National University

National University NU is the second largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California and the 12th largest in the United States. Founded in 1971, National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California, United States offering academic degree programs at campuses located throughout the state, as well as in Florida, Georgia, Nevada, and Virginia through an online learning environment.

National University is organized into five professional schools and one college: the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies.

 National University’s online academic programs are interactive with streaming videos, real time discussions, multimedia learning material, and online classrooms.

Programs at National University are concentrated for adult learners and on campus classes are scheduled during evenings and on weekends

 National University’s Sanford College of Education offers bachelor's degrees, master’s degrees, certificates, and education credentials in areas including teaching, school counseling, school psychology, special education, early childhood education, and school administration. 

National holds teaching contracts with 643 California school districts  and approximately 70% of the 26,000 teachers in San Diego County earned their credentials at National University. Programs are offered on campus and online.

At the Henderson, Nevada campus, the School of Education offers Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree teacher licensure programs in elementary education, secondary math, and secondary English.

In 2015, National University changed the name of the School of Education to the Sanford College of Education in honor of philanthropist T. Denny Sanford.

 The Board of Trustees of the National University System is the governing body vested with supreme control over National University. Trustees have a fiduciary responsibility to the university as a whole. Among other responsibilities, the board elects the president, adopts an annual plan of financial operation, and establishes degrees to be awarded.

 Board oversight is also provided through its committee structure consisting of an Advisory Executive Committee, a Nominating Committee, an Investment Committee, an Audit Committee, the Committee on Academics, the Committee on Advancement, and the Committee on Resources. Day to day responsibility for administration of the university is delegated by the trustees to the president.

The Board of Trustees consists of 25 voting members. Two ex officio members, the president of the university and the chancellor of the system, also have voting privileges. The Board meets three times a year in San Diego.

National University founder David Chigos, a retired United States Navy lieutenant commander and a director of employee training for General Dynamics Corporation in San Diego, saw a need for a non traditional university education format with relevant and high demand degree programs to serve working adults. In November 1971, National University was organized as a private, non profit institution with 27 students attending classes in 1972. National's first commencement ceremony included 143 graduates. In 1975, National purchased two properties on Camino del Rio South in Mission Valley.

 Two years later it opened up facilities in Kearny Mesa and then expanded in San Diego County.

In 1977, National had some 1,000 alumni and it received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. By 1979, National had a 15 acre campus with 110,000 square feet of classroom and library space and some 3,500 alumni.

Also in 1979, National acquired the Cabrillo Pacific College of Law that became National's School of Law.

During the 1980s, National expanded with campuses in California's largest cities.National's School of Education was established in 1980. In 1988, Chigos retired as president with approximately 7,000 students enrolled at 35 established campuses in California, Las Vegas, Nevada, and in Costa Rica.

Jerry C. Lee was National University’s second president from 1989 until 2007. During his tenure, the number and locations of the university's campuses were restructured, the university’s finances were stabilized and strengthened, National’s academic programs were further enhanced and reviewed by outside specialized accrediting bodies for quality and rigor, and affiliate educational institutions were added to the university.

A tiered faculty structure model was developed in 1991. Also in 1991, National University's School of Law was dissolved.

In 1996, the academic and administrative headquarters was moved from Mission Valley to La Jolla. Also in 1996, online classes and academic degree programs became available. In 2000, there were over 17,000 students enrolled.

In 2001, the Board of Trustees established the National University System and Lee was appointed Chancellor. The National University System is a multi tiered alliance of individual educational and research institutions with each of its respective leaders  including the National University president reporting to the chancellor. Dana Gibson, was appointed as National's third president in 2007 and Lee became President Emeritus. In 2009, Gibson left National and Patricia E. Potter served as Interim President. Michael R. Cunningham became President on July 1, 2013.

As of 2014 National had over 24,000 enrolled students  with over 130 undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs and 23 teacher credential programs at 28 campuses in California and one in Henderson, Nevada, with over 100 academic programs offered online. National University is the second largest private, non-profit institution of higher education in California and the 12th largest private, non profit in the United States. National University, in 2011.12, had its 40th anniversary with an endowment of over $400 million and real estate property valued at over $145 million