to grow steadily.

In 1924, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was placed under the control of the California State Board of Education. At the height of the Great Depression, the cash-strapped state government discussed the prospect of converting Cal Poly into a state prison.[9] In 1933, the Board of Education changed Cal Poly San Luis Obispo into a two-year technical and vocational school. The institution began to offer Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1940, with the first baccalaureate exercises held in 1942. The school was renamed the California State Polytechnic College in 1947 to better reflect its higher education offerings, and in 1949, a Master of Arts degree in education was added. In 1954, long after deciding to not turn Cal Poly into a state prison, the state government finally opened that prison at a separate site one mile (1.6 km) northwest of Cal Poly's campus. In 1960, control of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and all other state colleges was transferred from the State Board of Education to an independent Board of Trustees, which later became the California State University system.[10]

The college was authorized to offer Master of Science degrees in 1967, and from then to 1970, the school's curriculum was reorganized into different units, such as the School of Science and Math, the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the School of Architecture. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's FM radio station, KCPR, began as a senior project in 1968. The California State Legislature changed the school's official name again in 1971 to California Polytechnic State University, and since the 1970s the university has seen steady enrollment growth and building construction.

On May 3, 2017, Cal Poly received one of the largest gifts towards public education to be received in California from Cal Poly alumnus William L. and Linda Frost in the amount of $110 million.[11]

In 2024, citing significant financial challenges and a 31% decline in enrollment over the past seven years, the California State University system announced a recommendation to integrate Cal Maritime with Cal Poly.[12]

Relationship with Cal Poly Pomona

Cal Poly Pomona began as a satellite campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1938 when a completely equipped school and farm were donated by Charles Voorhis and his son Jerry Voorhis of Pasadena, California, and was initially called the Voorhis Unit. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation then donated an 812acres horse ranch in Pomona, California to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1949. Located about one mile (1.6 km) from the Voorhis campus, the two became known as Cal Poly Kellogg-Voorhis. Cal Poly Kellogg-Voorhis broke off from Cal Poly in 1966, becoming the fully independent university, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). Since 1949, the two campuses have cooperated on creating a float for the Rose Parade. Today, the long-running float program still boasts floats designed and constructed entirely by students year-round on both campuses.

1960 football team plane crash

See main article: Cal Poly football team plane crash. On October 29, 1960, a chartered plane carrying the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo football team, hours after a loss to Bowling Green State University, crashed on takeoff at the Toledo Express Airport in Toledo, Ohio. Of the 48 people on board, 22 were killed, including 16 players.[13]

Female admissions

In 1903, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo opened as a coeducational school with 20 students enrolled, 16 new male students and 4 new female students.[14] In 1929, California Governor C. C. Young banned women from studying at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo starting from 1930. It was not until 1956 when the institution once again began admitting female students.[15] The university remains coeducational today, with women constituting 48.4% of the Fall 2018 total student population.

Directors and presidents

Campus

Cal Poly has one of the largest college campuses in the United States.[16] It owns 9,178 acres and is the second largest land-holding university in California.[17] The lands are used for student education and include the main campus, two nearby agricultural lands, and two properties in Santa Cruz County. Part of the Cal Poly property is the Swanton Pacific Ranch, a 3200acres ranch located in Santa Cruz County, California, outside the town of Davenport. The ranch provides educational and research opportunities, encompasses rangeland, livestock, and forestry operations for the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental sciences, and fosters Cal Poly's Learn by Doing teaching philosophy of with emphasis on sustainable management of agricultural practices with a mix of laboratory experiments. University House serves as the university president's residence.

Expansion

Recent construction

A dormitory style student community was completed in the summer of 2018. Located at the corner of Slack Street and Grand Avenue, it consists of seven 3- to 5-story concrete framed freshman residence hall buildings with 1,475 beds and an adjacent four-level parking structure. Additional community space for the housing complex and the campus wrap the parking structure on three sides. These spaces include a small café, community room, game room, mail room, welcome center, offices, and maintenance shop. Site improvements include a large open space in the center of the project for activities and group events, volleyball and basketball courts, and outdoor gathering spaces at each building.[18]

The Warren J. Baker Center for Science and Mathematics was dedicated November 1, 2013.[19] It replaced the aging "spider" Science Building 52, built in the 1950s, with a new 189000square feet structure. The $119 million, six-story building was made possible by voter-approved state education bonds and $18 million in private donations.[20] The Center adds new laboratories, classrooms, and offices for the physics, chemistry and soil science programs, as well as an open area and terraces for student study and meeting places. The top floor of the Center houses labs and offices for the school's Western Coatings Technologies Center and the Environmental Biotechnology Institute. It is the second largest and most technologically advanced structure on campus. In the space between the remaining wings of the old "Spider Building" and the new Center is Centennial Park, a landscaped central green.

Commuting

Campus parking is limited. In its most recent survey of available parking spaces on campus, the Cal Poly University Police reported 2,892 general purpose parking spaces, 3,492 dorm resident spaces, and 8,648 total spaces.[21] In its facilities Master Plan, the university admits that while more parking spots will be added, the actual ratio of parking to students will decrease since enrollment is expected to increase sharply.[22] To resolve the disparity, the Master Plan calls on the university to reduce the demand for individual vehicle parking. As part of that plan, the university has constructed additional dorms and has tried to make campus life more desirable. In addition, Cal Poly Commuter and Access Services has successfully promoted alternatives to commuting in single occupancy vehicles: in the past 10 years, bus use has more than doubled, and the use of bicycles has close to quadrupled.[23]

Currently, there are over 6,500 bike rack spaces and 224 secure bike lockers available on campus; 57% of students and 33% of faculty/staff live within 5 miles of the Cal Poly campus, an easy bike commute.[24] The city's SLO Transit bus system provides service to and from campus. Cal Poly financially supports SLO Transit with funding from parking citation revenue (not from state general funds nor from student tuition), so faculty, staff, and students ride for free.[24] Bus service throughout the county is provided by SLO Regional Transit Authority. Discounted passes are available to the Cal Poly community.

Academics

Colleges

The university currently offers 65 bachelor's degrees, 39 master's degrees, 84 minors and 13 credentials in six colleges:[17]

Bachelor's projects

All undergraduate students at Cal Poly are required to complete a senior project. This requirement has been in place before the 1980s, and has set Cal Poly apart from other Cal State campuses. The senior project is intended to be a capstone experience for students receiving a baccalaureate degree by integrating theory and application from across a student's undergraduate educational experiences.[25] The senior project consists of one or more of the following: a design or construction experience, an experiment, a self-guided study or research project, a presentation, a report based on an internship, co-op, or service learning experience, and/or a public portfolio display or performance.[26] Senior projects have often led to students obtaining jobs or recognition for their work. In July 2011, a company created from a Senior Project, Punchd, was acquired by Google.[27] Jamba Juice, founded as "Juice Club", was inspired by the Senior Project idea but was founded after the founders had graduated.[28] On campus towards Poly Canyon, a popular area known as 'Architecture Graveyard' has many architecture Senior Projects, including experimental structures and unconventional architecture.

Admissions

Enrolled Fall Freshman Statistics[29] [30]

2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Applicants54,663 48,588 48,162 46,820 43,812 40,402
Admits16,491 16,817 14,202 14,651 13,533 13,953
% Admitted30.2 34.6 29.5 31.3 30.9 34.5
Enrolled4,398 5,253 4,341 4,943 4,662 4,871
GPA 4.00 3.95 3.92 3.92 3.88 3.87
Avg. ACT Composite28.9 28.3 28.4 28.0 27.5 27.3
Avg. SAT Composite*1329 1293 1251 1239 1234 1232
  • SAT out of 1600

Cal Poly's admissions process is "more selective" according to U.S. News & World Report.[31]

For the class entering Fall 2019, 15,366 freshmen were accepted out of 54,072 applicants, a 28.4% acceptance rate, and 4,613 enrolled. Fall 2019 entering students had an average GPA of 3.99; the middle 50% range of SAT scores was 620–700 for reading and writing, and 620–740 for math, while the ACT Composite range was 26–32.[32] Women constituted 50.5% of the incoming freshmen class, men 49.5%.[32]

For Fall 2019 admitted transfer students, Cal Poly accepted 1,622 of 11,109 applicants, a 14.6% acceptance rate.[33]

Cal Poly requires students to declare a major when applying for admission, and the university then admits the most competitive applicants within each major based on GPA and other factors. As a result, changing majors at the university is not guaranteed. Each major has a specific change of major plan which includes required classes to be taken while maintaining a certain GPA (usually between 2.5 and 2.75) in order to be considered as a candidate. In some cases, students wishing to change majors transfer to other universities.

Rankings

Forbes:98
The Wsj:189
Usnwr Reg:1
Wamo Mastersu:26
Usnwr W:856

Cal Poly does not have a PhD research program, so rankings are based on regional and national universities whose highest degree offered is a masters.

U.S. News & World Report (2024):

Washington Monthly National Universities Masters (2020) - 26th out of 614.

Money Best Colleges for Your Money (2020) - 51st out of 739.[34]

PayScale Best Value Colleges (2024) - 36th out of 2006

DesignIntelligence: America's Best Architecture & Design Schools:

Financial

Tuition

Due to continued reductions in state funding, Fall 2011 fees for the average student reached approximately $2,600 per quarter.[37] For comparison, the Spring 2002 fees for the average student were $760 per quarter. While total yearly fees for an in-state student were just $2,976 in 2002, students entering in fall 2011 faced an annual fee of over $7,900.[38]

Of the students enrolled in fall 2014, 61.6% of undergraduates and 70.0% of first-time freshmen received some form of financial aid in 2014–15.[39] The amount of financial aid awarded in 2014–15 totaled $151.5 million, of which 64.3% came from federal funds, 11.9% came from state funds and 17.5% came from institutional funds.[39] Loans comprised 55.6% of the financial aid, 31.2% came in the form of grants, and 10.2% in scholarships.[39]

Endowment

Cal Poly's endowment more than tripled during its Centennial Campaign from $43.1 million to $140.1 million. Growth is attributed to gifts and prudent stewardship. However, since 2007, the university's endowment has fluctuated dramatically, going from $181.7 million in 2007[40] to $130.9 million in 2009,[41] before rebounding to $227.7 million in 2019, the 301st largest of 785 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.[1]

Student life

Residence halls

Cal Poly's on-campus student housing of 6,239 spaces[42] is the largest student housing program in the California State University system.[43] Cal Poly housed 35.9% of fall 2015 undergraduates in 28 dorms on campus, and 98.7% of first-time freshmen lived on campus. In addition, 28.7% of Cal Poly sophomores lived on campus in fall 2015.

There are five distinct groups of residence halls on the Cal Poly campus. The five North Mountain halls, constructed in the 1950s, are the oldest on campus still used for residential purposes.[44] The six "red-brick" halls were completed shortly afterward in 1959.[45] The Sierra Madre and Yosemite halls were finished by 1968, and the Cerro Vista Apartments were completed in 2003. The Poly Canyon Village housing complex, with a similar style as the Cerro Vista apartments, was completed in 2009 at a cost of $300 million, making it the California State University system's largest construction project to date.[46] In 2018, Cal Poly opened the seven-building complex yakʔitʸutʸu dorms on the site of the old Grand Avenue surface parking lot.[47] In addition to being state-of-the-art living spaces, the yakʔitʸutʸu residence halls serve to honor the heritage and culture of the Indigenous People of San Luis Obispo County, the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini, Northern Chumash tribe.

Greek life

Greek organizations have been at Cal Poly since 1949. Today, there are many fraternities and sororities.[48]

Week of Welcome orientation program

The Week of Welcome program, more commonly known as "WOW", serves as a volunteer-based orientation program for new students during the first week after move-in during the beginning of the school year in September. Its purpose is to introduce students to the campus and the community and prepare them for a successful college career. Freshmen are placed in a group with 10–12 other new students while transfer students are in groups of 40–60; each group is led by two current Cal Poly student orientation leaders. The "WOW" groups participate in an array of orientation events in addition to activities both on and off campus. In 2010, the awareness section of the program won the 2010 National Orientation Directors Association (NODAC) Media & Publications Showcase Award in the Emerging Technologies. The awareness section was entirely developed by student volunteers. The program started in 1956 and is now the largest volunteer orientation program in the nation.[49]

Cal Poly Recreation Center

The Cal Poly Recreation Center is the on-campus student recreation center.[50]

Clubs and independent student organizations

Cal Poly has many recognized clubs and independent student organizations operating on campus. Included are over 150 groups, including, among many others, cultural clubs and exchanges, mathematics and science clubs, improv and sketch comedy clubs, religious and atheistic groups, service organizations, engineering research and development clubs, professional development organizations, a perennial Rose Parade Float design program, LGBTQ+ and Multicultural groups, competitive and social athletic teams, and academic honors clubs. Engineering clubs and independent student organizations on campus include Prove Lab, PolySat, CubeSat, and QL+.[51]

Racial and economic diversity of student body

Undergraduate demographics as of 2024
Race and ethnicity[52] Total
White
Hispanic
Asian
Two or more races
Foreign national
Black
Pacific Islander
Native American
Economic diversity
Low-income
Affluent

, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has the least racially diverse student population of all California State University and University of California campuses.[53] On a national scale, however, Cal Poly is ranked 240 out of 2,475 colleges and is considered "highly diverse" by collegefactual.com.[54] President Armstrong has been working to increase the percentage of non-white students on campus, with the share of white students in the university student body decreasing from 63% to 55%.[55] The City of San Luis Obispo is 72.6% white.[56] About 84.2% of the students attending California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo come from within California.[57]

Cal Poly is eligible to be designated as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving institution (AANAPISI).[58]

The Los Angeles Times reported that the university "was ranked one of the nation’s worst serving institutions for Latino student success."[59] [60]

The Education Trust lists the university as an "Engine of Inequality" because "very few students come from working-class and low-income families." It is one of 20 public institutions in the U.S. with this negative distinction.[61]

Relations with local community

Though generally regarded as a positive for the area due to the economic impact, Cal Poly has received criticism for both the behavior of students upsetting the community, and the effects on local housing market. Parties and gatherings have gotten wilder due to an increased student body size and social media presence, leading to the university being named the #9 party school in California by Niche.[62] In 2017, the median home price in San Luis Obispo was $530,000.[63] In May 2018, Zillow estimated that the median home value has increased to $694,027.[64] While the city has been building hundreds of single family housing on the south end of town, large areas of the north end in older neighborhoods have been converted to rental student housing because of a major increase in the number of students admitted to and attending the university and the lack of university supplied housing. The university is currently building housing on campus to attempt to house up to 65% of students and plans to cap enrollment at 25,000, meaning that 11,250 students must find off-campus housing.[65] This has created an affordability crisis for the city itself, as most apartments that would generally be occupied by lower income families and individuals are now occupied solely by Cal Poly students, reducing supply and pushing low-income residents outside of the city. Approximately 27% of the residents live below the poverty line, a similar percentage to Cleveland, Ohio.

Athletics

See main article: Cal Poly Mustangs.

See also: Mustang Band, Cal Poly Mustangs baseball, Cal Poly Mustangs men's basketball, Cal Poly Mustangs football and Cal Poly Mustangs men's soccer.

Cal Poly fields 21 varsity sports (10 for men and 11 for women)[66] and participates in the NCAA's Division I.

Cal Poly is a member of the Big West Conference, except for football, wrestling, women's indoor track & field and both swimming and diving teams (none of which are sponsored by the Big West). Cal Poly's football team competes in the Big Sky Conference; the wrestling team is a member of the Pac-12 Conference; indoor track & field is independent; and swimming and diving competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

Prior to joining Division I in 1994, the school won 35 NCAA Division II national team championships[67] and competed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal Poly has two mascots. The character represented in costume or cartoon is named Musty the Mustang. The live mascot, a living mustang, is named Chase, after Margaret Chase, the university's second president.[68]

Cal Poly also offers various non-varsity (club) sports. The Mustangs play college rugby in the California Conference of Division 1-A. The Mustangs are often ranked in the Top 25 nationwide,[69] and their rugby sevens team has been ranked as high as No. 7.[70] The Mustangs finished No. 8 in the nation at the 2011 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, and 12th at the 2012 competition.[71] SLOCORE represents Cal Poly in ultimate at the D-1 open level. The Mustangs have been one of the top teams over the past decade, ranked as high as No. 5, and reached their first national final in 2024 while winning the team spirit award.[72]

The Battle for the Golden Horseshoe is an annual rivalry college football game played between the UC Davis Aggies and the Cal Poly Mustangs.[73] Cal Poly has The Mustang Marching Band of over 200 students who play at football, basketball and volleyball games.

Incidents and controversies

Poly Royal Riots

On April 29, 1990, San Luis Obispo police responded to a call of a bicyclist down at around 11pm. The activity drew heavily intoxicated crowds that began to get unruly. After unsuccessfully attempting to disperse the crowd, a mob began looting the nearby Campus Bottle Shoppe. The next day, dumpsters were set on fire during more rioting and 127 people were arrested.[74]

Murder of Kristin Smart

See main article: Murder of Kristin Smart.

On May 25, 1996, Cal Poly student Kristin Smart disappeared without a trace after a birthday party. The university and sheriff's department have been investigating leads, including excavating the land around the Cal Poly "P" on an adjoining hill. In 2017, the excavation of the area surrounding was completed with articles found; however, the sheriff's department has not yet released its findings. On April 13, 2021, Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, were arrested and taken into custody in suspicion of Smart's disappearance. Their homes were searched, and investigators found numerous "items of interest".[75] [76] On October 18, 2022, a jury found Paul Flores guilty of murder, and his father, Ruben Flores, not guilty.[77]

Crops House incident

In 2008, a university-owned house (known as Crops House) where agriculture students were given subsidized lodging in exchange for work on the school's farms hosted a Halloween party with decorations including a noose. A sign was also posted which read: “No niggers,” along with a similar slur against gays. At a later date, the house displayed a Confederate flag tacked above the entrance to the house while a large Confederate flag laid painted on a table in front of the house.[78] This became a First Amendment free speech issue, with the university initially not evicting the students.[79]

Blackface incident

In 2018, the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was suspended following a photo surfacing that showed a student wearing blackface.[80] In response to further protests, President Armstrong suspended all Greek Life on campus indefinitely.[55] This was followed with protests during Open House events for incoming freshmen. On May 4, 2018, President Armstrong announced yet another blackface incident that was mocking the prior incident. The incident is being investigated by the state.[81]

Administrative organization

Four administrative divisions

The university is organized administratively into four divisions: Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, and University Advancement. The academic division is organized into six colleges, each with its own dean. Academic Affairs also includes the Library, Research and Graduate Programs, and Information Technology Services.

Cal Poly Partners

Cal Poly Partners is a public-benefit, nonprofit corporation and university auxiliary. It provides commercial services, fiscal services, and key support services to assist and promote the educational mission of Cal Poly and the California State University System (CSU).[82] It engages only in those activities ancillary to state operation that are requested by Cal Poly's president and approved by the CSU. The corporation was founded in 1940 and was known as the Cal Poly Foundation until February 1, 2006 and Cal Poly Corporation until February 12, 2024.[83]

Cal Poly Foundation

The Cal Poly Foundation is an auxiliary organization and IRC 501(c)(3) public charity that accepts and administers tax deductible gifts to the university. The Cal Poly Foundation leads campus philanthropic activity by supporting fundraising activities and investing and managing the campus endowments.[84]

Cal Poly Extended Education

The Cal Poly Extended Education provides access to degree, certificate, and professional development programs and services of the university to the citizens of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Monterey Counties and through distance learning technologies to students across the country.[85]

Associated Students Inc.

The Associated Students Inc. (ASI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation owned and operated by Cal Poly student leaders. ASI has an annual operating budget in excess of $12 million. ASI provides co-curricular experiences for students, faculty, and staff, including events, speakers, concerts, intramural sports, fitness programs, aquatics, outdoor adventure trips, craft center enrichment courses, club services, and child development.[86] ASI manages the University Union, Recreation Center, Sports Complex, and Children's Center, totaling more than 450000square feet of campus facilities.

Alumni Association

The Cal Poly Alumni Association seeks to engage and serve alumni, to foster a lifelong connection between the university and its alumni, and to foster goodwill and support for the university. The association includes 15 regional and special interest chapters.[87]

Notable alumni

See main article: List of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo people. Cal Poly has more than 150,000 alumni with the majority located in San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties.[88]

Notable alumni include:

Demographics

California Polytechnic State University
Settlement Type:Census-designated place
Pushpin Map:California#USA
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:California
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:San Luis Obispo
Unit Pref:Imperial
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:8583
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Timezone:Pacific
Utc Offset:-8
Timezone Dst:PDT
Utc Offset Dst:-7
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID

The United States Census Bureau, has designated the campus as a separate census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes, under the name California Polytechnic State University. It first appeared as a CDP in the 2020 Census with a population of 8,583.[92]

2020 census

California Polytechnic State University CDP, California – Racial and ethnic composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2020[93] !% 2020
White alone (NH)5,49964.07%
Black or African American alone (NH)1691.97%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)40.05%
Asian alone (NH)1,19613.93%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)10.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH)1481.72%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)2562.98%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1,31015.26%
Total8,583100.00%

See also

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. As of June 30, 2023. Web site: U.S. and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23, and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student . February 15, 2024 . National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) . February 15, 2024 . XLS . https://web.archive.org/web/20240215102011/https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2023-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-FINAL.ashx . February 15, 2024 . dead.
  2. Web site: Office of the Provost . California Polytechnic State University . September 29, 2020.
  3. Web site: Employee Data . Cal Poly Office of Institutional Research.
  4. Web site: Enrollment Data . Cal Poly Office of Institutional Research.
  5. Web site: IPEDS-California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
  6. Web site: Colors. June 28, 2024.
  7. Web site: #2020 Employee Profile Trends . 2024-02-15 . Institutional Research . en.
  8. Web site: Highlights in the History of Cal Poly . Cal Poly San Luis Obispo . October 10, 2007.
  9. Book: Gerth. Donald R.. The People's University: A History of the California State University. 2010. Berkeley Public Policy Press. Berkeley. 9780877724353. 35.
  10. Web site: Cal Poly Historical Timeline.
  11. Web site: Cal Poly Receives Historic $110 Million Gift from Alumnus William L. Frost . May 3, 2017 . URL . May 3, 2017.
  12. Web site: CSU Recommends Integrating Cal Maritime and Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo CSU . 2024-06-07 . www.calstate.edu . en-US.
  13. Web site: Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search . 2024-06-05 . news.google.com.
  14. Morris Eugene Smith. A History of California State Polytechnic College, The First Fifty Years. Masters Thesis, 1958. pg. 13.
  15. Web site: Filice . Soquel . HERstory: Women at Cal Poly, 1903–1930 Kennedy Library Home . Robert E. Kennedy Library – Cal Poly . March 22, 2020 . July 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210712025759/https://lib.calpoly.edu/news/2014/03/herstory-women-at-cal-poly-1903-1930/ . dead .
  16. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo . Forbes . August 27, 2015.
  17. Web site: Cal Poly Quick Facts . Cal Poly . January 1, 2020.
  18. Web site: Cal Poly Student Housing South . Cal Poly . June 10, 2016.
  19. Web site: Baker Center Dedicated Nov. 1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629133243/http://cosam.calpoly.edu/center_sci_math.html . dead . June 29, 2011 . Cal Poly . December 15, 2013 .
  20. Web site: Center for Science and Mathematics – College of Science and Mathematics . Cal Poly . February 23, 2012 . July 7, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130707053055/http://cosam.calpoly.edu/content/center_sci_math . dead .
  21. http://afd.calpoly.edu/police/docs_services/parking/parking_stats/2011Octprksrv.pdf Parking Lot Survey
  22. http://www.facilities.calpoly.edu/masterplan/masterplan.htm Cal Poly Campus Master Plan
  23. https://web.archive.org/web/20150124101817/http://mustangdaily.net/commuting-that-makes-cents-part-one/ Commuting That Makes Cents
  24. Web site: Cal Poly Commuting Options.
  25. Web site: Senior Project. August 6, 2020. Academic Programs and Planning. en.
  26. Web site: Senior Project. https://web.archive.org/web/20060208100713/http://www.academicprograms.calpoly.edu/academicpolicies/Policies-Undergrad/Senior-project.htm. dead. February 8, 2006. calpoly.edu.
  27. http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/magazine/Fall-11/punchd.html Collaboration Packs a Punch at Poly: Google Acquires Punchd, a Cal Poly Senior Project
  28. http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/calpoly_magazine/vol11/iss2/5/ Blended Bliss
  29. Web site: Cal Poly Fall 2017 Fact Book Graphs and Tables: Admissions and Enrollment Profiles . Cal Poly Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis . June 2, 2019.
  30. Web site: Cal Poly Fall 2018 Fact Book Graphs and Tables: Admissions and Enrollment Profiles . Cal Poly Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis . June 24, 2019.
  31. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo . U.S. News & World Report . June 2, 2019.
  32. Web site: California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2019–2020, Part C . California Polytechnic State University.
  33. Web site: California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo Common Data Set 2019–2020, Part D . California Polytechnic State University.
  34. The Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value . Money . August 25, 2020.
  35. Web site: Most Admired Architecture Schools . DesignIntelligence . June 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041650/https://di-rankings.com/architecture-schools.html . January 24, 2019 . dead .
  36. Web site: Most Admired Landscape Architecture Schools . DesignIntelligence . June 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181117063217/https://di-rankings.com/landscape-architecture-schools.html . November 17, 2018 . dead .
  37. Web site: Student Success Fee Objective Statement . February 23, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120128001725/http://studentaffairs.calpoly.edu/sites/studentaffairs.wcms.calpoly.edu/files/docs/FeeRef/Objective_Statement.pdf . January 28, 2012 .
  38. Web site: CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO – 10 Year Fee History. March 7, 2012. June 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210625182518/https://www2.calstate.edu/attend/paying-for-college/tuition-by-year/Pages/basic-tuition-and-fees.aspx. dead.
  39. Web site: Poly View Fall 2015. Institutional Research, California Polytechnic State University.
  40. Web site: 2008 NACUBO Endowment Study, 2009 National Association of College and University Business Officers . February 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101229055632/http://www.nacubo.org/documents/research/NES2008PublicTable-AllInstitutionsByFY08MarketValue.pdf . December 29, 2010 . dead .
  41. Web site: 2010 NACUBO Endowment Study, 2011 National Association of College and University Business Officers . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120717082947/http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2010NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values_Final.pdf . July 17, 2012 . dead .
  42. Web site: Facilities planning . 2014 . www.calstate.edu . May 15, 2019 . September 23, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195906/http://www.calstate.edu/cpdc/Facilities_Planning/2013-14-Five-Yr-CapImprovementPgmBk.pdf . dead .
  43. Web site: Poly Canyon Village Recognized as Best New Development . November 6, 2012 . Cal Poly.
  44. Web site: May 12, 2021. Campus Living. August 19, 2021. ArcGIS StoryMaps. en.
  45. DigitalCommons@CalPoly – Division of Architecture Department of Public Works: South Mountain Residence Halls – Buildings 105–110 . September 9, 2008 . Cal Poly. May 16, 1958 . 1–112 .
  46. Web site: Poly Canyon Village . October 6, 2012.
  47. Web site:
    1. yakʔitʸutʸu resources
    . January 18, 2022. University Housing. en.
  48. Web site: Greek Life . December 18, 2012 . Cal Poly . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121226012551/http://studentlife.calpoly.edu/greek/index.asp . December 26, 2012 .
  49. Web site: History of WOW . October 15, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120920023153/http://mustangdaily.net/history-of-wow-by-kristy-gonzalez/ . September 20, 2012 .
  50. Web site: Cal Poly Recreation Center . calpoly.edu. April 25, 2019.
  51. Web site: QL+ (Quality of Life Plus) – Student Clubs – Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. bmed.calpoly.edu. en-US. April 26, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180901000920/https://bmed.calpoly.edu/student-groups/ql-quality-life-plus. September 1, 2018. dead.
  52. Web site: Enrollment Data - Demographics . 2024-03-30 . app.powerbi.com.
  53. News: Cal Poly is the whitest public university in California — by a lot. Clark. Lucas. April 25, 2018.
  54. Web site: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Diversity & Demographics . June 4, 2019.
  55. News: Cal Poly president suspends Greek Life indefinitely. KSBY Staff. May 4, 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180421031458/http://www.ksby.com/story/37979871/cal-poly-president-suspends-greek-life-indefinitely. April 21, 2018. dead.
  56. Web site: Explore Census Data . 2024-03-30 . data.census.gov.
  57. Web site: California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo Diversity: How Good is it?.
  58. Web site: List of AANAPISIs - College Recruiter .
  59. Web site: Watanabe. Teresa. Five California colleges rank in top 10 for high Latino grad rates. Los Angeles Times. May 15, 2018.
  60. Web site: Nichols. Andrew. A Look at Latino Student Success: Identifying Top- and Bottom-Performing Institutions. May 15, 2018.
  61. Web site: Engines of Inequality. May 15, 2018.
  62. News: 2018 Top Party Schools in California. Niche. en. May 4, 2018.
  63. News: This is what the county's median home price of $530,000 buys in SLO. sanluisobispo. May 4, 2018. en.
  64. Web site: San Luis Obispo CA Home Prices & Home Values Zillow. Inc.. Zillow. Zillow. en. May 4, 2018.
  65. News: SLO spends $20,000 on memo encouraging cooperation with Cal Poly on housing, growth. sanluisobispo. May 4, 2018. en.
  66. Web site: Cal Poly: Athletic and Academic Excellence. November 2, 2017. August 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200802070343/https://gopoly.com/404-1.aspx?url=/inside_athletics/whycalpoly. dead.
  67. Web site: Inside Athletics. October 9, 2012. June 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180601020208/http://www.gopoly.com/inside_athletics/whycalpoly. dead.
  68. News: Cal Poly Mustang Mascot Name Honors Past President Margaret Chase. CNN. September 7, 2018. September 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180907221347/https://www.gopoly.com/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/20141119o78yv0. dead.
  69. Rugby Mag, All Divisions College Top January 25, 28, 2013, presented by Selective Service, January 28, 2013, Web site: All Divisions College Top 25 Jan. 28, 2013, presented by Selective Service . February 3, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130629194837/http://rugbymag.com/cpl/6901-all-divisions-college-top-25-jan-28-2013-presented-by-selective-service-.html . June 29, 2013 .
  70. Rugby Mag, Men College 7s Rankings, November 13, 2012, Web site: Men College 7s Rankings Nov 13, 2012 – P . January 30, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130122045709/http://rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6418-men-college-7s-rankings-nov-13-2012-p.html . January 22, 2013 .
  71. Rugby Mag, Day 2 Box Scores – Men's College 7s, December 1, 2012, Web site: Day 2 Box Scores – Men's College 7s . January 30, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130122045740/http://rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6572-day-2-box-scores-mens-college-7s.html . January 22, 2013 .
  72. https://play.usaultimate.org/events/2024-USA-Ultimate-D-1-College-Championships/
  73. News: UC Davis-Cal Poly rivalry intense. Bill Paterson. Sacramento Bee. October 31, 2013. December 10, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141210213707/http://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article2581412.html. December 10, 2014. dead.
  74. Web site: Poly Royal Riot 1990 » Photos from the Vault. sloblogs.thetribunenews.com. en-US. May 4, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505070425/http://sloblogs.thetribunenews.com/slovault/2009/04/poly-royal-riot-1990/. May 5, 2018. dead.
  75. News: Sheriff's Office calls dig for Kristin Smart beneficial — but won't say why. sanluisobispo. May 4, 2018. en.
  76. Web site: Cheri Mossburg, Ray Sanchez and Paul Vercammen. Kristin Smart, who disappeared in 1996, may have been raped and killed in a college dorm, prosecutor says. April 17, 2021. CNN. April 14, 2021 .
  77. News: Hauser . Christine . Levenson . Michael . October 18, 2022 . Jury Convicts Paul Flores of Murdering Kristin Smart in 1996 . en-US . The New York Times . October 18, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  78. News: Sowing hate. April 25, 2018.
  79. Web site: Staff. New TImes. Sowing hate. August 6, 2020. New Times San Luis Obispo. en.
  80. News: Cal Poly fraternity suspended after blackface, gangster photos surface. Casey. Molly. May 4, 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505070650/http://www.ksby.com/story/37915987/cal-poly-fraternity-suspended-after-blackface-photo-surfaces. May 5, 2018. dead.
  81. News: Cal Poly president announces state investigation as new blackface-related photo surfaces. KSBY Staff. May 4, 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180504223131/http://www.ksby.com/story/38115654/cal-poly-president-announces-state-investigation-as-new-blackface-related-photo-surfaces. May 4, 2018. dead.
  82. Web site: Cal Poly Corporation.
  83. Web site: 2024-02-12 . Cal Poly Corporation Renamed Cal Poly Partners University Communications and Marketing . 2024-02-15 . ucm.calpoly.edu . en.
  84. Web site: Cal Poly Foundation . https://web.archive.org/web/20061207194018/http://www.calpolyfoundation.org/ . dead . December 7, 2006 .
  85. Web site: Cal Poly Continuing Education . November 8, 2012 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110047/http://www.continuing-ed.calpoly.edu/index.html . dead .
  86. Web site: ASI.
  87. Web site: Cal Poly Alumni Association . November 8, 2012 . July 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200729220231/https://alumni.calpoly.edu/content/about_cpaa/index . dead .
  88. Web site: Cal Poly: Athletic and Academic Excellence. December 16, 2012. August 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200802070343/https://gopoly.com/404-1.aspx?url=/inside_athletics/whycalpoly. dead.
  89. Web site: The Astronaut. October 8, 2020. Cal Poly Magazine. en-US.
  90. News: A man for all seasons. Joaquin. Henson. The Philippine Star. June 10, 2020. November 22, 2020.
  91. Web site: Victor J. Glover. Melanie. Whiting. February 4, 2016. NASA. May 15, 2019. November 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211115083531/https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/victor-j-glover/. dead.
  92. Web site: California Polytechnic State University CDP, California. United States Census Bureau. March 13, 2022.
  93. Web site: P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – California Polytechnic State University CDP, California. United States Census Bureau.