Introduction
Established as a state-assisted university in 1964, Cleveland State University assumed a tradition for excellence when it adopted the buildings, faculty, staff, and programs of Fenn College, a private institution of 2,500 students. In 1969, the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law became part of Cleveland State University.
A young university with a rich history, Cleveland State traces its historical roots to 1870, when the Cleveland YMCA began to offer free classes. The YMCA program was formalized in 1881, reorganized in 1906 as the Association Institute, and became the Cleveland School of Technology, later renamed Fenn College. The Cleveland-Marshall College of Law traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897 as the first evening law school in the state and one of the first to admit women and minorities. In 1946, Cleveland Law School merged with the John Marshall School of Law, founded in 1916, to become Cleveland-Marshall Law School.
Throughout its long history, Cleveland State University and its predecessors pioneered work in developing student internships with business and industry, expanding an extensive co-op program, and attracting students who did not otherwise have access to higher education. Today, Cleveland State continues to grow by supporting the flexibility of its course offerings, programs, and affordable price with an excellent faculty and state-of-the-art facilities.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to encourage excellence, diversity, and engaged learning by providing a contemporary and accessible education in the arts, sciences, humanities and professions, and by conducting research, scholarship, and creative activity across these branches of knowledge. We endeavor to serve and engage the public and prepare our students to lead productive, responsible and satisfying lives in the region and global society.
Vision Statement
We will be recognized as a student-focused center of scholarly excellence that provides an accessible, engaged and exceptional education to all. We will be a place of opportunity for those who seek truth, strive toward excellence and seek a better life for themselves and for their fellow citizens. As a leader in innovative collaboration - both internally and externally - with business, industry, government, educational institutions and the community, the University will be a critical force in the region’s economic development. We will be at the forefront of moral, ethical, social, artistic and economic leadership for the future and embrace the vitality that comes with risk. We will be the strongest public university in the region and be known for our scholarship and diversity in service to students and to our community.
Ten Colleges
Courses of instruction leading to degrees are offered through Cleveland State’s ten colleges.
Many degrees are available from these colleges in the evening, and some programs offer weekend and online courses, as well.
Other programs available to undergraduates include: Black Studies, a selection of courses available in various departments, which explores the Black experience in America; and the Women’s Comprehensive Program, which offers special programming and counseling as well as course work.
Graduate work is offered through the College of Graduate Studies and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
A Dynamic Campus Environment
The Cleveland State campus consists of 85 acres–the largest footprint in downtown Cleveland–with 40 buildings used for teaching, research, housing, administration, and recreation. Nineteen-story Rhodes Tower contains the University Library, classrooms, and many faculty offices and is a striking feature on the Cleveland skyline. University buildings feature a blend of old and new architectural styles, with historic landmark Mather Mansion sharing the stage with such modern facilities as Glickman-Miller Hall, home of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, and the 13,000-seat Bert L. and Iris S. Wolstein Center. The university boasts more than 200 student organizations, including 13 national fraternities and sororities and 18 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s varsity sports.
For Northeast Ohio to be economically competitive, it needs an educated work force. To make that education more convenient than ever before, Cleveland State has an extended campus in Westlake, where students have access to the same quality education as they have downtown.
A $500 million architectural reboot has reinvigorated the CSU campus, complete with new buildings and inviting spaces that reflect and embrace the excitement of the urban landscape. In the new Center for Innovation in Medical Professions, future doctors, nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists and other health-care professionals are training to work together by learning together, side by side. A 100,000-square-foot addition to the Washkewicz College of Engineering will include research labs, teaching labs and simulation labs, as well as the Dan T. Moore MakerSpace, where prototyping and fabrication technology will provide a proving ground for creativity and entrepreneurship. The revitalization evident across CSU is having a dynamic ripple effect and sparking neighborhood development in and around Cleveland’s bustling Campus District.
All-in-1 Enrollment Services
Campus411 is the place to go for information and assistance with registration, academic records, student billing, and financial aid. Cleveland State’s comprehensive approach to providing student service is based on a “one-stop” philosophy: provide a central office to serve the university community effectively and efficiently. All-in-1 Enrollment Services is located on the Main Classroom Plaza Level in room 116G. If you have questions or concerns or if you need information about student services, please visit the web-page.
Accreditations
Cleveland State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). For more information, please use of the following contact information: HLC, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (800) 621-7440, info@hlcommission.org.
In addition, individual Cleveland State programs hold the following professional accreditations:
Business Administration: Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Labor Relations and Human Resources, and the Doctor of Business Administration programs of the Monte Ahuja College of Business are accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The Accounting programs (BBA and Master of Accountancy) are among 168 institutions worldwide that have additional specialized accreditation in accounting.
Chemistry: The Department of Chemistry’s undergraduate curriculum is approved by the American Chemical Society. Its clinical chemistry Ph.D. program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry.
Education: Preparation programs offered by the College of Education and Human Services for prospective teachers and other school personnel are fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The School Counseling and the Clinical Mental Health programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The Counseling Psychology specialization in the Urban Education Ph.D. program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Licensure programs housed outside the College of Education and Human Services that are included in the CAEP accreditation structure include the School Psychologist program approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the School Speech/Language Pathologist program approved by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), and the Music Education program approved by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Engineering: The Bachelor degree programs in Chemical, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Graduate programs in Engineering are reviewed through regular self-studies and by other state/Ohio Department of Higher Education agencies.
Health and Wellness Service: The program is approved by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
Law: The College of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
Music: The graduate and undergraduate curricula in the Department of Music are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Nursing: The Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing curricula are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Occupational Therapy: The program is approved by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Physical Therapy: The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
Physics: The Master of Science in Medical Physics is approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs.
Psychology: The Psychology Specialist (School Psychology) program is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Public Administration: The Master of Public Administration curriculum is approved by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.
Social Work: The School of Social Work curriculum is accredited at the undergraduate and graduate levels by the Council of Social Work Education.
Speech and Hearing: The academic and clinical programs in Speech-Language Pathology are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).
Urban Planning and Development: The Master of Urban Planning and Development curriculum is approved by the Planning Accreditation Board.
Office of Institutional Equity (OIE)
OIE promotes student success by administering the University’s Policy Against Harassment, Discrimination, Sexual Violence and Retaliation, and the University’s Equal Opportunity policy statement. OIE oversees the University’s compliance with federal and state laws, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX and ADA that prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, sex, pregnancy, religion, color, age, national origin, veteran and/or military status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or parental status.
OIE is also the office of the Title IX Coordinator and the Deputy Title IX Coordinator. Title IX is the federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination by schools on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities. Title IX requires that the University ensure that all students have equal access to education, regardless of gender, gender expression, sexual orientation or gender identity. Sexual harassment and sexual violence (including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, domestic abuse and stalking) are forms of gender discrimination prohibited by Title IX. OIE works with other campus offices and members of the campus community to proactively prevent, investigate and respond to reported gender discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual violence, whether it occurs on or off campus, when it affects a student.
OIE investigates complaints of discrimination, harassment, sexual violence and retaliation, and takes formal and informal measures to eliminate such conduct and its effects. To do this, OIE issues academic and other accommodations so students have the same opportunity to succeed as students not experiencing these issues. Some of the ways in which OIE assists students is by providing information and resources (counseling, medical, advocacy, safety planning and other) and connections to available resources; and issuing accommodations (no contact directives, alternative schedules or course sections, change of living arrangements, extended deadlines, alternative assignments, new quiz or exam dates, excused absences, late drop or withdrawals without negative impact, safety and protective measures, among others).
The University’s nondiscrimination policies and procedure are available on the OIE and Title IX website: https://www.csuohio.edu/institutional-equity/institutional-equity or https://www.csuohio.edu/titleix/titleix. OIE can be reached by email at OIE@csuohio.edu or by calling 216-687-2223. OIE is located in the Administration Center, Room 236.
University Ombudsperson
The University Ombudsperson has the official role of protecting the interests and rights of all members of the Cleveland State University community by being an impartial, trustworthy person to oversee conflict-resolution procedures and assure due process for all parties involved in a conflict. The ombudsperson strives to achieve informal resolutions of disputes; provides informal, confidential mediation; advises complainants of their rights; identifies the correct bodies to which petitions and requests should be addressed; helps complainants prepare supporting paperwork in clear and concise form; and offers an avenue through which persons with grievances can express their concerns and develop a constructive perspective on their situation.
A major goal of the ombudsperson is to serve as a reliable, comprehensive source of information about university rules and procedures at all levels in order to assure that all members of the institution have full knowledge of, and access to, all appropriate conflict-resolution processes. Achieving informal resolutions depends substantially on aiding disputants to appreciate the various factors that affect their situation and to understand the options available to them.
The ombudsperson maintains strict confidentiality regarding all interactions related to the role. The parties involved in a dispute are assured that all disclosures to the ombudsperson are confidential and that they retain control over information shared with the ombudsperson as well as actions taken by the ombudsperson on their behalf. Neither party is obligated to accept either in full or in part the recommendations of the ombudsperson; the parties always retain the right to pursue other options.
The ombudsperson’s purpose is to protect the rights of the individuals on both sides of the conflict and help them acquire the full benefit of due process; it is not the purpose of the office to initiate actions to achieve institutional ends. The ombudsperson strives to maintain an atmosphere of fairness and due process for all parties and to promote an environment conducive to learning, reasoned discourse, and mutually acceptable conflict resolution.
Jill Rudd
University Ombudsperson
2121 Euclid Ave., MU 245
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-687-3993
j.rudd@csuohio.edu
Alumni
The university has more than 90,000 alumni, most of whom have remained in the Northeast Ohio area to establish careers, give back to the community, and raise their families. At nearly 1,000 businesses across the country, a Cleveland State graduate is at the helm as founder, chairman, CEO, president, or other top executive.
Graduates of Cleveland State University and its predecessor institutions are represented by the Cleveland State University Alumni Association and its chapters.
The Department of Alumni Affairs works closely with the Alumni Association to jointly develop professional, social, and educational programming that benefits the alumni body as well as the university community. The university magazine, Cleveland State Magazine (http://www.clevelandstatemagazine.com), is published two times a year.
The goal of the alumni office is to generate alumni participation and support in the continuing development of the university. Phone: 216-687-2078. Webpage: http://www.csualumni.com
CSU Foundation
The Cleveland State University Foundation works to secure and manage private gifts for the advancement and benefit of Cleveland State University and its students, providing the financial foundation for success now and in the future. Incorporated in 1969 and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, operating as a private foundation in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio. The Foundation raises funds from alumni, friends, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations through targeted strategies that advance CSU’s critical importance to economic and workforce development in Northeast Ohio. With state support providing just under 30 percent of the University’s budget, private funds are more essential than ever for maintaining and growing the academic excellence that defines Cleveland State University.
Phone: 216-687-5522. Webpage: http://www.supportcsu.org
Information Services and Technology
The Information Services and Technology (IS&T) division is responsible for ensuring that Cleveland State University’s information technology resources are aligned with the strategic priorities of the institution. We ensure that the IT services are dependable, easy to use, cost efficient and operate effectively.
The ultimate purpose of Information Services and Technology is to support CSU’s core missions of education, research, service and accessibility. We recognize that these can only be achieved by working in partnership with students, faculty and staff to reach their goals.
IS&T is responsible for developing effective IT policies, procedures and standards. IS&T strongly advocates the use of and adherence to standards as a key step in providing a scaleable, common and affordable CSU computing environment.
IS&T strives to deliver customer-focused quality services and support products that add value to the overall CSU community.
Academic Assessment
Each program on campus assesses student learning outcomes as an integral part of the continuous improvement approach to student learning, instruction, and curriculum design. The Office of Student Learning Assessment coordinates all university-wide assessment efforts focused on learning within the major, general education, and student service programs. Systematic assessment of student learning incorporates the evaluation of papers, projects, portfolios, pre- and post- tests, licensure and other examinations in order to determine whether the university’s expectations and goals for learning are being achieved. Current and former students’ views about the learning process are also solicited through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. Additionally, employers and community members are involved in providing feedback, which is used to continually improve all academic and non-academic programs at our university.
Tobacco Free Campus Environment
Since 2013, when the Cleveland State University Board of Trustees adopted the University’s Tobacco Free Campus Policy, CSU prohibits smoking on all university buildings and grounds. The initiative for this policy came from within the Cleveland State community and enjoys wide support from students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Cleveland State University seeks to foster a respectful, safe and healthy learning and working environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. CSU prohibits tobacco use to address the health risks associated with tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. CSU also seeks to demonstrate the model of a tobacco free workplace for students who may be seeking future employment with tobacco free organizations.
Further, the university complies with Chapter 3794 of the Ohio Revised Code, adopted by Ohio voters in November 2006, which further restricts smoking in public areas.
The Tobacco Free Campus policy, FAQs about our policy, and free or low-cost tobacco cessation support services to help employees and students quit are available on the University website at www.csuohio.edu/tobaccofree. The Tobacco Free Campus Policy Training, Tobacco Free Campus Leader/Supervisor Toolkit, Tobacco Free Campus policy hot card, and online reporting and violation form are available on the website. We encourage all faculty, staff and students to complete the training to better understand where individuals can smoke and where they cannot, as well as to help us increase the respect and compliance of the policy.
Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedure
- Cleveland State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution. No person will be denied opportunity for employment or education or be subject to discrimination in any project, program or activity because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran or other protected veteran status.
- Inquiries concerning implementation of the above policy and compliance with relevant statutory requirements, including, inter alia, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 may be directed to Maria J. Codinach, Director of the Affirmative Action Office, Administration Center, Room 236, 216-687-2223.
- Students who wish to seek accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 must request such accommodations and should contact either the Office of Admissions or the Office of Disability Services, Main Classroom Room 147, 216-687-2015, for information or to request accommodations.
- Complaints of discrimination, including unlawful harassment, may be addressed through the Affirmative Action Office and the Student Grievance Procedure outlined in the Cleveland State University Student Handbook, copies of which are available through the university’s Department of Student Life, Student Center 319, 216-687-2048.
|