Home >> About Us >> History of the College
History of the College
San Francisco State University (SFSU), founded in 1899, is one of 23 universities within the California State University system (CSU), an integrated system of higher education serving some 326,000 students in the State of California. The CSU system is administered from the Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach. A more complete description of San Francisco State University, its history, programs and structure can be found at http://www.sfsu.edu/.
The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) is one of the nine colleges that comprise the academic program center of San Francisco State University. The College of Health and Human Service evolved from grass roots discussions generated by department chairs and faculty to create an academic program center focused around health and human service issues. In 1992, informal discussions with programs in health education, nursing, and physical therapy centered around the concept of a unified school of health-related programs. By 1993 formal discussions and planning began with a broader working group of chairs and faculty from four schools and twelve units associated with health and human services. Throughout the discussions, the participants examined strengths and limitations, hopes and fears, opportunities and challenges of the new unit. Unifying concepts were developed that reflected a collective vision yet respected the traditions, philosophies and idiosyncrasies that contribute to the unique nature of each discipline.
Identified as central to all units was a culture of inquiry that would connect theory to practice in both disciplinary and professional milieus. As envisioned, the learning environments for students would provide them with skills flowing from reasoned judgment, rich imagination, personal integrity and collaborative civic engagement with diverse populations. The final proposal for a new academic structure focusing on health and human services coalesced during the period of proposed campus-wide restructuring, which began in late 1992. The proposal culminated in a reorganization referendum passed by the Academic Senate on March 8, 1994. In 1995 a new academic program center was instituted at San Francisco State University with the designation College of Health and Human Services. The newly formed College consists of five departments, two programs and two schools.
