California State University Channel Islands Celebrates Grand Opening; First Public, Four-Year University in Nation to Open in 2002.

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CAMARILLO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2002

California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) celebrates its Grand Opening event on August 16, 2002, becoming the 23rd and newest member of the California State University system. As the first public, four-year university in Ventura County and the only public university to open nationwide in 2002, CSUCI will open its doors to its first student body on August 26, 2002.

CSUCI President Richard R. Rush will be joined by Governor Gray Davis, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed, Chair of the CSU Board of Trustees Deborah Farar, and presidents from the other CSU campuses, as well as federal, state, and local elected officials in the opening ceremony at 12:00 noon on the South Quad Lawn of the Channel Islands campus.

The university provides students with opportunities to fulfill their dreams of attaining a 21st century college education. The 670-acre historic campus offers academic programs to meet the diverse needs of the surrounding communities and businesses. While comparable to many metropolitan centers of learning, Cal State Channel Islands is a university for the Ventura County community reflecting the increasing cultural and ethnic diversity of the surrounding area.

"Today, we usher in new symbols of hope and opportunity for future generations of students with the opening of this unique university," said Dr. Richard Rush, president of CSUCI. "The establishment of a new CSU offers our students the educational preeminence of a major international academic institution, while simultaneously serving the economic, community and social needs of local Ventura County. This campus provides students from diverse California communities the chance to experience the benefits of higher education, along with a strong support system that can make their college years an extremely valuable period of their lives. The journey they begin here may indeed open the future doors of success for their entire family."

Cal State Channel Islands offers students a comprehensive education with the aid of modern tools and equipment, including computer labs, libraries and career development resources. The curriculum allows students to take classes in multiple disciplines, and effectively expand the scope and breadth of their learning experience. Running on a semester system, the university offers undergraduate majors and minors in art, biology, business, computer science, English, environmental science and resource management, liberal studies and mathematics. In addition, students may complete coursework to earn teaching credentials.

"Today, Ventura County claims its rightful place within the greatest public university system in the world," Governor Davis said. "By opening the doors to CSU Channel Islands, we're opening doors of opportunity for generations of students here in Ventura County and throughout California."

California State University Channel Islands opens with 30 full-time faculty and will continue to grow to include a teaching staff and four-year curriculum designed to satisfy the most rigorous educational and cultural needs of a varied student body. The university opens with 2,300 qualified upper division transfer students onsite and will admit its first freshman class in the fall of 2003. The initial small class size and low student-to-faculty ratio will ensure a student-centered learning environment. The campus is expected to also attract students from other parts of the state and the nation. The combination of a strong educational offering and the lifestyle benefits of the coastal experience serve as an enticing draw for students from inland areas.

"The California State University has a proud and distinguished tradition of helping students achieve their educational goals through academic excellence," said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. "Today, we continue this tradition by welcoming California State University Channel Islands to our family of academic institutions. The completion of CSUCI will ensure that the CSU system continues to provide affordable, top-quality educational opportunities to the next generation of leaders."

"CSUCI's academic courses reflect our strong commitment to science, technology, and teacher's education, and are designed to meet the complex and changing needs of California's business and industry as well," said President Rush. "In addition, we are dedicated to offering dynamic programs that will enhance a rich awareness of the arts for our student body as well as the community at large. Through academic excellence and an innovative curriculum, CSUCI will help graduates pursue their academic and professional dreams. We look forward to offering thousands of students each year the opportunity to achieve a quality college education."

About California State University Channel Islands

California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) is the first public, four-year university in Ventura County and the only four-year university opening in the United States in 2002. Opening its doors to students in August 2002 in Camarillo, Calif., the campus will offer students across the state and beyond a solid education and a vibrant college community. Qualified upper division transfer students can enroll for Fall 2002 by calling 805/437-8500 or visiting the Web site at www.csuci.edu.