10 Notable Differences Between UC and CSU

Difference between UC and CSU: The University of California and the California State University are top Universities in the U.S. Though they are both in California and share a lot in common, there are still apparent differences between them.

Thus, if you’re concerned with which of the two to choose as your college choice, hang on. This is because this article gives you information about the two. Also, it discusses their differences. This is to help you understand where either of them is unique above the other.

University of California (UC)

The University of California (UC) is a public university system. And it’s located in the state of California, U.S. Also, it’s part of the state’s three-system public higher education plan. This includes the CSU system and the California Community Colleges System (CCC).

The UC was founded on March 23, 1868. And it’s operated in Oakland before moving to its campus in Berkeley in 1873. Furthermore, in March 1951, it began to reorganize itself into something distinct from its campus at Berkeley. However, in the 21st century, the UC has 10 campuses.

Its tenth and newest campus in Merced was opened in fall 2005. However, the other nine campuses enroll both undergraduate and graduate students. Also, it manages or co-manages three national laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy. However, areas to look into in UC are:

• Academics

In 2016, UC researchers and faculty were responsible for 1,745 inventions. And UC controls over 12,200 active patents. Thus, on average, UC researchers create five new inventions per day.

Also, seven of UC’s ten campuses are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU). And collectively, the system counts among its faculty (as of 2002) are:

• 389 members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• 5 Fields Medal recipients.
• 19 Fulbright Scholars
• 25 MacArthur Fellows.
• 254 members of the National Academy of Sciences.
• 91 members of the National Academy of Engineering.
• 13 National Medals of Science Laureates.
• 61 Nobel laureates.
• 106 members of the Institute of Medicine.

• UC Libraries

At 34 million items, the UC library system contains one of the largest collections in the world. Each campus maintains its own library catalog and also participates in the system-wide union catalog, MELVYL.

Also, besides on-campus libraries, the UC system maintains two regional library facilities. And it’s one each for Northern and Southern California. Also, each accepts older items from all UC campus libraries in their respective region.

Also, as of 2007, Northern Regional Library Facility is home to 4.7 million volumes. While Southern Regional Library Facility is home to 5.7 million.

• Research

Furthermore, seven of the UC campuses are members of the Association of American Universities. And this is a collection of the top 65 research schools in North America.

Also, in 2006 the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) awarded the UC. This award was the SPARC Innovator Award. And it was for its “extraordinarily effective institution-wide vision and efforts to move scholarly communication forward”.

Additionally, UC system-wide research on the SAT exam came up with something. It found out that, after controlling for familial income and parental education, so-called achievement tests known as the SAT II had 10 times more predictive ability of college aptitude. And this was more than the SAT I (AKA the SAT math and verbal sections).

• Governance

It’s important to note that all UC campuses except Hastings College of the Law are governed by the Regents of the UC. And this is as required by the Constitution of the State of California. Additionally, 18 regents are appointed by the governor for 12-year terms.

Also, one member is a student appointed for a one-year term. And, there are 7 ex officio members. Namely: The governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the State Assembly. Also, it includes the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC as well as the UC president.

Furthermore, the Academic Senate, made up of faculty members, is empowered by the Regents to set academic policies. Additionally, the system-wide faculty chair and vice-chair sit on the Board of Regents as non-voting members.

• Finance

The State of California spends nearly $3 billion on the UC system. And it funds approximately 43.3% of the system. In 1980, the state funded 86.8% of the UC budget. While state funding has somewhat recovered, as of 2019 state support still lags behind even recent historic levels. And this is when adjusted for inflation.

However, in 2011, for the first time in UC’s history, student fees exceeded contributions from the State of California. But, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled in 2007 that the UC owed nearly $40 million in refunds to about 40,000 students.

These were those who promised that their tuition fees would remain steady but were hit with an increase when the state ran short of money in 2003. However, in September 2019, UC announced it will divest its $83 billion in endowment and pension funds from the fossil fuel industry, citing ‘financial risk’.

California State University (CSU)

The California State University (CSU) is a public university system in California. And it has 23 campuses. Also, it has eight off-campus centers enrolling 484,300 students, with 26,858 faculty and 25,305 staff. Furthermore, it’s one of three public higher education systems in the state.

Also, its system headquarters are in Long Beach, California. Furthermore, CSU was created in 1960. And this was under the California Master Plan for Higher Education. Also, it is a direct descendant of the system of California State Normal Schools. CSU is the country’s greatest producer of bachelor’s degrees with nearly 100,000 graduates annually.

Also, the CSU system collectively sustains more than 150,000 jobs within the state. And its related expenditures reach more than $17 billion annually. Furthermore, CSU has a total of 17 AACSB accredited graduate business schools. This is over twice as many as any other collegiate system.

• Governance

The governance structure of the CSU is largely determined by state law. Thus, this means that CSU is ultimately administered by the 25 member Board of Trustees of the CSU. And the Trustees appoint the Chancellor of the CSU and Presidents of each campus.

Also, note. The Chancellor is the chief executive officer of the system. And the Presidents of each campus are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses.

Also, the Academic Senate of CSU recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor. However, note. The Academic Senate of CSU is made up of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus.

• Board of Trustees

The CSU is administered by the 25 member Board of Trustees (BOT). However, regulations of the BOT are codified in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). And the BOT is composed of:

• 16 members that are appointed by the Governor of California with the consent of the Senate.
• Also, two students from the CSU appointed by the Governor.
• Furthermore, a tenured faculty member appointed by the Governor. And selected from a list of names from the Academic Senate
• Also, a representative of the alumni associations of the state university. And selected for a two-year term by the alumni council of the CSU.
• Additionally, 5 ex officio members. Namely:

1. Governor.
2. Lieutenant Governor.
3. Speaker of the Assembly.
4. State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
5. The CSU Chancellor.

• Impact

CSU confers over 70,000 degrees each year. Thus, it awards 46% of the state’s bachelor’s degrees and 32% of the state’s master’s degrees. Also, the entire 23 campus system sustains nearly 150,000 jobs statewide. And it generates nearly $1 billion in tax revenue. Also, total CSU related-expenditures equate to nearly $17 billion.

Furthermore, CSU produces 62% of the bachelor’s degrees awarded in agriculture. And 54% in business, 44% in health and medicine, 64% in hospitality and tourism. While in engineering it is 45%, and 44% of those in media, culture, and design.

Additionally, CSU has significantly enhanced programs for the underserved. 56% of bachelor’s degrees granted to Latinos in the state are from the CSU. While 60% of bachelors awarded to Filipinos were from the CSU. Also, it is the state’s largest source of educators.

Similarities Between UC and CSU

Below are some similarities between UC and CSU:

Both UC and CSU systems are publicly funded institutions. Also, both may confer bachelor’s or master’s degrees. As well as professional certifications. However, this is according to the California Master Plan for Higher Education (1960).

Additionally, CSU and UC use the terms “President” and “Chancellor” internally. However, they do this in opposite ways.

For instance, at CSU, the campuses are headed by presidents. And they report to a system-wide chancellor. But at UC, they are headed by chancellors. And these chancellors report to a system-wide president. Both are located in the state of California in the U.S.

Major Differences Between UC and CSU

Below are some differences between UC and CSU:

CSU has 23 campuses while UC has 10 campuses representing approximately 437,000 and 237,000 students respectively. Also, the cost of CSU tuition is approximately half that of UC.

Furthermore, the majority of CSU campuses operate on the semester system. While UC campuses operate on the quarter system. And this is with the exception of UC Berkeley, UC Merced, the UCLA medical school, and all UC law schools.

Also, UC systems are known for their approach in developing students that have strengths in research, theory, and studies. Were as CSU system is more developed for practical applications and non-research-oriented career candidates.

Also, CSU tends to focus on maintaining small, direct class sizes. While UC systems are based on a self-motivated style of learning. Additionally, UC is often more appropriate for those seeking postgraduate educational options. Were CSU can offer very good postgraduate options.

Summary

In a nutshell, please note. The difference between UC and CSU goes beyond price. Thus, when choosing watch out for the comparative factors. Note that UC is significantly more expensive than CSU. And this is because CSU is a state school.

State schools are able to keep their costs lower. This is largely due to state funding. However, note. Each school system is based on different strengths and weaknesses. This is so especially when you consider the major you’re planning to study.

CSN Team.