History

The University and its patron, San Diego de Alcala, trace their origins to fifteenth century Spain. Diego, born in the Province of Seville circa 1400, became a Franciscan brother and served as a missionary in the Canary Islands. He later was infirmarian at the Franciscan Monastery at Alcala de Henares near Madrid where he died in 1463. The University of Alcala, founded by Cardinal Cisneros in 1498, opened for teaching in 1508. Its Spanish Renaissance architecture and general setting inspired the design of the University of San Diego.

The Catholic university which bears our city's name was founded in 1949 by Most Reverend Charles Francis Buddy, D.D., who was also the founding Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego. In establishing the University, he invited the Society of the Sacred Heart under the leadership of Reverend Mother Rosalie Hill, R.S.C.J. to found the San Diego College for Women. St. Madeleine Sophie Barat founded the Society of the Sacred Heart in France in 1800. It was brought to America by St. Philippine Duchesne in 1818. Today it has schools and colleges in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the two Americas. The San Diego College for Women began classes in February, 1952.

The College for Men and the School of Law, the first professional division of the University, both began classes in 1954. Originally sponsored by the Diocese of San Diego, USD became the twelfth diocesan institution of higher education in the United States. It soon became clear that distinct educational advantages would accrue to students if the curricula of these institutions were shared. In July, 1972, the two colleges and the School of Law merged, forming a single, co-educational Catholic university. The governance of the University was transferred from the Diocese to an independent Board of Trustees. The University of San Diego is now organized into five divisions: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, the School of Education, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, and the School of Law.

In 1994, USD was reclassified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "Doctoral University II" institution. This reclassification recognized the strides the University had made in graduate studies and research. In addition, USD became the center of national attention on October 16, 1996, when it hosted the United States Presidential Debate.

The young men and women who share the life of the University of San Diego as undergraduates and contribute to its growth are a multi-talented group who have many options in their life's choices. They have chosen USD for various reasons: most of them would like to acquire the power to think clearly and independently, to form sound and discriminating judgments, to satisfy a developing intellectual curiosity, and to accept as their own the values of authentic freedom, openness to change, and responsibility to serve the society in which they live. They attend a Catholic university, and the majority of them are Catholics who share certain commitments and wish to explore vital religious questions in a free, yet informed way; but a high percentage of students of other faiths insures the presentation of a diversity of views, so characteristic of the pluralistic American society.

A friendly campus atmosphere, opportunity for close rapport between faculty and students, class sizes that facilitate personal attention and instructor accessibility - such are the elements creating the educational environment of the University of San Diego.

Mission

The University of San Diego is a community of scholars committed to the pursuit of truth, academic excellence, and advancement of knowledge in liberal arts and professional programs. Independent and comprehensive, the University of San Diego is dedicated to providing a value-based education to all students in its College and Schools.

A Roman Catholic institution, the University is committed to belief in God, to the recognition of the dignity of each individual and to the development of an active faith community. It is Catholic because it witnesses to and probes the Christian message as proclaimed by the Catholic Church.

The University welcomes and respects those whose lives are formed by different traditions, recognizing their important contributions to our pluralistic society and to an atmosphere of open discussion essential to liberal education. As a community the University is committed to collegiality, shared decision-making and academic freedom.

Education at the University is holistic, offering opportunities for intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and cultural development. Students are challenged to develop knowledge, values and skills to enrich their lives and to prepare them for careers which will provide service to their global, civic, and faith communities.

Academic Excellence. Academic excellence is an integral part of the liberal arts tradition. The University commits itself to excellence in all its academic and professional pursuits. Its primary goal is to achieve a level of academic excellence in teaching and scholarship that, both in fact and in reputation, rivals the best comprehensive universities. The University will strive to develop the human, environmental, programmatic, evaluative, supporting, and financial resources that are necessary to achieve excellence as an institution of higher education whose primary mission is teaching and encouraging research and scholarship supportive of the teaching/learning environment.

Values. The University will continue to emphasize its commitment to the values that characterize the best in American higher education including Roman Catholic higher education. These values include academic integrity, academic freedom, the rigorous quest for understanding and truth, justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and compassion. The University's commitment to these values will permeate not only its undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic programs, but all of its programs, activities, and relationships.

Individual Dignity. The University will continue to promote and implement the principles that are associated with the dignity of the individual human being: individual responsibility; respect for each individual; sensitivity to the value of individual differences; and commitment to the view that a community is enriched by the diversity of points of view brought by individuals from a wide variety of cultural, ethnic, religious, and racial background.

Holism. Education at the University of San Diego addresses the fullest development of the person, intellectually, physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially, and culturally. The University will promote this goal by providing reasonable opportunities, suitable facilities, and appropriate support services for the holistic growth of all its students, faculty, and staff.

Catholicity. The University is committed to its Catholic identity as intended by its founders and mandated by its corporate declaration and the Board of Trustees. It will communicate this identity, and the activities this identity inspires, to its various constituencies. It will continue to support an active Catholic faith community on campus through its university ministry program.