California State University, Long Beach

The university opened in 1949, enrolling 160 students taught by 13 full time faculty, as Los-Angeles-Orange County State College.  California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) has grown to serve 33,000 students, with nearly 2,000 faculty and 1,600 professional staff.  The university is comprised of eight colleges, 63 academic departments, 24 centers, four institutes, and four clinics.  The university's mission describes CSULB as “a diverse, student-centered, globally-engaged public university committed to providing highly-valued undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities through superior teaching, research, creative activity and service for the people of California and the world.”  

As an urban university in Southern California, CSULB enrolls a diverse student body.  University demographic data reports that the ethnic composition of all students is 51.03% Latino/Hispanic, 14.28% White, 19.74% Asian/Pacific Islander, 3.93% Black/African American,  0.11% American Indian, 1.88% Other/Unknown ethnicity, and 4.19% visa, non-U.S. citizens. The university has also been recognized with several national awards, including: 

Degrees Awarded to Hispanic Students: According to Hispanic Outlook on Education's 2023 "Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics," CSULB ranks:  

• 6th in the nation for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic students

• 13th for master's degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

• 20th in total enrollment of Hispanic students. 

Degrees Awarded to Minority Students: Diverse: Issues in Higher Education's 2021 "Top 100 Degree Producers" report places CSULB: 

• 4th nationally in awarding bachelor's degrees to minority students across all disciplines. 

National Rankings and Recognitions:

• U.S. News & World Report (2023): 

  • Ranked CSULB as the No. 1 "national university" for promoting social mobility. 

• Washington Monthly (2021): 

  • Placed CSULB as the No. 2 master's-level university in the nation. 

• CollegeNET's Social Mobility Index (2021): 

  • Ranked CSULB as the No. 3 university nationally for advancing economic and social mobility.

College of Health and Human Services

The College of Health and Human Services offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines, including: Communicative Disorders, Criminal Justice, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Care Administration, Health Science, Kinesiology, the School of Nursing, Physical Therapy, the Graduate Center for Public Policy & Administration, Recreation & Leisure Studies, and the School of Social Work. Information about degrees awarded and enrollment are available via these links: 

Fall 2024 FTES by Student Level and College  

Additional information about the college can be found via this link: College of Health and Human Services

This report is a formal component of an ongoing review of programs and services that the Department completes yearly to ensure compliance with the Council on Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions standards and with the guidelines set forth in program review by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). 

The purpose of this 2025/2026 Self-study and visit is for reaccreditation of the Recreation Management and Recreation Therapy baccalaureate degree and curricula. The report is not an exhaustive accounting of the Department’s program and does not include specific information regarding the certificate programs in Therapeutic Recreation (post-baccalaureate) or Wilderness Studies; and does not include specific information regarding the minors in Recreation, minor in  Event Planning and Management or the graduate program.

Significant Events since 2018/2019 Report:

This report summarizes current conditions and highlights changes in programs, resources, or services since the 2018/2019 self-study. During this period, statewide policy changes and campus-wide strategic planning efforts have shaped the direction of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. One significant policy shift is the implementation of the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC), set to take effect in fall 2025. Cal-GETC will establish a single general education pathway for students transferring from California community colleges to CSU and UC campuses, replacing existing GE patterns (CSU GE Breadth and IGETC). This change aims to streamline the transfer process, reduce confusion, and promote timely degree completion for transfer students.

At the campus level, CSULB has advanced its Beach 2030 Strategic Plan, a long-term initiative that focuses on building a more equitable, student-ready university. Core priorities include reimagining academic programs, improving student success infrastructure, and fostering greater community engagement. Aligned with this vision, academic departments across campus, including Recreation and Leisure Studies, have been encouraged to reassess program offerings, update advising practices, and adopt student-centered policies to meet evolving workforce and societal needs.

A Bachelor of Arts degree remains a 120-unit program, consisting of major and General Education units. CSULB’s Timely Graduation policy continues to guide unit caps and degree progression, requiring students to declare and complete degree objectives within 120% of the unit requirement. These efforts, combined with the implementation of Cal-GETC and the Beach 2030 framework, reflect a continued institutional commitment to access, equity, and student achievement.

Additional information about CSULB’s enrollment and budget planning is available via this link: CSULB Enrollment and Budget Planning.

Administrative personnel changes since the last report:

• University President

  • 2014-2025: Jane Close Conoley, Ph.D.

  • Fall 2025- Interim President, Andrew Jones, J.D.

• University Provost

  • 2016-2021: Dr. Brian Jersky

  • 2021-Present: Dr. Karyn Scissum Gunn

• Dean of the College of Health and Human Services

  • 2016-2024: Monica Lounsbery, Ph.D.

  • 2025-Present: Grace Reynolds-Fisher, Ph.D (Interim)

• Associate Dean of the College of Health and Human Services

  • 2014-2018: (Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Personnel) Terry Robertson, Ph.D. (Interim)

  • 2018-2021: (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research) Nancy Meyer-Adams, Ph.D. (Interim)

  • 2019-2025: (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research) Grace Reynolds-Fisher, Ph.D.

  • 2021-Present: (Associate Dean of Student Success & Academic Affairs) Alaine Ocampo, Ph.D.

  • 2023-Present: (Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research) Roudi Roy, Ph.D. (Interim)

• Department Chair- Recreation & Leisure Studies

  • 2013-2014: Joanne Conley, M.S. (Interim Program Director)

  • 2014-2015: Terry Robertson, Ph.D. 

  • 2015-2016: Keith Fulthorp, Ed.D. (Interim)

  • 2016-2018: Heewon Yang, Ph.D. (Interim)

  • 2018-Present: Terry Robertson, Ph.D.