University Profile
Emphasis on High Academic Achievement
Higher education has changed dramatically in recent years due to the information revolution, new fields of study and a myriad of opportunities for learning in an ever-expanding global society. By taking advantage of these changes, California Lutheran University has emerged as a remarkable place where students, faculty, alumni and friends come together in a dynamic environment of academic excellence in the arts and sciences with a focus on real-world, experiential learning for all students.
With a population of more than 2,800 undergraduate and 1,400 graduate students, CLU offers small classes that make it possible for students to develop close mentoring relationships with our distinguished faculty. Faculty members are dedicated to enhancing learning for our students to prepare them for leadership roles in their personal and professional lives.
Technology and the Quest for Knowledge
Information Systems and Services (ISS) delivers and supports high quality research and information technology tools for the Cal Lutheran community. The myCLU portal provides a single gateway to many of the online resources available to students.
The University supports a mixed platform of Mac and PC computers in several labs on campus. In addition to open computer labs, Cal Lutheran provides wired and wireless network access to students free of charge through CLUnet. All residence halls are equipped with WiFi and wired network connections for student use.
CLUWnet provides wireless coverage to all buildings on campus and some outdoor areas. Students can connect their personal computer devices to the wireless network using their personal CLUnet account and password. The Help Desk offers support for CLUnet accounts including scheduling and trouble shooting for wired and wireless hookups.
Pearson Library is an integral part of ISS. The professional staff provides reference assistance as well as information literary instruction for undergraduate and graduate level courses. One-on-one appointments and virtual one-on-one assistance is available, as well as the usual walk-up research and technology usage assistance. Library reference services that include real-time chat service, e-mail reference, and SMS messaging and mobile initiatives provide students with access to information wherever they are, whenever they need it.
Items not available in the library can be requested through Interlibrary Loan. The library’s online catalog, OCLC's WMS, provides access to library collections via the Internet, offers a powerful discovery and delivery tool, and student-initiated functions like self renewal of books and placing holds on print resources.
For detailed information on ISS and Pearson Library, visit www.callutheran.edu/iss.
Location
Cal Lutheran’s main campus is located in the city of Thousand Oaks, situated midway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. This prime location puts students within easy reach of a variety of cultural and recreational experiences, the beach and mountains, airports and the international business community. Off-campus centers are conveniently located in Woodland Hills, Oxnard and Santa Maria.
With a population of approximately 128,000, Thousand Oaks offers the conveniences of an urban area – a state-of-the-art performing arts center, regional shopping centers and internship opportunities in clean high-tech industries – while maintaining its scenic natural beauty enhanced by designated open space, rolling hills and historic oak trees.
Incorporated in 1964, Thousand Oaks is located in Ventura County, 12 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Recreational and cultural opportunities abound. In addition to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and Cal Lutheran’s on-campus cultural events series, world-renowned museums, concert halls and world premier productions are within easy driving distance. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, located just minutes from campus in the city of Simi Valley, offers additional opportunities for study and research.
Sports enthusiasts – both spectators and participants – will appreciate the variety and accessibility of athletic activities. Winter ski resorts are just a few hours away and both ocean and freshwater sports are close by. Hiking on the nearby trails, biking along scenic corridors, and Cal Lutheran’s active intercollegiate and intramural sports programs provide ample opportunity for involvement.
The family-friendly community of Thousand Oaks is one of the safest cities of its size in the nation. In addition, 24-hour campus security and electronic key devices in residence halls contribute to the safety of Cal Lutheran students, faculty and staff.
The Campus
The picturesque main campus spans 225 acres set against scenic Mount Clef Ridge. At the heart of the beautifully landscaped campus is Kingsmen Park, surrounded by the University’s academic and residential facilities.
Cal Lutheran’s Scandinavian heritage is evident in the names on several of the major buildings: Pearson Library/Preus-Brandt Forum, Ahmanson Science Center, Samuelson Chapel, Hansen and Pederson administration buildings, Soiland Humanities Center, Spies-Bornemann Center for Education and Technology and Swenson Center for the Social and Behavioral Sciences.
All 14 residence halls on campus are coed, divided by floor or section, and offer recreational areas, kitchen and laundry facilities, and security systems. Individual rooms are equipped with voice mail, computer hook-ups, free cable and air conditioning. Each suite of rooms has a private bathroom.
The athletics complex on the north side of campus includes venues for intercollegiate and intramural sports, exercise science classrooms and laboratories, and athletic and fitness areas.
The University’s 20-year master plan envisions a performing and visual arts center, another science facility, enlarged library, an administrative center and additional residence halls.
To meet the demands of its growing student population, the University has added 12 new facilities since fall 2000.
Residence Halls
- Mogen Hall was the University’s first new building of the 21st century. Nicknamed The Apartments and occupied by students in fall 2000, the three-story residence hall houses 120 students in 30 two-bedroom apartment-like suites.
- Trinity Hall, a 220-bed, 80,000-square-foot residence hall, welcomed students in September 2009.
Academic Buildings
- Spies-Bornemann Center for Education and Technology, dedicated in October 2002, incorporates a distance-learning classroom, television studio, computer labs and faculty offices. The 23,000-square-foot facility, designed to afford maximum interaction between students and faculty, houses undergraduate, professional and graduate programs.
- Swenson Center for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Cal Lutheran’s first LEED-certified structure, was completed in fall 2010 and houses classrooms and faculty offices.
Athletics Complex
- George “Sparky” Anderson Baseball Field was inaugurated in January 2006 with the legendary Hall of Famer throwing out the first pitch. Ullman Stadium, with grandstand seating for more than 300 spectators, was completed the following year.
- Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, dedicated in October 2006, houses two major gymnasiums, an events center, a 9,000-square-foot fitness center, athletic training facilities, a dance and aerobics studio, sports medicine facilities and faculty offices.
- Samuelson Aquatics Center hosted its first competition in March 2007. The center’s 50-meter pool, diving well and diving boards accommodate competitions in swimming, diving and water polo.
- Hutton Field, home to the Regals softball team, was dedicated in March 2008.
- Ron and Sue Poulson Tennis Center, completed in January 2009, includes six lighted tennis courts featuring Plexipave® professional surfacing.
- William Rolland Stadium and Gallery of Fine Art hosted its first football and soccer games in October 2011. The gallery of fine art may be the country's only dedicated art gallery inside of a stadium.
Community Service
- Fredrickson Family Early Childhood Center, a 4,738-square-foot facility dedicated in March 2011, replaced the smaller House on the Hill preschool that served Cal Lutheran employees and community members for 36 years.
- KCLU Broadcast Center houses the Paulucci Studios, the Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Education Suite and a community room/performance space. The high-tech 6,570-square-foot facility was dedicated in May 2011.
Ullman Commons, a $15 million environmentally friendly dining commons situated along the academic corridor in the heart of the campus, will open in fall 2014.
History
In 1959 the Pederson Ranch, nestled against the rolling hills of the Conejo Valley, began its transformation to today’s dynamic learning community of California Lutheran University. Richard Pederson, the son of Norwegian immigrants, donated his scenic ranch to be used for the educational advancement of youth from his community and the nation. The ranch now forms the heart of the Thousand Oaks campus.
California Lutheran College welcomed its first students in 1961. The young college’s early commitment to excellence led to its being granted accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) during its first academic year.
In 1986 the name was changed to California Lutheran University to better reflect its breadth of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The first doctoral degrees were granted in 2006. In 2014 Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, Calif., became a part of Cal Lutheran in a merger that enhances the educational programs of both institutions.
Accreditations and Affiliations
Cal Lutheran is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
The Graduate School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the University is authorized by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to offer credentials.
The University is a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) and the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). Cal Lutheran’s program in Financial Planning has been registered with the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards Inc.
Cal Lutheran is also a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).
Cal Lutheran is one of 26 colleges and universities affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The University's intercollegiate athletic programs compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC), NCAA Division III.
For information regarding WASC accreditation, contact:
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
985 Atlantic Ave., Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510-748-9001
E-mail: wascsr@wascsenior.org