List of presidents of San Jose State University

The President of San José State University is the chief administrator of the university.

San José State University is a public university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857 and originally known as the Minns' Evening Normal School, SJSU is the oldest public university in the state of California. The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through its 7 colleges and schools. With a total student enrollment of about 36,000, SJSU is one of the largest universities in the United States.

Thirty-two people have led San Jose State since its founding including eight principals, 15 presidents, five acting presidents, and four interim presidents. The longest-serving president of the university was Thomas William MacQuarrie, who held the office for twenty five years from 1927 to 1952. The shortest-serving president of the university was Paul Yu who held the office for two weeks between July and August 2004.

The current president of San José State University is Cynthia Teniente-Matson, assuming the position on January 16, 2023.

List of presidents

The following individuals have held the Office of President of San José State University. Before 1899, the officeholder was referred to as the Principal, but has since been referred to as the President. Modern names of educational institutions are used.

No. PresidentTerm of officeEducationNotesPrincipals of Minns Evening Normal School 1 George W. Minns(1813–1895) 1857–1862(5 years) Bachelor's from Harvard University LL.D., Harvard UniversityFounder of Minns' Evening Normal School 2 Ahira Holmes(1823–1902) 1862–1865(3 years) Graduated from Bridgewater Normal SchoolPrincipals of California State Normal School 1 George W. Minns(1813–1895) 1865–1866(11 months) Graduated from Harvard University LL.D., Harvard UniversityFounder of Minns' Evening Normal School 3 Henry P. Carlton(1821–1909) 1866–1867(1 year) Attended the University of Vermont 4 George E. Tait(1831–1888) 1867–1868(8 months) Graduated from the University of Virginia 3 Henry P. Carlton(1821–1909) 1868–1868(4 months) Attended the University of Vermont 5 William T. Lucky(1821–1876) 1868–1873(5 years) A.B., McKendrie University M.A., McKendrie University 6 Charles H. Allen(1828–1904) 1873–1889(16 years)Namesake of Allen Hall, demolished in 2003 7 Charles W. Childs(1844–1922) 1889–1896(7 years) Dip.Ed., California State Normal School Attended Heald College 8 Ambrose Randall(1839–1900) 1896–1899(3 years) Graduated from Wesleyan University Graduated from Western State Normal School 9 James McNaughton(1837–1908) 1899–1900(1 year) Bachelor's from Allegheny College Master's from the University of Michigan Ph.D., University of Michigan 10 Morris Elmer Dailey(1867–1919) 1900–1919(18 years) A.B., Simpson College B.S., Drake University M.A., Indiana University Bloomington LL.D., Drake UniversityDied in office Namesake of the Morris Dailey Auditorium in Tower Hall 11 Acting Lewis Ben Wilson(1854–1924) 1919–1920(1 year) Attended Washington & Jefferson College Dip.Ed., California State Normal School Attended Stanford University Attended the University of California, BerkeleyPresidents of State Teachers College at San Jose 12 William Webb Kemp(1873–1946) 1920–1923(3 years) A.B., Stanford University Attended the University of California, Berkeley Ph.D., Columbia University 13 Acting Alexander Richard Heron(1891–1965) 1923–1923(3 months) B.ComSci., Southwestern Law School 14 Edwin Reagan Snyder(1872–1925) 1923–1925(2 years) Dip.Ed., State Normal School of Colorado A.B., Stanford University Ph.D., Columbia UniversityDied in office 15 Acting Herman F. Minnsen(1890–1943) 1925–1927(2 years) Dip.Ed., Northern Illinois State Normal School A.B., Stanford University M.A., Stanford University 16 Thomas William MacQuarrie(1879–1963) 1927–1952(25 years) Dip.Ed., Superior Normal School Attended Columbia University Attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College A.B., Stanford University M.A., Stanford University Ph.D., Stanford UniversityLongest term of office at 25 years Namesake of MacQuarrie Hall 17 John T. Wahlquist(1899–1990) 1952–1964(12 years) B.A., University of Utah Secondary teaching credential, University of Utah School administrative credential, University of Utah M.S., University of Utah Ph.D., University of CincinnatiNamesake of the Wahlquist Library, demolished in 2000 18 Robert D. Clark(1910–2005) 1964–1969(5 years) B.A., Pasadena College M.A., University of Southern California Ph.D., University of Southern CaliforniaNamesake of Robert D. Clark Hall (formerly Clark Library) 19 Acting Hobert W. Burns(1910–2005) 1969–1970(1 year) A.A., Menlo School and Junior College B.A., Stanford University M.A., Stanford University Ed.D., Stanford UniversityPresidents of California State University, San JosePresidents of San José State University 20 John H. Bunzel(1924–2018) 1970–1978(8 years) A.B., Princeton University M.A., Columbia University Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley 21 Gail Fullerton(1927–2016) 1978–1991(13 years) B.A., University of Nebraska M.A., University of Nebraska–Lincoln Ph.D., University of OregonFirst female president 22 Acting — J. Handel Evans(born 1938) 1991–1994(3 years) BArch, University of Manchester MArch, University of Oregon Attended University of Cambridge 23 Robert L. Caret(born 1947) 1995–2003(8 years) B.S., Suffolk University Ph.D., University of New HampshireNamesake of Robert L. Caret Plaza 24 Interim — Joseph N. Crowley(1933–2017) 2003–2004(1 year) Attended the University of Maryland, College Park B.A., University of Iowa M.A., Fresno State College Ph.D., University of Washington 25 — Paul Yu(1941–2016) 2004–2004(2 weeks) B.A., University of Michigan M.A., University of Michigan Ph.D., University of MichiganShortest term of office at 2 weeks First Asian president26 Interim Don W. Kassing(born 1941)2004–2005(1 year) B.S., St. Louis University M.B.A., St. Louis University26 2005–2008(3 years) 27 — Jon Whitmore(born 1945) 2008–2010(2 years) B.A., Washington State University M.A., Washington State University Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara 26 Interim Don W. Kassing(born 1941) 2010–2011(1 year) B.S., St. Louis University M.B.A., St. Louis University 28 Mohammad Qayoumi(born 1952) 2011–2015(4 years) B.S., American University of Beirut M.S., University of Cincinnati M.S., University of Cincinnati M.B.A., University of Cincinnati Ph.D., University of CincinnatiFirst Middle Eastern president 29 Interim Susan W. Martin(born 1950) 2015–2016(11 months) B.S., Central Michigan University M.B.A., Michigan State University Ph.D., Michigan State University30Mary A. Papazian(born 1959)2016–2021(5 years) B.A., University of California, Los Angeles M.A., University of California, Los Angeles Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles31 InterimStephen Perez(born 1967)2022–2023(1 year) B.A., University of California, San Diego M.A., University of California, Davis Ph.D., University of California, Davis32Cynthia Teniente-Matson(born 1965)2023–present ( years) B.A., University of Alaska Fairbanks M.B.A., University of Alaska Anchorage Ed.D., California State University, FresnoFirst Hispanic president

Timeline of San José State University presidential terms

See also History of San Jose State University List of San Jose State University people San Jose State Spartans

References