San Francisco State University (San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a publicresearch university in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School and is part of the California State University system.
In 1857, the San Francisco Board of Education created the San Francisco Weekly Normal School, also known as the Minns' Evening Normal School.<ref name="SFSU-2023b">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="CSU-2023">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1862, it became the California State Normal School, the first postsecondary institution established by the state.<ref name="CSU-2023" /> Only six students were enrolled on its first day. By 1866, enrollment had increased to 384.<ref name="SFSU-2023c">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1867, the principal of Girls' High School and Normal School, Ellis Holmes, realized that the California State Normal School was not meeting the demand for teachers. The city approved the addition of a new year-long teacher-training program to his high school's curriculum, for girls who wanted to pursue a career in education. This program is what would eventually become San Francisco State University. When the California State Normal School was moved to San José in 1871, Girls' High became the only publicly-supported teacher-training institution.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" />
In 1895, the teaching program was split from the school and became San Francisco City Normal School.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /> Due to a lack of funding, the school closed in 1898.<ref name="SFSU-2023b" /> A group of teachers, students, and supporters pressured the California State Legislature to convert it into a state-funded institution.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" />
On March 22, 1899, the California State Legislature approved the creation of the San Francisco State Normal School, with an appropriation of $10,000.<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite web</ref> Frederic Lister Burk was appointed as the first president and chose the school's motto, Experientia Docet.<ref name="SFSU Centennial history">Template:Cite web</ref> The school rented space in a building on Powell Street between Clay and Sacramento Streets and 31 women were enrolled in the first year.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Eliassen-2007">Template:Cite book</ref>
The 1906 earthquake and fire forced the school to relocate from Nob Hill to a temporary campus at the Grant School in Oakland.<ref name="Eliassen-2007" /> Ten days after the earthquake, President Burk found a new site for the school at a property bound by Laguna, Haight, Buchanan, and Hermann Streets.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1921, the school began offering Bachelor's degree options and was renamed San Francisco State Teachers College.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /><ref name="Pollak-2018">Template:Cite book</ref> Teachers Colleges in California received authorization to grant Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1923.<ref name="CSU-2023" />
In 1924, construction for new buildings started on vacant land at the school's site. The campus consisted of four Spanish Colonial Revival style buildings designed by George McDougall, a California state architect.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 1930s, overcrowding became an issue at the campus. It had been designed for 1500 students, but had to accommodate about 3000. In 1938, students rallied for a new campus with non-wooden buildings, due to fears from the city's earthquake and fire in 1906.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Eliassen-2007" /> By 1939, land near Lake Merced had been acquired to build a new campus, but plans were paused due to World War II. Many students took part in the war, causing enrollment to decline.<ref name="Outside lands-2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
During the 1920s and '30s, State Teachers Colleges expanded beyond being only vocational schools to train teachers. They were formally authorized to offer four-year liberal arts curriculums and renamed State Colleges in 1935.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> So, the school became known as San Francisco State College.<ref name="Pollak-2018" />
In 1949, master's degrees were authorized to be offered.<ref name="SFSU-2024b" />
San Francisco State College became part of the California State College system established under the Donahoe Higher Education Act in 1960.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /> In Fall 1965, the Experimental College was started by students, in an effort to teach untraditionally. In 1927, over 2000 students enrolled in courses offered by the Experimental College.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /> The original Experimental College stopped operating after 1969.<ref name="SFSU-1960">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1967, 1968, and 1969, there were many demonstrations, including the Third World Liberation Front strike at SF State, longest student strike in American history, which lasted from November 6, 1968 to March 20, 1969.
Also in 1969, Richard Oakes led a group of SF State students in the occupation of Alcatraz Island<ref name="Eliassen-2007" /> And a 763-bed, 15-story dorm building, Verducci Hall, was built near Lake Merced Boulevard.<ref name="Outside lands-2023" />
In 1971, campus-based childcare at SF State was approved by the California State Colleges board of trustees. On October 10, 1972, the Associated Students Lilliput Childcare Center opened, providing childcare to students who are parents and the general public. It's now called the AS Early Childhood Education Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1972, the state government enacted a bill which renamed the California State Colleges to "The California State University and Colleges". As a result, SF State was renamed California State University, San Francisco.<ref name="CSU-2023" /> The awkward new name was very unpopular with students. When said out loud, CSUSF often drew the humorous response "Gesundheit," and was frequently confused with CCSF, USF, and UCSF.<ref name="Greenwood">Template:Cite news Available via ProQuest Historical Newsstand.</ref> The university was soon renamed San Francisco State University in 1974.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" />
President Romberg secured a permanent federal lease for 25 acres of shoreline in Tiburon for just $1 in 1978.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Romberg Tiburon Campus would eventually expand to 53 acres.
In 1983, Chia-Wei Woo became the 11th president of the university. Woo was the first Chinese-American to head a major American university.<ref name="ReferenceB">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1993, the College of Extended Learning (now College of Global and Professional Education) opened the Downtown Center in San Francisco's Multimedia Gulch, at 425 Market St.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /><ref name="Adams-1999">Template:Cite news</ref>
On March 28, 1999, construction began on the Village at Centennial Square, a low-rise, mixed-use complex. The same day, Verducci Hall was imploded after it sustained damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and sat vacant for a decade.<ref name=":3" />
In 2009, the Children's Campus opened to provide childcare, primarily to faculty and staff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The first Rhythms Music Festival happened in March 2011.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The annual music festival is held in a building known as the Annex.<ref name="Rhythms">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2013, the Science Building was found to have "unsafe levels" of airborne mercury, lead and asbestos in the basement. Over $3.6 million was spent for remediation of the pervasive contamination. University administration terminated several employees who reported the contamination, resulting in several wrongful termination and whistle-blower lawsuits, including one by the recently hired director. In July 2014, Cal/OSHA cited the university for various health and safety violations in the Science Building, which included SFSU failing to locate asbestos in the building and warn employees about the hazards of mercury.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In response to the College of Ethnic Studies being underfunded since 2008, four students held a ten-day hunger strike from May 2–11, 2016, resulting in one hospitalization. The strike ended when President Leslie Wong agreed to commit nearly $500,000 to the college and meet a portion of their demands.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Experimental College was revived in Fall 2017. One-unit courses are created and taught by students.<ref name="SFSU-1960" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Also in 2017, a group of Jewish students and local residents accused SFSU of encouraging antisemitism and excluding Jewish student pro-Israel activist groups from campus activities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The students filed two lawsuits focusing on the disruption of a speech by Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat in 2016. One suit was dismissed and the other was settled.
In May 2019, Lynn Mahoney became the first woman to become president of SF State in a permanent capacity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mary Ward had served as an acting president in the summer of 1927, after the death of Archibald Anderson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On September 23, 2020, SFSU faculty Rabab Abdulhadi and Tomomi Kinukawa hosted a discussion on Zoom titled "Whose Narratives? Gender, Justice, and Resistance."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The event's speakers included Leila Khaled, a Palestinian political activist and plane hijacker. Zoom and YouTube canceled the broadcast due to Khaled's history of violent actions towards civilians. Facebook also removed a page for the event.<ref name="Egelko">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> President Mahoney wrote a letter about the incident. A second event titled "Whose Narratives? What Free Speech for Palestine?" was scheduled for April 23, 2021, and was also blocked.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2022, the new Downtown Campus opened on the fifth floor of 160 Spear St., replacing the Downtown Campus at 835 Market Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
SFSU faculty members participated in a strike led by the California Faculty Association across the CSU system on January 22, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Faculty had held earlier demonstrations in an effort to prevent layoffs and receive a 12% raise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>
About 500 people attended a rally on April 29, calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. After the rally, some protestors began an encampment, following protests and encampments at universities in other parts of the United States and in other countries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The encampment ended on May 15 after protestors reached a divestment agreement with university leaders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
San Francisco State University's original campus was on Nob Hill, where it was established as the San Francisco State Normal School on Powell Street between Clay and Sacramento Streets. The 1906 earthquake and fire forced a relocation to Buchanan and Haight Streets, where the institution would remain for several decades.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite web</ref> During this period, the school underwent several transformations: becoming San Francisco State Teachers College in 1921, San Francisco State College in 1935.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The shift to the current Lake Merced campus began during the Great Depression, when the site was still owned by Spring Valley Water Company. In 1939, SFSU President Alexander Roberts and student body president Clifford Worth explored the undeveloped property, which at the time consisted mainly of sand dunes dotted with trees and underbrush. Worth proved instrumental in securing the campus's future, successfully lobbying the state Legislature to fund the land purchase. His efforts culminated on July 12, 1939, when the state committed to purchasing 57 acres from the City of San Francisco.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite web</ref> The campus opened for classes for Fall 1953, before it was formally dedicated in October 1954.<ref name="ReferenceA2">Template:Cite web</ref> Since then, it has expanded to 144.1 acres.<ref name="SFSU-2024b" />
The Downtown Campus located on the fifth floor of 160 Spear St., in San Francisco, California.<ref name="SFSU-2023g">Template:Cite web</ref> It is used and managed by the Lam Family College of Business and the College of Professional & Global Education (formerly College of Extended Learning).<ref name="SFSU-2023g" /> The campus spans approximately 15,850 square feet.<ref name="SFSU-2024b" />
SF State has maintained facilities in Downtown San Francisco since the 1950s. The current Downtown Campus replaces the previous, underused campus that was located in the San Francisco Centre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The old Downtown Campus was a replacement for the Downtown Center located at 425 Market Street.<ref name="Wong">Template:Cite web</ref>
The campus has a student lounge, a computer lab, and study rooms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A portion of 160 Spear St.'s 12th floor was part of the campus until 2024.<ref name="Wong" />
Established in 1949, the campus was originally named Camp Leonard after SFSU's fifth president J. Paul Leonard. It started as a training facility for recreation leaders and added a children's camp in 1951.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref> Basic plumbing was installed in 1953. The first three-unit college course was taught there in 1961.<ref name=":8" /> In 1970, under William Hammerman's leadership, it transitioned from a children's camp to a college-wide field campus.<ref name=":8" />
The campus is currently funded primarily through its summer workshops and programs, with additional support from a nonprofit called Friends of the Sierra Nevada Field Campus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The existing buildings are the original structures from 1949.<ref name=":8" />
The campus offers three to seven-day courses and workshops to students as well as the general public.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="SFSU-2023h">Template:Cite web</ref> Accredited, one-unit courses are processed by the College of Professional & Global Education. Workshops are not for credit and processed by the University Corporation.<ref name="SFSU-2023h" /> The campus is also used for research by graduate students of the College of Science and Engineering.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The campus operates from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend each year.<ref name=":8" /> The campus offers 35–40 different courses each summer through two programs: accredited classes through the College of Professional & Global Education, and non-credit workshops through the University Corporation.<ref name=":8" />
Due to its remote location, there is no cell service and extremely limited internet access at the campus. Accommodations at the campus consist of tents with mattresses. Students and visitors can to bring their own tents or vehicles to sleep in, or stay off campus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The campus has a moderately high elevation of about 5522 feet or 1683 meters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Romberg Tiburon Campus is a 53.7-acre research campus located in Marin County, at 3150 and 3152 Paradise Drive in Tiburon, California. It is home to the only marine and environmental science lab on San Francisco Bay.<ref name="SFSU-2024b" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The campus was a former U.S. Navy base. SF State has operated a marine lab on the site since 1978, when it began acquiring the land from the federal government for $1, under the condition that the site be used for education.<ref name="SFSU-2023c" /><ref name="Alexander-2023" />
A master plan is being currently being drafted for the campus. It has never had a master plan formally prepared and adopted by the campus or the CSU Board of Trustees. An approved master plan and certified environmental impact statement are required before the university can begin significant construction projects at the campus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The campus will soon close due to financial struggles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
San Francisco State University is part of the California State University system. The CSU is governed by a 25-member Board of Trustees who oversee the system's chancellor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The president of SFSU reports to the chancellor and oversees six cabinet units. Cabinet units collaborate via 16 committees and work in conjunction with three semi-independent 501(c)(3) organizations that support the university.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Each cabinet, except the Office of the President, is led by a vice president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The vice president of Academic Affairs is also university's provost and oversees 15 administrative units, including the university's seven colleges. Each college is led by a dean and consists of departments, led by department chairs, and schools, led by directors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Departments and schools are at the same administrative level.
The university operates on a semester calendar. Students generally enroll in courses during the fall and spring semesters, but courses are also offered during the summer semester and winter session.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Winter courses are not eligible for financial aid.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The university has a four-year graduation rate of 29% and a six-year graduation rate of 48.8%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The student-faculty ratio at SFSU was 22.6:1 in Spring 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
As of 2024, the university has 1,834 faculty comprising 783 tenured or tenure-track faculty, 1039 lecturers, and 12 counselors.<ref name="SFSU-2024b" />
SFSU offers 126 bachelor's degree programs across its seven colleges.<ref name=":6" />
The most popular undergraduate majors are Business Administration, Psychology, Biology, Computer Science, Criminal Justice Studies, Communication Studies, Early Childhood Education, Cinema, Physical Education, and Nursing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
SFSU offers 37 blended bachelor's and master's degree programs, called San Francisco State Scholars programs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The programs provide students an accelerated path to a graduate degree by allowing students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior years.
The university offers 106 master's degree programs across six colleges: College of Liberal & Creative Arts, Lam Family College of Business, College of Ethnic Studies, College Health and Social Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, and Graduate College of Education.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The original Experimental College, known as E.C., was created in 1965 and lasted until 1969. The revived Experimental College, known as EXCO, allows students to create curriculums and teach one-unit courses about any topic.<ref name="SFSU-1960" /> EXCO is part of the Department of Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
People without formal admission to the university can enroll in undergraduate or graduate courses on a space-available basis, through the College of Professional & Global Education's Open University program. Up to undergraduate 24 units can be applied towards a bachelor's degree or six units towards a master's degree at SF State. The program costs $395 per unit and is open to everybody except SFSU students. This is the university's concurrent enrollment program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
ElderCollege is a noncredit program provided by the College of Professional & Global Education that allows people aged 50 and older to sit in on courses on a space-available basis, with the approval of an instructor. There are no official records of enrollment, attendance, or grades as ElderCollege students participate only for their personal benefit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ElderCollege students are expected to attend regularly and participate, but are not expected to take exams or write papers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
SFSU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, or OLLI, was founded in 2003. OLLIs are education organizations for older adults that are operated independently. SFSU's OLLI provides six-week courses and "mini courses" intended for people 50 and older, but people under 50 may join.<ref name="SFSU-2023j">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The courses are not for credit. OLLI does not use SFSU's semester calendar and has its own five-session academic calendar in which six-week courses are taught; the sessions are spring, summer, late summer, fall, and winter.<ref name="SFSU-2023k">Template:Cite web</ref> Membership is required to attend six-week courses, while mini courses are open to non-members. Mini courses consist of one to three class meetings and are offered six months per year: January, March, May, July, September, and December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="SFSU-2023k" /> Courses are either on Zoom or in person at SFSU's Downtown Campus.<ref name="SFSU-2023j" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> OLLI also offers interest groups and social events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, SFSU was ranked the 26th top university in the United States by PayScale and CollegeNET's Social Mobility Index university rankings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Poetry Center and American Poetry Archives, founded in 1954, are housed within the College of Liberal and Creative Arts and contain the nation's largest publicly-accessible collection of poetry on tape.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In Fall 2023, SFSU's total enrollment was 23,700. This included 20,673 undergraduate students and 3,027 postgraduate students (2,746 graduate students and 281 earning second baccalaureate degrees).<ref name="SFSU-2024b" /> 96% of undergraduate students enrolled at the university in 2022 were California residents.<ref name="nces-2023" />
SFSU uses Cal State Apply, the centralized application system for all 23 CSU campuses. There is a $70 fee per application, but fee waivers are available.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The university does not use school rank, personal statements and essays, letters of recommendation, legacy status, or standardized test scores in the admissions process.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Once admitted, students pay tuition set by the CSU and fees set by SFSU. The tuition paid by a student depends on whether they're a California resident, the number of units they're enrolled in, and the type of program they're enrolled in.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fees set by SFSU fund various campus programs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
CSU employees and their dependents may have their campus fees and part of their tuitions waived.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Eligible veterans and their children may have their tuition and fees waived.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The university's financial aid office estimates that housing costs will be the bulk the cost of attendance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 64% of students receive some form of financial aid including grants, work-study awards, and loans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2021, SFSU was ranked fifth for diversity nationwide and third for diversity in the western U.S. by the Wall Street Journal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
SFSU has the second largest Asian and Filipino American enrollment percentage in the CSU system.<ref name="Ethnicity Enrollment Profile">Template:Cite web</ref>
As of December 2024, SFSU has 288 formally recognized student organizations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In order to receive funding, student organizations must be formally recognized by the Office of Student Activities & Events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 49 Greek life organizations are formally recognized.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
SFSU has three on-campus housing neighborhoods: the Central Neighborhood, which only houses first-year students, and the North and South Neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are further divided into housing communities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also Parkmerced, a planned neighborhood consisting of high-rise and low-rise apartments, is located immediately south of the university.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Student Health Services, or SHS, operates out of the Student Health Center.<ref name="YouTube-2024">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Primary care, vaccinations, x-rays, pharmacy services, gynecology services, and STI testing are some of the services provided.<ref name="YouTube-2024" /><ref name="SFSU-2024c">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many of the services are low-cost or provided at no charge to students.<ref name="SFSU-2024c" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023, state law required abortion services to be provided at all SHS locations, which are located at all CSU campuses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> SHS is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.<ref name="SFSU-2024c" />
The main recreation facility at SF State, Mashouf Wellness Center, opened in 2017.<ref name="SFSU-2023d">Template:Cite web</ref> It is named after Manny Mashouf, who donated $10 million towards the $86.5 million construction costs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The LEED Platinum certified, 118,700-square-foot facility features two heated pools, a hot tub, a sauna, a 41-foot climbing wall, fitness studios, exercise equipment, an indoor running track, a racquetball court, a two basketball courts, a multipurpose activities court.<ref name="SFSU-2023d" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was also the university's first LEED rated building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In addition, the university's Gymnasium building has a pool and multi-use spaces. The building is mostly used for basketball, volleyball, badminton, and indoor soccer events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Named after the university's fourth president, the J. Paul Leonard Library houses a collection that includes government documents, maps, sound and visual recordings, in addition to books.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately 75% of the library's circulating collection is stored in its 45-foot-tall library retrieval system, which was installed between 2008 and 2012, when the library building underwent a renovation and expansion, adding more than 140,000 square feet; also, the addition of the system, which can store approximately a million items, removed the need for book stacks, freeing up space for other uses.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The library building was constructed in three phases in 1953, 1959 and 1971 and used to only house the J. Paul Leonard Library. After the expansion and renovation, the Sutro Library was moved to the fifth and sixth floors of the building.<ref name=":7" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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The Sutro Library is a branch of the California State Library on the main campus of the university. The foundation of the library's collection was assembled by former San Francisco mayor Adolph Sutro. The library was deeded to the State of California by Sutro's heirs with the stipulation that it never leave the city limits of San Francisco, filling his desire to provide the city with a public research library. It was formally given to California State Library in 1913, and opened to the public in 1917.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Notably, half of the Sutro collection survived the "Great Fire" after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.<ref name="auto">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Collection highlights include 125,000 rare books, antiquarian maps, and archival collections, as well as a genealogical library.
The student government is known as Associated Students Inc. of SF State.<ref name="SFSU-2023e">Template:Cite web</ref> Associated Students provides funding for student organizations and operates the Cesar Chavez Student Center, the Early Childhood Education Center, two food pantry programs, a book loan program, a weekly farmers' market, and many other programs and events.<ref name="SFSU-2023e" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Cesar Chavez Student Center was built in the mid-1960s with a capacity of 12,000 students.<ref name="yee">Template:Cite book</ref> Around 2002, it was renovated and expanded to 142,160 square feet across five floors with a capacity of over 30,000.<ref name="yee"/> The building includes staff and student offices, a 500-seat auditorium, conference rooms, an art gallery, a multi-cultural center, student lounges, restaurants, a bookstore, and additional restrooms.<ref name="yee"/> In 2003, the Filipino American Community Mural at the center was unveiled, becoming the first Filipino-American mural on a CSU campus.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Project Rebound is a special admissions and support program for formerly incarcerated people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was founded by John Irwin, a professor of sociology, in 1967.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After Irwin served five years at Soledad State Prison in the 1950s for armed robbery, he wanted to create a program that provided educational support to people like him.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The program has grown since its founding at SFSU, with 15 CSU campuses now having Project Rebound programs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The annual event started as a joke when a student, Franko Ali, made a Facebook group called "RAVE IN THE ANNEX – Approved if 15,000 SF State Students join this group."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Over 5,000 people joined.<ref name=":0" /> In 2010, a year after Ali made the group, he was elected to the student government. A three-day music festival resulted.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The first festival took place in March 2011.<ref name=":0" />
Del the Funky Homosapien, and K Theory also performed in 2012.<ref name="cargocollective-2024" /><ref name="Mulich-2023" /> In 2020, the event was planned to be held at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion instead of the Annex but was canceled due to the pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="YouTube-2020" /> In 2021, the festival was held over Zoom.<ref name="Campuslabs-2021">Template:Cite web</ref> Phony Ppl also performed in 2022.<ref name="Eventbrite-2022" /> Redveil also performed in 2024.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />
From 1996 to 2017, there was a staffed, enclosed bike storage area in a parking garage the rear of the Gymnasium building.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> The Bike Barn had the capacity for up to 200 bicycles, skateboards, and scooters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> It was closed due to lack of usage and funding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":4" /> It suffered from a lack of funding, maintenance, and publicity before it closed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Xpress Magazine is a free student magazine published during the fall and spring semesters. Four issues are published per semester, two of which are also printed. The magazine was originally known as Prism and dates back December 1969. In October 1999, the magazine was published for the first time under its current name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Xpress Magazine has been awarded by the Associated Collegiate Press.<ref name="SFSU-2024d" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The university's Strategic Marketing and Communications department publishes SF State Magazine. The semiannual publication is mailed to over 80,000 alumni.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 1950, undergraduate students in the Creative Writing department have published Transfer Magazine, featuring literature and art by SFSU students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="SFSU-2024e">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Jones-2012">Template:Cite web</ref>
Creative Writing graduate students have published Fourteen Hills, an international literary journal, since 1994.<ref name="SFSU-2024e"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Students enrolled in Urban Planning and Studies courses at the university have been publishing Urban Action, an annual journal consisting of research papers, photo essays, and other works. The journal started in 1979.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 2016, the Department of English Language and Literature has published Sutro Review: SF State Journal for Undergraduate Composition, an academic journal for writing and art by undergraduates, edited by graduate students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
KSFS is a college radio station run by Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) students, streaming online, at 100.7 on Comcast Cable radio in San Francisco, and at 88.1 FM near or at the main campus.<ref>*Template:Cite web
SF State Wrestling sent a wrestler to a national championship meet every year from 1963–64 to 2016–17.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
As of 2024, the Gators have earned one NCAA team championship at the Division II level, a 1997 wrestling championship.<ref name="champ">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the early 20th century, collegiate sports at SFSU became more popular, creating a need for a team name, and the search for a mascot started in 1921.<ref name="eliassen35">Template:Cite book</ref> The university's newspaper at the time, the Bay Leaf, asked for suggestions for a mascot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Students suggested an alligator named "Golden Gater" in reference to the Golden Gate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="KRON4-2023">Template:Cite web</ref> Students voted in favor of the name and the alligator choice was finalized in 1931,<ref name="eliassen35" /> but after numerous misspellings by the newspaper, use of "Golden Gator" stuck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the beginning, two female students were chosen each year as alligator mascots.<ref name="eliassen35" /> The mascot's name was shortened to the Gator,<ref name="KRON4-2023" /> and became Alli Gator in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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