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Governor Gage signs Cal Poly's founding act, effective January 1, 1902, which states: "The purpose of the school is to furnish . . . mental and manual training the arts and sciences, including agriculture, mechanics, engineering, business methods, domestic economy . . ."
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The California Polytechnic School commences operations with instruction in agriculture, mechanics, and domestic science.
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Fifteen men and women attend. Herman Waters, a mechanical engineering graduate from Cornell University, joins the faculty and expands course offerings in electrical engineering.
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Under the direction of LeRoy B. Smith, Cal Poly further develops its project-centered curriculum whereby students undertake actual practice in their disciplines in the school labs and shops.
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Robert W. Ryder, head of the Mechanical Department, is appointed school director, Cal Poly's first chief executive who is an engineer.
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Over the course of his career, Professor C. Elgin Knott oversees engineering as head of the Mechanics Department, head of the Industrial Division, Industry Coordinator Head, and Assistant Dean of the School of Engineering. During the Depression, Elgin travels the state to secure employment for the Industrial Division graduates.
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The School of Engineering is listed as one of Cal Poly's five major divisions. Engineering offerings in the newly established junior college division include aeronautics, electrical engineering, architectural drafting, civil engineering, mechanical drafting, printing, and mechanical engineering.
Inception of the Aeronautical Engineering Department.
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Cal Poly students construct the Glenmont, a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis and the first airplane constructed in the United States by students.
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Construction of the new Electrical Engineering Building.
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Poly Phase student club founded.
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The Aeronautical Engineering Department becomes the only college department in California to be licensed by the U.S. Department of Commerce as an approved aircraft repair station.
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Amelia Earhart lands on campus.
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The Cal Poly airstrip is constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
The school adds a third year of instruction, making Cal Poly a technical school.
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Formation of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Department.
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Cal Poly is authorized by the State Board of Education to grant Bachelor of Science degrees. The school name is changed to California State Polytechnic College.
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Twenty-four men receive the first baccalaureate degrees, including degrees in Aeronautical Industries, Air Conditioning Industries, Electrical Industries, and Mechanical Industries.
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During World War II, military training contract brought two Navy programs to the campus: the Naval Flight Preparatory School and Naval Academic Refresher Unit Program. Civilian enrollment goes down to 80.
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An influx of veterans boosts Cal Poly's enrollment by over 250 percent; 60 new faculty are hired. These additions plus the acquisition of tons of military surplus hardware provide impetus for expansion and development of the engineering program.
The Electronic and Radio Engineering Department is founded.
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The California Polytechnic School is renamed the California Polytechnic State College.
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Ralph B. Priestley named dean of Cal Poly's Engineering Division.
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Harold P. Hayes serves as dean of engineering.
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Industrial Engineering Department founded.
Women are re-admitted to Cal Poly.
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Welding and Metallurgical Engineering Department established.
The engineering departments are accredited by the Engineering Council for Professional Development.
Engineering Science Program established.
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General Electric Company contributes a Burroughs 205 computer and accessories valued at $50,000 to the EE department-the first large corporate in-kind gift made to the Engineering Division.
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Sharon Louise Granda becomes the first woman to receive an engineering degree.
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The Engineering Division is renamed the School of Engineering.
Air Conditioning Department name changes to Environmental Engineering. Air Pollution concentration is added to the curriculum.
Archie Higdon serves as dean.
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Transportation Engineering Department established.
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EE and EL merged into single department.
Cal Poly becomes California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
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Robert Valpey serves as dean.
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Transportation engineering becomes the Civil Engineering Department.
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The Civil and Environmental Department is formed.
The Minority Engineering Program started.
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Bill Horton serves as dean.
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Computer Science becomes a department in the College of Engineering.
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Duane Bruley serves as dean.
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Women's Engineering Program established.
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Peter Y. Lee serves as dean.
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Computer Engineering becomes a program.
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Groundbreaking for Engineering East (Building 20).
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U.S. News & World Report ranks Cal Poly as the number one public undergraduate engineering institution in the nation.
The college dedicates its first industry-sponsored labs: the Solectron Electronics Manufacturing Engineering CAD/CAM Laboratory, the Stanford Telecom Electronics Manufacturing Engineering Automation Laboratory, and the Solar Turbines/Bently Nevada Vibrations and Rotor Dynamics Laboratory.
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Advanced Technology Laboratories building is dedicated, the first facility at Cal Poly funded entirely without state monies.
Cal Poly again named the best public, primarily undergraduate engineering school in the nation in an updated, comprehensive survey taken by U.S. News and World Report.
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U.S.News & World Report names the Computer Science Department as the best undergraduate program in the nation.
The college commemorates 100 years of Cal Poly Engineering as part of the university-wide Centennial Celebration.
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U.S. News & World Report ranks Cal Poly's College of Engineering (CENG) as the top public undergraduate engineering program in the nation with the Computer, Electrical Engineering, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering Departments all named as the top public programs. Aerospace and Civil Engineering are ranked No. 2 for public universities.
Students in the College of Engineering vote to increase their quarterly academic fees by $200 in order to support the instructional activities of their departments and programs.
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The Donald E. Bently Center for Engineering Innovation is established with a gift of $6 million from Donald Bently.
Isaac and Margaret Barpal make a $5 million bequest to provide financial aid for disadvantaged students and to assist the EE department.
Cal Poly's Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is named the nation's top large section, and the Society of Environmental Engineers (SENVE) is named Best Student Chapter in the country for intermediate size.
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The College of Engineering Centennial Campaign tops out at $64.7 million, exceeding its original goal by almost $5 million.
The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine ranks Cal Poly # 3 nationally for graduating Hispanics in engineering and engineering technology programs.
For the second straight year, Cal Poly's Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is named the nation's best "large" student section. The group also takes 1st in TeamTech, Audio Visual, and Membership.
The Society of Environmental Engineers (SENVE) named Best Student Chapter two years in a row by the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA).
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Mohammad Noori is named dean.
Groundbreaking for the Bonderson Projects Center, Engineering IV and the Engineering Plaza is celebrated.
Engineering III is occupied by the Aerospace, Materials, and Industrial & Manufacturing Departments and dedicated as the "Grant M. Brown Engineering Building" to honor the Brown Family.
The aerospace wing of Engineering III is named "The Baldwin and Mary Reinhold Aerospace Engineering Laboratories" in recognition of Mary and Baldwin Reinhold and the Reinhold Family.
SWE is again named top in the nation.
CENG students contribute to a third place win in the national Solar Decathlon competition in Washington, D.C.
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Cal Poly becomes the first campus in the California State University to offer a degree in Biomedical Engineering and an AERO master's degree specialization in Space Systems.
SWE is the nation's best student section and the largest in the U.S. with over 400 members.
Cal Poly's Engineers Without Borders completes its first international project by installing a water treatment system for a village in Thailand.
The Bonderson Projects Center opens. Made possible by gifts totaling $8.2 million from Paul R. Bonderson, Jr., and his wife, Sandra, the 19,000-square-foot building is the first on the university campus funded entirely by a private, individual donor.
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Engineering IV was completed, providing 104,000 square feet.
The Bonderson Fellowships were established to provide scholarships for students earning master’s-doctoral degrees at Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara in biomedical and materials engineering.
The Cal Poly CubeSat program launched two picosatellites from the Baikonur Cosodrome.
The Cal Poly Supermileage Team won the U.S. Shell Eco-Car Challenge by achieving an astounding 1,902 miles per gallon.
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U.S.News & World Report named Cal Poly Engineering the nation’s No. 1 public-master’s engineering program.
Service Learning was infused across the college—projects such as PolyHouse, the Adapted Kayak and others addressed real needs in the local community.
A pilot program for a Multidisciplinary Senior Design/Capstone Sequence was initiated, the first at any major university.
Engineering Days at Cal Poly became the first engineering day camp ever organized by Cal Poly Engineering.
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For the second year, Cal Poly Engineering was named No. 1 by U.S.News & World Report—the Industrial & Manufacturing Department was ranked as the top program in the nation.
Cal Poly became the first CSU campus to offer an M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering.
The Quality of Life Plus Laboratory was founded to focus on the development of technology to aid disabled veterans.
The Mustang ’60 Project Shop opened.
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