About CLU

Quick Facts: Cal Lutheran at a Glance

Milestones

  • 1959 — California Lutheran College founded
  • 1961 — First students arrive
  • 1964 — First class graduates
  • 1972 — First master’s degrees granted
  • 1986 — Name changed to California Lutheran University
  • 1994 — KCLU launched as a community service
  • 2006 — First doctoral degrees granted

Mission

California Lutheran University is a diverse scholarly community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies. Rooted in the Lutheran tradition of Christian faith, the University encourages critical inquiry into matters of both faith and reason. The mission of the University is to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice.

Presidents

  • Chris Kimball, Ph.D., 2008
  • John R. Sladek, Ph.D., 2006-2007
  • Luther S. Luedtke, Ph.D., 1992-2006
  • Jerry Miller, D.D., 1981-1992
  • Mark Mathews, D.B.A., 1972-1980
  • Raymond Olson, D.D., 1963-1971
  • Orville Dahl, Ed.D., 1959-1962

Administrative Leadership

  • President: Chris Kimball, Ph.D.
  • Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: Leanne Neilson, Psy.D.
  • Vice President for Administration and Finance: Karen Davis, MBA ’95
  • Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students: William Rosser, M.S.
  • Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing: Matthew Ward, Ph.D.
  • Vice President for University Advancement: R. Stephen Wheatly ’77, J.D.

Academic Leadership

  • Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences: Joan Griffin, Ph.D.
  • Dean of the School of Management: Charles Maxey, Ph.D.
  • Dean of the Graduate School of Education: George J. Petersen, Ph.D.
  • Chair of the Faculty: Julia Fogg, Ph.D.

Location

The 225-acre campus is located midway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, nestled against the hills in Thousand Oaks, just 9 miles inland from Malibu and easily accessible from the Ventura 101 Freeway. Thousand Oaks, home to 128,000 people, is rated one of the safest cities of its size in America, according to FBI statistics.

Off-campus centers are conveniently located in Oxnard, Woodland Hills and Santa Maria.

Affiliations and Accreditations

CLU is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Graduate School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and its credential programs are approved by the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. CLU’s program in Financial Planning has been registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. CLU is one of 26 colleges and universities affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, and the Council of Independent Colleges. The University’s intercollegiate athletic programs compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, NCAA Division III.

Enrollment

  • Total: 4,205
  • Undergraduate: 2,804
  • Graduate: 1,401

Originating from 38 states and 40 countries, CLU’s student body represents a diversity of faiths and cultures. The University maintains its residential emphasis with 53 percent of traditional undergraduate students living on campus. Average class size for all programs is 16.

Faculty

  • Full-time: 166
  • Part-time: 245

CLU’s dedicated and committed faculty is one of the University’s greatest assets. Of the full-time faculty members, 86 percent have earned their doctorate or terminal degree.

Staff and Administrators

  • Full-time: 301
  • Part-time: 55

Academic Programs

CLU offers traditional undergraduate, accelerated degree evening, graduate and professional programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Management and Graduate School of Education. Thirty-six undergraduate majors and 34 minors are offered. Graduate programs include doctorates in educational leadership, higher education leadership and clinical psychology, and master’s degrees in education, psychology, computer science, business administration, public policy and administration, information systems and technology, and economics. Catalogs are available online at www.callutheran.edu/registrar.

Athletics

CLU’s intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) and the NCAA, Division III. Men’s teams compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and water polo. Women’s teams compete in basketball, cross country, golf, softball, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball and water polo. Junior varsity teams compete in men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, baseball and volleyball.

The University

California Lutheran University is a selective institution offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences and professional fields. CLU also offers an Adult Degree Evening Program (ADEP) for part-time returning undergraduate adult students. Founded in 1959 and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), CLU is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). All faiths are welcome.

Computer Facilities

With a commitment to enhancing students’ experiences by providing the very best technological resources, CLU replaces lab, classroom and faculty computers on a three-year cycle. Students have access to more than 43,000 electronic full-text journals, 131,000 print volumes and 100,000 e-books as well as ubiquitous Internet access (wired and wireless) on the Thousand Oaks, Woodland Hills and Oxnard campuses. The University has doubled its Internet bandwidth every year since 2007.

CLU’s information specialists have created an easy-to-use website and subject guides to help students get started with their research. Qualified professional librarians regularly team up with faculty to lead class sessions aimed at enhancing student research skills and helping students identify the best resources for class projects.

Every classroom and large meeting room has an LCD projector and an Internet-ready computer, and the Center for Teaching and Learning assists faculty with the integration of technology into their teaching. CLU uses the latest in course management systems (Blackboard 9.l), which extends access to course materials and activities to the student’s iPhone, iTouch, iPad, Android, or other Windows smartphone.

CLU has 13 general computer labs: seven Windows labs and two Mac general computer labs on the Thousand Oaks campus, two Windows labs in Oxnard, one Windows lab in Woodland Hills, and a mixed Windows and Mac lab for student use in Pearson Library. There are also 11 departmental specific labs on the Thousand Oaks campus. These labs are more than Internet gateways. They give students access to a variety of productivity tools including advanced statistical tools, Web page design applications, and advanced graphics and video editing software.

Residence Halls

All 15 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.

Parking

Parking is free throughout campus. Street parking is by permit only Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitor parking is available in the parking lots on Mountclef Boulevard north and south of Olsen Road.

Student Organizations

Student organizations include academic clubs, student government, campus media, drama and musical groups, multicultural, political, social, service-oriented and athletic clubs. Organizations are open to all students.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

The Financial Aid Office offers helpful resources on how to bridge the gap between the cost of education and a family’s ability to pay. Awards of financial assistance to CLU students may include institutional scholarships, university grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, State Cal Grants, Federal Pell Grants, Academic Competitiveness Grants, SMART Grants, low interest Federal Stafford and Federal Perkins loans, and Federal Work-Study.

Address

California Lutheran University
60 West Olsen Road #1350
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-2700

Telephone Numbers

  • Undergraduate Admission Office: 805-493-3135, Fax: 805-493-3645
  • Graduate Admission Office: 805-493-3127 or 888-CLU-GRAD

Email

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