Former name | Balboa Law College Balboa University California Western University |
|---|---|
| Active | 1924 (1924)–2001 (2001) |
| Founder | Leland Ghent Stanford |
| Accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges |
| Location | |
| Campus | Multiple sites including: San Diego,Maui,Steamboat Springs,Wiesbaden,Vienna,Hong Kong, London,Mexico City andNairobi (USIU Africa) |
| Merged into | Alliant International University |
Sporting affiliations | NCAADivision I NAIA |
| Website | www.usiu.edu (archived copy as of 2000) |
United States International University (USIU) was a nonprofit university based inSan Diego, California, that was accredited by theWestern Association of Schools and Colleges.[1] At its peak, it had two additional American campuses and three international locations. It was merged intoAlliant International University in 2001, which became a for-profit benefit corporation in 2015.[2]
USIU's roots date back toBalboa Law College, which was founded in 1924 in downtown San Diego byLeland Ghent Stanford. It was San Diego's first law school. The college gradually added other courses of study and changed its name to Balboa University.[3] In 1952 it changed its name to California Western University and moved to ahistoric oceanfront campus in San Diego'sPoint Loma neighborhood.[4] William C. Rust became its president in 1953.[5]
In 1966, Rust began transforming the university's vision "to create global understanding through a single university with campuses all over the world."[6][4] In 1968 he changed the school's name to United States International University, whose founding goal was to focus on "human excellence" and not simply "intellectual excellence".[7] TheSan Diego Reader later referred to USIU as an "international phenomenon".[6] Rust purchased land for a new campus inScripps Ranch, and all university operations were moved there by 1973.[3]California Western School of Law kept its separate name and identity and remained on the Point Loma campus until 1973, when it moved to downtown San Diego. In 1975 it split off from USIU into an independent entity that is still in operation.[3]
In the early 1980s, USIU held a broadcast license to operateKUSI-TV, a startupUHF television station in San Diego. To launch the station, USIU partnered with Mike McKinnon, who owned television stations in Texas and KSON radio in San Diego. It went on in 1982; after a protracted dispute, USIU sold its stake to McKinnon, who had blocked attempts to sell to other parties. KUSI still exists as anindependent station, but is now owned byNexstar Media Group.[8]
USIU undertook a program of international expansion, but was soon plagued by financial trouble due to aggressive and far reaching expansion of "international centers" inWiesbaden,Vienna, andHong Kong coupled with bankruptcy litigation of the University's largest financier, US Financial Securities Corporation.[6] In 1986, Rust was still breaking new ground for buildings and maintaining focus on further expansion in Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and Russia.[9][6][10]
After 37 years of leading the university and enduring several rocky financial episodes, Rust was removed from all governing power by the board of trustees in 1990.[9] Gary Hays, former chancellor of the Minnesota State University, took over as president of USIU in April 1990 and reorganized the University into just two remaining colleges; arts and sciences and business administration.[11] All sports programs were eliminated due to the University's indebtedness.[12]
The university was able to continue and restored smaller athletic programs for soccer, tennis and cross country competing in theNAIA. However, theSeptember 11 attacks and subsequent loss of international student enrollment tuition proved to be final for USIU.[10] In 2001, it merged with theCalifornia School of Professional Psychology to formAlliant International University.[10][13] BothCSPP and USIU were not-for-profit schools with similar needs and complementing resources.[10] At the time of their merger the newly formedAIU had an undergraduate student body that was 33% international students and 30%ethnic minority group students and an annual budget of $60 million.[10] In 2015, Alliant International University became a for-profit benefit corporation.[2]
The university's main campus from 1952 to 1973 was the land that is now occupied byPoint Loma Nazarene University.[14] With the name change to USIU the university moved to its new campus inScripps Ranch, and opened national campuses inMaui andSteamboat Springs as well as international campuses in London, Mexico City, and Nairobi. Additional campuses were proposed. The Nairobi campus is the only one that still exists and is now known asUnited States International University Africa.[7][15] The multi-campus, international concept shaped the university with its student focus and core curriculum. In the late 1980s USIU became known for catering to wealthy international students, including royalty from the Middle East.[16]
The USIU Gullsfootball team produced five professional football players. The legendarySid Gillman was head coach for four months during an offseason before his final coaching job with thePhiladelphia Eagles.[17] In just four months, "Gillman turned the team into aWest Coast legend".[17] In an interview withSports Illustrated, Al Palmiotto, USIU's athletic director during Gillman's time, recalled that Gillman said, "What a lucky son-of-a-bitch I am finding a place like this for the last years of my life."[18] Four of the coaches he recruited all went on to have extensive careers in the NFL:Tom Walsh,John Fox,Mike Solari andMike Sheppard. Two players he recruited became NFL starters:Bob Gagliano andVernon Dean.[17]
USIU's international presence and student body allowed it to maintain anNCAA Division I hockey team, theUSIU Gulls, which was the onlyNCAA hockey team west ofthe Rockies.[15] In 1980,Sports Illustrated covered the team's triumphs with a 16-8-2 record in article titled "Beach Boys on Blades".[15] However, in 1990 after operating for 10 years and producing twoNHLPittsburgh Penguins players —Darren Lowe andPat Mayer — the program was dropped due to the rising costs associated with "traveling 2,000 miles to compete".[19]
USIU also maintained a non-conference NCAA Division Ibasketball team which has been referred to as the "greatest show in college basketball" and the "forgotten team of San Diego".[20] When playing for the USIU Gulls,Kevin Bradshaw recorded an NCAA record for the most points in a single game versus an NCAA Division I team (72 in a loss toLoyola Marymount).[20]
USIU'swomen's basketball team was also a member of NCAA Division I between 1982 and 1989, although the team mainly competed as an independent the Gulls were members of theWest Coast Conference in the 1985–86 and 1986–87 seasons. The Gulls won the 1986 WCAC regular season championship in women's basketball finishing the season with an 11–1 record
USIU'ssoftball team appeared in oneWomen's College World Series in1982.[21] The Gulls defeatedOhio State 1–0 in the team's first game. Freshman pitcher Jenny Stallard then hurled an eight-inningperfect game to stun top-seeded and eventual tournament champion,Texas A&M, 1–0 in the team's second game.[21] However, losses toMichigan andCentral Michigan ended the Gulls' season.
Notable faculty includedJamie Foxx,Lem Burnham, andIgor Ansoff, the "father of Strategic Management".[14][22][7][23]