# 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. | President | President | Term of office | Education | Notes |
| 1 | | George W. Minns (1813–1895) | 1857–1862 (5 years) | Bachelor's from Harvard University LL.D., Harvard University | Founder of Minns' Evening Normal School |
| 2 | | Ahira Holmes (1823–1902) | 1862–1865 (3 years) | Graduated from Bridgewater State University | |
| 1 | | George W. Minns (1813–1895) | 1865–1866 (11 months) | Graduated from Harvard University LL.D., Harvard University | Founder of Minns' Evening Normal School |
| 3 | | Henry P. Carlton (1821–1909) | 1866–1867 (1 year) | Attended the University of Vermont D.h.c, University of California, Berkeley | |
| 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 Dr.h.c, University of California, Berkeley | |
| 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., San José State University Attended Heald College | |
| 8 | | Ambrose Randall (1839–1900) | 1896–1899 (3 years) | Graduated Wesleyan University Graduated University of Maine at Farmington | |
| 9 | | James McNaughton (1837–1908) | 1899–1900 (1 year) | Bachelor's from Allegheny College Master's from the University of Michigan PhD, University of Michigan | |
| 10 | | Morris Elmer Dailey (1867–1919) | 1900–1918 (18 years) | Bachelor's from Simpson College Master's from Indiana University Bloomington LL.D., Drake University | Namesake of the Morris Dailey Auditorium in Tower Hall |
| 11 | | Lewis Ben Wilson (1854–1924) | 1919–1920 (1 year) | Attended Washington & Jefferson College Dip.Ed., San José State University Attended Stanford University Attended the University of California, Berkeley | Acting president |
| 12 | | William Webb Kemp (1873–1946) | 1920–1923 (3 years) | A.B., Stanford University Attended the University of California, Berkeley PhD., Columbia University | |
| 13 | | Alexander Richard Heron (1891–1965) | 1923–1923 (3 months) | B.ComSci., Southwestern Law School D.Bus.h.c., University of the Pacific | Acting president |
| 14 | | Edwin Reagan Snyder (1872–1925) | 1923–1925 (2 years) | Graduated from the University of Northern Colorado Bachelor's from Stanford University | Died in office |
| 15 | | Herman F. Minnsen (1890–1943) | 1925–1927 (2 years) | Graduated from Northern Illinois University Bachelor's from Stanford University M.A., Stanford University | Acting president |
| 16 | | Thomas William MacQuarrie (1879–1963) | 1927–1952 (25 years) | Graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Attended Columbia University Attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College Bachelor's from Stanford University Master's from Stanford University PhD., Stanford University | Longest term of office at 25 years Namesake of MacQuarrie Hall |
| 17 | | John T. Wahlquist (1899–1990) | 1952–1964 (12 years) | Bachelor's, University of Utah Secondary teaching credential, University of Utah School administrative credential, University of Utah M.S., University of Utah PhD., University of Cincinnati | Namesake of the Wahlquist Library, demolished in 2000 |
| 18 | | Robert D. Clark (1910–2005) | 1964–1969 (5 years) | B.A., Point Loma Nazarene University M.A., University of Southern California PhD., University of Southern California | Namesake of Robert D. Clark Hall (formerly Clark Library) |
| 19 | | Hobert W. Burns (1910–2005) | 1969–1970 (1 year) | A.A., Menlo College B.A., Stanford University M.A., Stanford University Ed.D., Stanford University | Acting president |
| 20 | | John H. Bunzel (1924–2018) | 1970–1978 (8 years) | A.B., Princeton University M.A., Columbia University PhD., University of California, Berkeley | |
| 21 | | Gail Fullerton (1927–2016) | 1978–1991 (13 years) | B.A., University of Nebraska–Lincoln M.A., University of Nebraska–Lincoln PhD., University of Oregon | First female president |
| 22 | — | J. Handel Evans (born 1938) | 1991–1994 (3 years) | BArch, University of Manchester MArch, University of Oregon Attended University of Cambridge | Acting president |
| 23 | | Robert L. Caret (born 1947) | 1995–2003 (8 years) | B.S., Suffolk University PhD., University of New Hampshire D.Sc.h.c, Suffolk University D.Litt.h.c, National Hispanic University D.Litt.,h.c., San José State University D.Litt.h.c., St. Joseph's College of Maine and Westfield State University | Namesake of Robert L. Caret Plaza |
| 24 | — | Joseph N. Crowley (1933–2017) | 2003–2004 (1 year) | Attended the University of Maryland, College Park B.A., University of Iowa M.A., California State University, Fresno PhD., University of Washington | Interim president |
| 25 | — | Paul Yu (1941–2016) | 2004–2004 (2 weeks) | B.A., University of Michigan M.A., University of Michigan PhD., University of Michigan | Shortest term of office at 2 weeks First Asian president |
| 26 | | Don W. Kassing (born 1941) | 2004–2005 (1 year) | B.S., St. Louis University M.B.A., St. Louis University D.Litt.,h.c., San José State University | Interim president |
| 26 | | Don W. Kassing (born 1941) | 2005–2008 (3 years) | B.S., St. Louis University M.B.A., St. Louis University D.Litt.,h.c., San José State University | |
| 27 | — | Jon Whitmore (born 1945) | 2008–2010 (2 years) | B.A., Washington State University M.A., Washington State University PhD., University of California, Santa Barbara | |
| 26 | | Don W. Kassing (born 1941) | 2010–2011 (1 year) | B.S., St. Louis University M.B.A., St. Louis University D.Litt.,h.c., San José State University | Interim president |
| 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 PhD., University of Cincinnati | First Middle Eastern president |
| 29 | | Susan W. Martin (born 1950) | 2015–2016 (11 months) | B.S., Central Michigan University M.B.A., Michigan State University PhD., Michigan State University | Interim president |
| 30 | | Mary A. Papazian (born 1959) | 2016–2021 (5 years) | B.A., University of California, Los Angeles M.A., University of California, Los Angeles PhD., University of California, Los Angeles | |
| 31 | — | Stephen Perez (born 1967) | 2022–2023 (1 year) | B.A., University of California, San Diego M.A., University of California, Davis PhD., University of California, Davis | Interim president |
| 32 | | Cynthia Teniente-Matson (born 1965) | 2023–present | B.A., University of Alaska Fairbanks M.B.A., University of Alaska Anchorage Ed.D., California State University, Fresno | First Hispanic president |

## Timeline of San José State University presidential terms

* Presidents of San José State Universityvte