Sonoma State University

     Sonoma State University, a NCAA Division II school, is one of 22 campuses within the California State University system. Located 48 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma State is situated among the rolling hills and vineyards of the largest wine producing region in the United States. Although the immediate area is predominately rural (Rohnert Park population 40,000), the University is only seven miles south of Santa Rosa (population 130,000) and less than an hour from the major metropolitan centers of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.

     Sonoma State University is an expanding institution with 505 faculty and a current enrollment of approximately 7,000 students. The average class size is 20 students and fewer than 5% of the classes have over 50 students. Presently the University is organized into five schools; Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, Education, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences. Also, within the University's traditional structure, Sonoma State is home to the interdisciplinary Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. The University offers bachelor's degrees in 66 fields and master's degrees in 22. 

     The average first time-freshman accepted into Sonoma State University has an overall high school GPA of 3.4 and a combined SAT score of 1150 - second only to Cal Poly San Louis Obispo among California State Universities. 

     Sonoma State University's President Rubin Arminana has implemented a program titled "Public Ivy". His mission is to raise the level of academic standards at Sonoma State University to that of Ivy League Universities while maintaining the accessibility and affordability guaranteed by the CSU charter. This ambitious plan has raised the admissions standards at SSU drastically over the past five years guaranteeing that a degree from Sonoma State will only gain value in the future. 

     Sonoma State is on the frontier of computer-enhanced education. As a result, Sonoma State University currently requires all first-time freshmen to own or have access to a computer. The 1999-2000 academic year will represent the fourth year of this program. Consequently, SSU is on the forefront of electronic research and information. All on-campus dorm rooms are furnished with ethernet ports wired directly to the campus' main servers and many classroom have been and continue to be upgraded to support computer aided instruction. 

     Currently, Sonoma State has broken ground on two impressive projects that are certain to enhance a student's experience at Sonoma State. The first and most important is the $43 million Charles Schulz Information Center. A state-of-the-art library and computer center, the Schulz Center will insure that SSU students have access to the most recent and relative information available as well as access to the latest improvements in computer equipment and technology. Along with SSU's computer requirement, a graduate of Sonoma State University is sure to have the computer skills necessary to succeed in today's world. The second project currently under construction is a $25 million on-campus student apartment complex. The new complex will double the current capacity of on-campus housing and offer residents the opportunity to live in single-occupancy rooms with private baths, a shared kitchen and a shared living room. Currently, on-campus housing consists of double and triple-occupancy condominium-style dormitories and apartments with private baths and living rooms for every 4 or 5 students (no gang showers or toilets). Other projects scheduled for construction in the next two years include a $25 million music hall and conservatory as well as a $20 million university center. Generally, this sort of building schedule is indicative of a growing student body, however, in keeping with President Arminana's "Public Ivy" concept, the total number of students attending SSU is not expected to rise dramatically. These improvements are being made in an effort to raise the quality of education for the current student body while developing a stronger reputation for the University and its graduates. 

     Even for the out-of-state students, the price of such a fine education is surprisingly affordable. Current California Residents do not have to pay tuition but must pay University Fees every semester. Currently, SSU fees are $999.00 per semester. In addition to fees, out-of-state students must also pay a tuition of $246.00 per unit.

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