The McIntosh Humanities Building Named in Honor of Carl W. McIntosh in 1980

November 26, 2012

The College of Liberal Arts Dean’s office and several CLA departments call the McIntosh Humanities Building their “home”; yet students and faculty often wonder who the building is named after.

Carl W. McIntosh served as the second president of California State University, Long Beach, which was then known as Long Beach State College (LBSC), from 1959-69. During his 10-year tenure, Long Beach State became the largest college in California in terms of student enrollment.

The challenges that accompanied the campus’ dramatic growth involved keeping up with faculty, staff, and facilities to serve students. Many facilities had been added to the campus by the end of the McIntosh administration, including the Soroptimist House, Peterson (Science) Hall 3, three engineering and two health and human services buildings, the Residence Halls and Commons, and the Humanities Office Building that was named the McIntosh Humanities Building in McIntosh’s honor in 1980.

By the time he resigned in 1969, McIntosh had presided over a decade of dynamic growth that saw a three-fold increase in the campus’ full-time equivalent enrollment and the major expansion of its buildings and grounds that included some 30 permanent buildings.

McIntosh was born in 1914 in Redlands, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Redlands and his Master of Arts and Doctorate degrees from the Iowa State University. McIntosh arrive to Long Beach State after serving as president of Idaho State University for 12 years. After resigning from Long Beach State, he served as the president of Montana State University from 1970-77. He remained in the Bozeman, Montana area until his death on January 19, 2009.

Photo courtesy of CSULB’s University Outreach and School Relations