H. Res. 365 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

November 13, 2007. 

Whereas 2007 commemorates the sesquicentennial year that 

San Jose ́ State University was first established in 1857 

as Minns Evening Normal School to train teachers for 

the growing population of California; 

Whereas the success of the Minns Evening Normal School in 

San Francisco led to an Act enacted by the California 

Legislature on May 2, 1862, providing for the establishment of the first California State Normal School in 1862 

and thus beginning a new era for education in the State 

of California: the first State-wide program of free instruction in preparing teachers and prospective teachers; 

Whereas from these beginnings as the oldest public, four-year 

institution of higher education in California, San Jose ́

State University has matured into a comprehensive university, offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 134 

programs; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University is the flagship school of 

the California State University system, which uses the 

1857 founding date as part of its own heritage as noted 

on its official seal; 

Whereas California State University, the largest public system of higher learning in the United States, is recognized 
2 

•HRES 365 EH 

for its long-term commitment to affordable, accessible, 

and high-quality education; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University is the region’s largest 

university and the third largest public-sector employer 

with 30,000 students and 4,000 employees; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University-related spending in the 

San Francisco Bay Area is an estimated $479 million, 

generating a total impact of $829 million on the region’s 

economy, sustaining 11,000 jobs, and generating $48 

million annually in tax revenue; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University has contributed to the 

rich economic life and culture of the State of California 

by providing nearly 7,000 graduates into the workforce 

each year; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University’s most prized tradition is 

a commitment to enriching the lives of its students by 

transmitting knowledge and providing them with the 

skills to apply what they have learned into the service of 

our society; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University ranks tenth in the Nation’s top public universities in the total number of minority graduates—African Americans, Latinos, Asian 

Americans, and Pacific Islanders, with bachelor’s degrees 

across all disciplines; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University has conferred bachelor’s 

degrees in business management and the health professions to more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 

than any other college or university in the Nation; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University is among the top 35 colleges and universities in terms of the number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees conferred to Latino students 
3 

•HRES 365 EH 

and is therefore a recognized leader in graduating minority students; 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University’s faculty contribute to the 

quality of life in the Nation by their active engagement 

in scholarship, research, technological innovation, community service, and the arts; and 

Whereas San Jose ́ State University is an active partner with 

educational institutions, industries, and communities to 

enhance the quality of education, research, development, 

and community service for the State of California: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors San 

Jose ́ State University for its 150 years of commitment to 

public higher education. 

Attest: 

Clerk.