About SJSU

Students walking through the Cesar Chavez monument on the SJSU campus.

Silicon Valley's Public University

San José State University is in many ways the original Silicon Valley startup, continually evolving over more than 160 years to meet the needs of the region, state, nation and world. A comprehensive university education, granting bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study, SJSU is an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and California. With more than 36,000 students, 4,300 employees and over 350,000 alumni, the Spartan spirit is deeply ingrained across the globe.

A diverse group of students sit around our Statue of John Carlos and Tommie Smith.

Mission

Honoring our roots as the first public university in the West, SJSU is an empowering institution enrolling historically underserved students, driving inclusion, and embracing talent from diverse cultures from our region and across the globe. SJSU’s spirit of innovation and creativity drives academic excellence, teaching, research, and service in a learning environment where all students belong. Together, we nurture leaders to thrive and transform our community, Silicon Valley, and the world.

Vision

San José State University will be a nationally and globally recognized, student-centered public urban research university cultivating equity-minded social impact, global innovation, and community engagement.

Values

We are champions for student success

What we do: We serve our diverse students by actively identifying and working towards dismantling systemic inequities in our institution. By removing obstacles, we provide opportunities to learn, grow and effect change in their spheres of influence as alumni.

How we strive to do it: We create an intellectual environment in which hands-on, transformational learning experiences help students, faculty, and staff collaboratively address complex issues in global communities. We establish practices that address students’ holistic needs and support their academic excellence, personal development, and well-being.

We are visionary and community-minded

What we do: We are the original start-up in Silicon Valley and a downtown San Jose anchor institution [pdf] that continues to ignite the next generation of talent locally and globally. We contribute to the continuous evolution and growth of this center of big ideas driven by big thinkers.

How we strive to do it: We lead with intentionality to increase the University’s presence and impact in a vibrant and diverse downtown San Jose community as well as the wider Bay Area region while confronting challenging environmental, social, technological, and economic issues. We cultivate relentless curiosity, creativity, and entrepreneurship to drive every aspect of what we do.

We are inclusive and equity-minded

What we do: We are committed to and embody the movement for social and racial justice. Our pursuit to eradicate disparities  and advance justice encompasses all axes of difference, backgrounds, and identities and promotes a sense of belonging and empowerment in our community. 

How we strive to do it: We honor the dignity and resilience of all people, beginning with our region’s Indigenous communities. We support intersectional identities across race, class, faith, gender, sexuality, and ability so that each person can excel. We cultivate compassion, equity-mindedness and cultural humility. We provide an educational experience for our community that is rooted in socio-economic and culturally-affirming practices, encourages self-advocacy, and prepares students to be engaged citizens in a complex global world.

We are trustworthy and act with integrity and accountability

What we do: We uphold ethical behavior in all that we do as credible and honest citizens to our university, alumni, community, and society.

How we strive to do it: We embrace a culture of care and respect that delivers on our commitments to transparency, honesty and integrity to each other and those we serve. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards.

We are collaborative and embrace teamwork

What we do: We are better together. We advance the university community’s experience, the public good, and the community at large through intentional collaborations and partnerships.

How we strive to do it: We foster collaboration and teamwork in a manner that supports and advances our mission and vision. We build positive internal and external partnerships to ensure a safe, healthy, and productive environment that promotes achievement, well-being, career readiness, and discovery.

Action Plan Framework

Read the full Campus Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Action Plan Framework, which provides a roadmap for the campus that is specific to diversity, equity and inclusion.

An aerial view of campus within downtown san jose.

Transformation 2030 — SJSU's Strategic Plan

Together - with Transformation 2030 as the blueprint - our university’s students, faculty, staff, alumni and other supporters are all helping to realize San José State’s position as a nationally prominent urban public university.

History

SJSU History, Normal school

The SJSU Story Begins with People

Founded in 1857, San José State's history began before the Civil War, as the first State Normal School, which trained teachers who educated the people of a young California. Now, SJSU is a dynamic comprehensive university that anchors the 10th largest city in the United States, and Spartans are found around the globe. 

Our People

SJSU Students.

Students

Students discover what inspires them through a breadth of majors, unique programs and opportunities for research—as well as more than 450 student organizations and Division I athletics. 

SJSU Faculty

Employees

Our world-class faculty and dedicated staff members educate and support our students in all phases of their educational journey. 

Mission

Alumni

Through our dynamic campus community and international network of more than 350,000 alumni, opportunities abound for sharing a broad range of perspectives.

A students stands at the top of a high mountain while working on equipment to track wildfires.

Give to SJSU

With the support of alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, and others in the Spartan community, SJSU students can follow their passions and discover their “why” at SJSU.

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