India Studies Center Dedicated

Some 350 guests from Cal State Long Beach and the regional Indian American community attended the October dedication of the Yadunandan Center for India Studies at CSULB.

The center is dedicated to the impartial study of India’s cultures, peoples and history through a variety of academic disciplines.

The result of a $500,000 endowment from the Uka and Nalini Solanki Foundation, the center is the first of its kind in California. The center will build bridges with the large and diverse Indian American community in Southern California and beyond through a variety of programs and scholarships.

Uka Solanki, CEO of Big Saver Foods Inc., said he hopes the center will help non-Indian peoples understand his country. The center’s naming recognizes Yadunandan Yadav, Nalini Solanki’s great great-grandfather who was known for his leadership and advocacy for education in the northern India state now called Haryanana in the mid-19th century. Consistent with tradition, he was known simply as Yadunandan.

Student Government Hosts Mayoral Debate

In February, CSULB’s Associated Students hosted a debate among the city of Long Beach’s five candidates for mayor: from left, City Councilman Frank Colonna, former Councilman Doug Drummond, former Southern California Edison President Bob Foster, community member Ronnie Rephan and Long Beach Police Cpl. John Stolpe. They are vying to replace CSULB alumna Beverly O’Neill, who is completing her third term in office, in the April 11 election.

College of Business Ranked Among Top Business Schools

CSULB’s College of Business Administration was named one of the nation’s most outstanding business schools by the Princeton Review in the 2006 edition of its Best 237 Business Schools.

In particular, the CSULB College of Business Administration was recognized for its executive MBA program and its part-time/evening MBA program. The ranking lists of top 10 schools in 11 categories are based on institutional data from the schools and on surveys of 16,000 students attending the 237 schools profiled in the book.

Princeton Review describes the school as offering “five different MBA programs for the convenience of its students. Most popular among the different options is the Evening MBA, a self-paced program that can be pursued either full- or part-time.” The editors also quote students who noted that they enjoy “perfect class sizes that allow all students to contribute to discussions” and who praised professors for their real-world experience.

Princeton Review Ranks Cal State Long Beach No. 3 Best Value Public College in the United States

California State University, Long Beach has been ranked the No. 3 best value public college in the nation by The Princeton Review, which featured the campus in the “Top 10 Best Value Public Colleges” list in the 2007 edition of its America’s Best Value Colleges.

The Princeton Review compiled the ranking list and chose the colleges for the book based on data obtained from administrators at 646 colleges and its surveys of students attending them. More than 30 factors were considered to rate the colleges in four categories: academics, tuition, financial aid and student borrowing.

“The Princeton Review’s recognition of Cal State Long Beach as a great educational value for students is a wonderful honor,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander. “We recognize that the ability to afford a university degree is a key issue in terms of access to higher education and this campus has worked diligently to hold the line on costs to our students wherever possible. We also understand the value of providing high quality university opportunities to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

“For students at Cal State Long Beach, a high-quality education at an extremely affordable cost translates to what may well be our graduates’ single most valuable investment in their lives,” Alexander continued. “We’re very pleased that The Princeton Review has demonstrated the importance of value in terms of academic strength, student service, financial aid and overall costs within higher education. This is what distinguishes The Princeton Review’s national ranking from other university comparisons.”

In the best value public colleges category, CSULB was ranked behind New College of Florida (1st), and North Carolina State University (2nd). Among others in the top 10 were the University of Virginia (7th), Texas A & M (8th), and the University of California, Berkeley (9th), the only other California institution ranked in the top 10 by The Princeton Review.

America’s Best Value Colleges offers three-page profiles of 150 of the best colleges chosen for their excellent academics, generous financial aid packages and relatively low costs. It includes 103 public and 47 private colleges in 40 states as well as the ranking lists of the top 10 best value public colleges and top 10 best value private colleges. A full list of the schools included in the guide can be found at www.PrincetonReview.com.