A Brief History of the University of California

This concise book tells the absorbing story of the development of one of the greatest public institutions in the country. Beginning with the land grant that established a university in California, the accessible narrative takes the reader through the difficulties and triumphs of the institution as it rose to the peak of scientific and scholarly stature, where it stands today. Included is a discussion of why the University of California is unique among institutions of higher learning, a chronicle of past university presidents and the particular contributions each made to the institution, an account of the university's benefactors and financial arrangements, and the development of the multicampus model. This book also covers pivotal moments in the university's history, such as the formulation of the Master Plan for Higher Education, the controversy over the Loyalty Oath, the Free Speech Movement, Clark Kerr's dismissal, the implementation of Proposition 13, and the struggle over affirmative action. The author includes a description of each campus and a wealth of historical photographs that document the rise of the university and the people involved in its evolution.

Patricia A. Pelfrey is Assistant to the President, Emeritus. She worked with five University of California presidents and is currently involved in research on University of California history at the Center for Studies in Higher Education on the Berkeley campus.

Acknowledgments
The University of California: What Makes It Unique?
Mind before Mines
Land and a Charter
The University
President Gilman
The Constitutional Convention of 1878
Early Benefactors
Growth for the Twentieth Century
President Wheeler
The Faculty Revolution
Growth of the Campuses
The Modern University
President Sproul
The Loyalty Oath
Progress and Problems
The Chancellorship
The Multiversity
Achievements of the 1960s
The Master Plan
Decentralizing the University
Student Unrest
The Steady State
Planning for Hard Times
The Tax Revolt
Bakke v. The Regents of the University of California
New Intellectual Horizons
The Booming 1980s
A Pacific Rim State
Growth Again
Conflicts and Controversies
The University under Fire
A New President and an Economic Crisis
The Debate over Admissions
Rankings
Research and Economic Growth
New Directions for Outreach
Tidal Wave II and New Approaches to Admission
Achievement versus Aptitude
Transitions
The University Past and Present
University of California Campuses
Presidents of the University of California
Chief Campus Officers/Chancellors of the University of California
Notes
Further Reading