The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California, United States. The university offers 42 baccalaureate degrees, and several degrees in law, nursing, (master's, PhD, and DNP), and other doctorate programs. The university comprises seven different academic colleges.
History
Chartered in 1949, the university opened its doors to its first class of students in 1952 as the San Diego College for Women. Reverend Charles F. Buddy, D.D., then bishop of the Diocese of San Diego and Reverend Mother Rosalie Hill, RSCJ, a Superior Vicaress of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, chartered the institution from resources drawn from their respective organizations on a stretch of land known as "Alcalá Park," named for San Diego de Alcalá. In September 1954, the San Diego College for Men and the School of Law opened. These two schools originally occupied Bogue Hall on the same site of University High School, which would later become the home of the University of San Diego High School. Starting in 1954, Alcalá Park also served as the diocesan chancery office and housed the episcopal offices, until the diocese moved to a vacated Benedictine convent that was converted to a pastoral center. In 1957, Immaculate Heart Major Seminary and St. Francis Minor Seminary were moved into their newly completed facility, now known as Maher Hall. The Immaculata Chapel, now no longer affiliated with USD, also opened that year as part of the seminary facilities. For nearly two decades, these schools co-existed on Alcalá Park. Immaculate Heart closed at the end of 1968, when its building was renamed De Sales Hall; St. Francis remained open until 1970, when it was transferred to another location on campus, leaving all of the newly named Bishop Leo T. Maher Hall to the newly merged co-educational University of San Diego in 1972. Since then, the university has grown quickly and has been able to increase its assets and academic programs. The student body, the local community, patrons, alumni, and many organizations have been integral to the university's development.
Significant periods of expansion of the university, since the 1972 merger, occurred in the mid-1980s, as well as in 1998, when Joan B. Kroc, philanthropist and wife of McDonald's financier Ray Kroc, endowed USD with a gift of $25Â million for the construction of the Institute for Peace & Justice. Another significant donation to the college came in the form of multimillion-dollar gifts from weight-loss tycoon Jenny Craig, inventor Donald Shiley, investment banker and alumnus Bert Degheri, and an additional gift of $50Â million Mrs. Kroc left the School of Peace Studies upon her death. These gifts helped make possible, respectively, the Jenny Craig Pavilion (an athletic arena), the Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Degheri Alumni Center. As a result, USD has been able to host the West Coast Conference (WCC) basketball tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2008, and hosted international functions such as the Kyoto Laureate Symposium at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and at USD's Shiley Theatre. Shiley's gift has provided the university with some additional, and more advanced, teaching laboratories than it had previously. In 2005, the university expanded the Colachis Plaza from the Immaculata along Marian Way to the east end of Hall, which effectively closed the east end of the campus to vehicular traffic. That same year, the student body approved plans for a renovation and expansion of the Hahn University Center which began at the end of 2007. The new Student Life Pavilion (SLP) opened in 2009 and hosts the university's new student dining area(s), offices for student organizations and event spaces. The Hahn University Center is now home to administrative offices, meeting and event spaces, and a restaurant and wine bar, La Gran Terazza.
As of the fall of 2012, USD's total enrollment was 8,105 undergraduate, graduate, and law students.
In 2015, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into the university because it allegedly “failed to provide a prompt and equitable resolution to a sexual assault complaint". The complaint was made by a female law student against two other male law students. The 29-year-old woman, whose name was not disclosed, said she was raped in a bathroom during an off-campus party in May 2013. The party was for students to celebrate the completion of their first year of law school. The woman also filed a civil suit against the alleged perpetrators and the school. In her suit, the student claims that University of San Diego officials also discouraged her from "pursuing any action against her rapists" and said that if she did, her name could become public.
Environment and location
Alcalá Park sits atop the edge of a mesa overlooking Mission Bay and other parts of San Diego. The philosophy of USD's founder and her fellow religious relied on the belief that studying in beautiful surroundings could improve the educational experience of students. Thus, the university's buildings are designed in a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance architectural style, paying homage to both San Diego's Catholic heritage and the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain. In September 2011, Travel+Leisure named it as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States.
The campus is located approximately two miles north of downtown San Diego, on the north crest of Mission Valley in the community of Linda Vista. From the westernmost edges of Alcalá Park the communities of Mission Hills, Old Town, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Bay Park, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach can be seen. Also, the Pacific Ocean, San Diego Harbor, the Coronado Islands and La Jolla are visible from the campus.
Administration
Though a Catholic university, the school is no longer governed directly by the Diocese of San Diego. Today, a lay board of trustees governs the university's operations. However, the Bishop of San Diego, Robert W. McElroy, retains a seat as a permanent member and retains control of the school's designation of "Catholic."
Academics
USD offers more than 60 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. USD is divided into six schools and colleges. The College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Law are the oldest academic divisions at USD; the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies is the university's newest school. USD offers an honors program at the undergraduate level, with approximately 300 students enrolled annually.
Rankings
USD's undergraduate programs have been recognized by multiple publications including PayScale, U.S. News & World Report, Princeton Review, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Forbes. In 2017, USD ranked 86th among national universities by U.S. News & World Report and 188th by Forbes' and Washington Monthly.
In 2012, Princeton Review included USD in its annual guidebook of the 376 best universities. The Princeton Review ranked the school 2nd for Best Campus Environment and 39th for Most Beautiful Campus. Travel & Leisure and Newsweek have also recognized USD's campus as one of the most beautiful in the United States.
QS Global 200 Business Schools Report ranked USD's MBA program 59th in North America. The MBA program is also ranked 39th in the world for social responsibility in the Beyond Grey Pinstripes Global 100 list, and is the highest ranking program on that measure in Southern California.
In 2014, University of San Diego was ranked the 482nd top college in the United States by Payscale and CollegeNet's Social Mobility Index college rankings.
According to the Institute of International Education, USD ranked first in undergraduate participation.
In 2016, the MBA program in the University of San Diego School of Business was ranked 28th in the United States (33rd in 2015) and 59th in the world (66th in 2015) in the 2016 Financial Times Top 100 MBA rankings. In July 2015, Financial Times ranked the University of San Diego’s School of Business MBA third in the world for entrepreneurship. In August 2016, CEOWORLD Magazine Global Business Schools rankings for executives and entrepreneurs ranked San Diego’s School of Business 66th in the world.
Notable people
Alumni
- Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 1965 (BA), and an honorary doctorate from USD in 1975; one of senior members of House of Saud; son of King Abdulaziz; 12th governor of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia
- Robert Kardashian, 1967 (JD), lawyer for OJ Simpson and father of reality show personalities Kourtney Kardashian, Kimberly "Kim" Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian Odom, and Robert Kardashian Jr., with his former wife Kris Jenner
- Carlos Bustamante, 1969 (BA), Mayor of Tijuana
- Jonathan Compas, 2014 (MS), NFL player for Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Salvatore Cordileone, 1978 (JCD), Canon Law. Archbishop of San Francisco
- John P. Dolan, 1985 (MA), Theology. Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego
- Mario Testino, 1975 (BA), Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer
- Lowell McAdam, 1983 (MBA), Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications, a company he joined in 2000
- Dennis Secor, 1984, (BBA), CFO at Fossil Group
- Frances Townsend, 1984, (JD), former Homeland Security Advisor to United States President George W. Bush; TV personality
- Thomas Breitling, 1991 (BA), entrepreneur
- Bob Maggiore, 1991, (BBA), Chief Marketing Officer at TaylorMade-Adidas
- Greg Sherman, 1992 (BBA), General Manager of NHL's Colorado Avalanche
- Miguel Luis Villafuerte, 2012 (BA), Governor of the Province of Camarines Sur, Philippines
- Lorenzo Fertitta, 1991 (BBA), Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Business Administration; entrepreneur, casino executive and sports promoter (MMA)
- Andrew Firestone, 1998 (BBA), Bachelor of Business Administration; entrepreneur, casino executive and sports promoter (MMA)
- Lamont Smith, 1999, player and head coach for San Diego Toreros men's basketball
- Theo Epstein, 2000, (JD), President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs
- Todd Gloria, 2000, (BA), California State Assemblyperson and former interim Mayor of San Diego
- Monte Brem, 2000 (JD & MBA), founder and CEO of StepStone Group, private equity firm
- Jim Parsons, 2001 (MFA), actor, Emmy Award-winning actor for The Big Bang Theory
- Ryan Zinke, 2003 (MS), current United States Secretary of the Interior
- Kris Bryant, 2011-13, baseball player for 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs, National League Rookie of the Year (2015) and Most Valuable Player (2016)
Faculty
- Harriet Baber, professor of philosophy.
- Victoria Fu, artist
- John G. Stoessinger (International Relations/Political Science)
References
Further reading
- Boudoin. Burt J. (2001). Fortress on the Hill: Founding the University of San Diego and the San Diego College for Women, 1942-1963 Mission Hills, CA: Saint Francis Historical Society, ISBNÂ 0967847737 OCLCÂ 46882831
- Engstrand, Iris H. Wilson; White, Clare (1989). The First Forty Years: A History of the University of San Diego 1949â€"1989. San Diego, CA: University of San Diego. p. 121. OCLC 22975773, 20464871
External links
- Official website
- University of San Diego athletics website
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: The University of San Diego Immaculata Church
