Cleveland State University: A Comprehensive Overview
Cleveland State University (CSU) stands as a public research university in the heart of Cleveland, Ohio. Since its establishment in 1964, CSU has been committed to offering a hands-on learning environment. With a wide array of academic programs and a dedication to community engagement, Cleveland State strives to prepare students for successful and fulfilling lives.
Historical Development
Public education in Cleveland traces its roots back to 1870 when the Cleveland YMCA initiated free classes. By 1921, this program had evolved into the Cleveland YMCA School of Technology, eventually becoming Fenn College in 1929. In 1964, the State of Ohio acquired Fenn College's campus, establishing Cleveland State University as a commuter college aimed at serving area residents. The university initially comprised the Fenn College of Engineering (now the Washkewicz College of Engineering) and the colleges of business administration, arts and sciences, and education.
Over the subsequent decades, Cleveland State University experienced significant growth, reaching over 15,000 students by 1997. CSU opened the Galleries At CSU on Euclid Avenue in 2012. In 2018, CSU established the CSU School of Film and Media Arts, having used a $7.5 million appropriation from the State of Ohio to renovate an entire floor of the IdeaStream Center at Playhouse Square.
Campus Transformation
CSU's main campus is located in downtown Cleveland. In 2006, Cleveland State University completed its student Recreation Center and a renovation of Parker Hannifin Hall for the College of Graduate Studies. To increase the number of students living on campus thousands of housing units were built, anchored by a new dormitory, Fenn Tower, a reuse of the school's most historic building. The university worked with private developers and the City of Cleveland to develop housing, retail, and "collegetown" amenities around Fenn Tower, particularly along the main thoroughfare of Euclid Avenue. In 2010, Euclid Avenue was upgraded as part of the Euclid Corridor Project which brought bus rapid transit to the university and connected Public Square in downtown Cleveland to University Circle, approximately four miles to the east. Cleveland State University's $65 million construction project, intended to transform the campus from a mostly commuter school into a residential campus, included the new Student Center and Julka Hull, which houses the College of Education and School of Nursing. Both projects were finished in 2010. In 2011, the new Euclid Commons dorms complex, which features apartment-style living for CSU students, opened. During the fall semester of 2012, the first phase of the private Langston apartment and retail complex opened along Chester Avenue across from Rhodes Tower. In the spring semester of 2013, the former Viking Hall dormitory was torn down to make way for the university's new Center for Health Professions.
Academic Profile
CSU offers many disciplines and research facilities, with 70 academic majors, 27 master's degree programs, two post-master's degrees, six doctoral degrees, and two law degrees. The College of Law traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897. One of the most famous alumni of the College of Law was Tim Russert, host of television program Meet the Press, who graduated in 1976. The university is partnered with Northeast Ohio Medical University to train future healthcare professionals in urban settings. Cleveland State maintains a variety of research links within Ohio.
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Colleges and Programs
Cleveland State University comprises ten separate colleges, encompassing fields from Business to Engineering. The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs provides training in public policy and community development, housing seventeen research centers across diverse fields. With over 200 academic programs, Cleveland State is committed to providing a hands-on learning environment where faculty and students connect and ideas mesh with real-world experience.
Rankings and Recognition
In the edition of Best Colleges, Cleveland State University is ranked No. #343 in National Universities. It's also ranked No. #187 in Top Public Schools. Cleveland State University continues to rise in the latest Washington Monthly rankings. The publication ranks four-year schools - including national universities, liberal arts colleges, baccalaureate colleges and master’s universities - based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and service. In the most recent rankings in 2024, CSU’s overall ranking by Washington Monthly was second only to Ohio State’s overall ranking compared with all public colleges and universities in Ohio. Additionally, CSU ranked:- #2 in social mobility (behind only The Ohio State)- #3 in service among Ohio publics - #6 in research among Ohio publics
Student Life
With an enrollment of more than 17,000 students and eight colleges, Cleveland State is committed to providing a hands-on learning environment where faculty and students connect and ideas mesh with real-world experience. An unprecedented influx of new students is energizing the University.
Campus Life and Traditions
When the school was still known as Fenn College, the sports teams' nickname was the Foxes. When the university was renamed Cleveland State, the nickname changed as well, and CSU's sports teams became the "Vikings". That nickname stands to this day. The school colors are university green and fresh green. For many years the school mascot was the comic strip character Hägar the Horrible along with his wife Helga, and the couple appeared at sporting events as well as on University literature. A new mascot, "Vike" was introduced in 1997 and Hagar was phased out by 1998. Cleveland State fields varsity teams in 17 sports, with most teams competing in the Horizon League. The men's basketball team was noteworthy in 1986 when seeded 14th in the East Region of the NCAA tournament, it upset heavily favored 3-seed Indiana and Saint Joseph's before a one-point loss to a Navy team led by future Hall of Famer David Robinson, an unprecedented achievement for such a low seed.
Student Media
Cleveland State University is served in print by The Cauldron, an independent student newspaper, The Cleveland Stater, a laboratory newspaper in the School of Communication, The Vindicator, Cleveland State University's art and culture magazine. The university is also the license holder to WCSB (89.3 FM), which has a transmitter located on the roof of the Rhodes Tower.
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Greek Life
Cleveland State University is home to 4 NIC fraternities, Delta Sigma Phi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma, and Tau Kappa Epsilon.
Financial Information
Cleveland State University accepts the Common Application. The school's in-state tuition and fees are $13,362; out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,046. Seventy-seven percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $15,639.
Graduation and Outcomes
The four-year graduation rate is 33%. Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $44,625.
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