Charles C. Van Liew was born in 1862 and was educated through high school in Illinois. His Ph.D. degree was earned in Germany at the University of Jena and the University of Leipzig in 1893. In 1888 he married Ida J. Traver and they had two children. He taught in normal schools in Illinois, was professor of psychology and pedagogy at the California Normal School at Los Angeles, and was superintendent of the training school. In 1899 he was elected president of the normal school at Chico.

Under Ware's leadership, the preparatory department of the Chico State Normal school decreased, while the professional department grew. Due to the increase in the number of high schools the preparatory department gradually closed. Ware also was instrumental in the establishment of the model rural training school.

In August 1917, Ware took leave to attend the Officers Reserve Training Camp in San Francisco. In November 1917, he was assigned to the 53rd Infantry in Nogales and he offered his resignation which was rejected. In May 1918, his resignation was accepted.

In 1919 he was discharged from the Army and set up a law practice in Chico. His first wife, Maude Boyne died in 1954 and he married Pansy Laughlin. Allison Ware was honored at Chico State Homecoming in 1956 and died in November of that year.

Miller was born in Ohio in 1862 and attended Ohio Normal University. He had AB and MA degrees from Stanford and was a principal at Palo Alto High School. In 1907, he received a Ph.D. degree from Columbia University.

Miller was active in Chico community affairs and in educational interests in Chico and the state. He was named acting president for a brief time between Van Liew's departure and Allison Ware's arrival in 1910. He was also named acting president when Ware took a leave of absence for military training and service in the U.S. Army in 1917.

In 1918 Osenbaugh was elected president of Chico State Normal School. In 1921 the school became Chico State Teachers College and began to offer a bachelor's degree with a four year curriculum.

Osenbaugh began the Mount Shasta Summer School in 1919. This school was very popular and continued to thrive until World War II when summer school was returned to the Chico campus. Also during his years as president he worked to build up the school, make Chico State a leader in rural education and to improve college-community relations

He was married to Bess Anderson and they had two children, a son and a daughter. He died in Chico in November 1930.

At Chico he taught physics, geography, and geology, was department head, and was named vice president in 1918. When Osenbaugh died on December 5, 1930, Studley was named Acting President until the arrival of Rudolph Lindquist in February 1931 He was commended by the faculty for the able way he managed the administration of the college in addition to his own duties.

He taught at the Mt. Shasta summer school and was an avid golfer.

He was married and had three children. He retired from Chico State College in 1945 and died in Chico in January 1951.

Hamilton graduated from Clarion (Pennsylvania) State Normal and San Jose (California) State Normal before enrolling at the University of California at Berkeley where he received his A.B. (1923), M.A. (1923), and his Ed. D. (1927). Dr. Hamilton taught in rural Pennsylvania schools and worked as a school principal in Pennsylvania and California (Petaluma and Berkeley). At the college level, he taught at the University of California (Berkeley) before moving to the Claremont Colleges. He also taught summer sessions at the National University in Mexico City. In 1932, while president at Chico, he taught a summer session at Buffalo (New York) State Teachers College.

The first public reception for a Chico president was held for Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton in October 1931. In 1932, the school unveiled a growth plan and announced that ten majors, plus the traditional program in education, would be available in the 1932-33 school year.

Dr. Hamilton presided over substantial growth and constant change in his 19 years as president. The physical plant expanded beginning with the new library (now Trinity Hall) between 1931 and 1933. Campus landscaping, a California Travel College Cruise, extension courses, new registration methods, conversion of Bidwell Hall to a student union, the establishment of the Chico State College Foundation, and mid-year commencement exercises all began under Dr. Hamilton. He also saw the creation of numerous pre-professional programs (health, engineering, accounting, and others), housing for veterans, a snack bar and cafeteria, and a new industrial arts complex.

He dealt with numerous problems including severely restricted funding during the Depression and World War II. Major fluctuations in class size during the war were a recurring problem. The student population dropped from over 800 students in 1939 to 234 in 1942 before increasing to 1156 in 1947. Military service staff, and the Mt. Shasta Summer Session was moved to Chico to reduce expenses.

Towards the end of his tenure, ground clearing commenced for construction of new facilities for chemistry, music, theater, and numerous offices. He was honored with the naming of the Aymer J. Hamilton Elementary School in December 1949. In January 1950, plans for the first master's degree were announced.

In November 1949, Dr. Hamilton announced his retirement as of July 31, 1950, and ensured a smooth transition working with the new President, Glenn Kendall, after his selection and arrival in April 1950.

On September 16, 2001, Kendall celebrated his 100th birthday at a party hosted by the University and the community. He was presented with a California legislative resolution honoring his service. He died March 5, 2003 in Chico.

Oliver, born July 9, 1911, in Barnesville, Minnesota, received his BA at the Ecole Libre de Science Politiques (France), majoring in Political Science. A master's degree from the University of Arizona followed in 1934, and he earned his Ph.D. in 1940 from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Oliver arrived in Chico in 1943 after teaching at the University of Arizona (1934-36), the University of California, Berkeley (1936-38), and Modesto Junior College (1940-43).

At Chico State College, Dr. Oliver taught history, served as chairman of the Social Sciences Division twice, and as History Department head. Oliver received an Outstanding Teacher Award for 1969-70. He also served as chairman of the Faculty Senate committees on Education Policies and Bargaining, and as President of the Faculty Senate. In 1969, Oliver became Vice-president for Academic Affairs, a position he held until his appointment as Acting President.

Upon his appointment, Oliver called for a year of "rest" after the previous four years of heightened activity. Oliver, however, faced constant pressure over faculty promotion, retention, and tenure issues as well as grievance procedures. Severe state budget cuts restricted faculty pay and positions. Student demonstrations and arrests as well as increasing housing shortages occupied also him. Oliver supported student involvement in campus administration, innovative teaching methods, and worked to balance financial resources and campus needs. Campus enrollment passed the 10,000-student level despite funding cuts for faculty positions. Oliver retired in June 1971.

Oliver was active in the community, serving eleven years on the Butte County Planning Commission, and also served on the Hospital Board. He was a member, and past president, of the California County Planning Commissioners as well as a member of the Merit System Board of the California Department of Social Welfare.

Dr. Oliver and his wife Marcella planned to travel extensively after his retirement, but he was slowed by health problems in 1972 and died in the San Francisco Presbyterian Hospital following a massive heart attack in May 1977.

Stanford Cazier :  President, July 1971 – August 1979 

Cazier, born on June 11, 1930, in Nephi, Utah, obtained his BA (1952) and MA (1956) degrees from the University of Utah, He subsequently earned a PhD in history at the University of Wisconsin in 1964. Cazier served as an Ensign in the U. S. Navy during 1952-53.   He and his wife Shirley had three sons.

Cazier’s administration was marked by student involvement, faculty growth and unionization, campus expansion, and continual budget problems. Chico State College changed to California State University, Chico, on June 1, 1972.  Plumas, Butte, Holt, and Sutter halls were completed in Dr. Cazier’s first two years. The Student Health Center was finished, the gym renamed Acker Gym, and the auditorium and administration buildings were remodeled under Dr. Cazier’s supervision.

Students protesting the arming of campus security personnel occupied the administration building in late 1975 and early 1976. Cazier also dealt with major community/campus issues such as the proposed re-routing of Warner Street and a planned multi-level garage on 2^nd Street.

In April 1979, Dr. Cazier left CSUC to assume the presidency of Utah State University where he served until his retirement in 1992. The Science and Technology Library at Utah State University was named in his honor in 1998.

Despite the numerous emotional issues he faced in his eight years in Chico, he received generous praise from student leaders, faculty, staff, and system-wide officials for his accessibility, leadership, and support of all segments of the academic community.

Following service with the U.S. Army in Europe (1942-46), Fredenburg operated a family hardware business in upstate New York, attended college part-time, and began his teaching career. In 1959, he arrived at Chico as a faculty member of the Physical Sciences Department. Fredenburg served as Department Chair, as Chairman of the Faculty Council, and participated in numerous department, college, and university committee projects. Dr. Fredenburg also served as a consultant to numerous Northern California school districts.

In 1969, Dr. Fredenburg moved into administration and served as Director of International Programs, Dean of Undergraduate Education, and filled several positions in Academic Affairs before being named Vice-President for Academic Affairs in 1977.

During Dr. Fredenburg’s year, the state budget crisis continued to complicate University affairs. A great deal of Dr. Fredenburg’s time was dedicated to supervising the planning for potential budget cuts. Campus protests over draft registration and the Iranian hostage situation disrupted campus, but drew support from Dr. Fredenburg as legitimate free speech activities.

Following Dr. Wilson’s arrival in August 1980, Dr. Fredenburg returned to his duties as Vice-president for Academic Affairs.

Dr. Fredenburg and his wife Marjorie had five children. He remained in Chico until his death April 8, 2000.

Wilson was born in Columbus, Ohio, September 19, 1928. He received his BA (1949) at Ohio State University and then served with the Merchant Marine for a year. Returning to school, Wilson earned his MA in 1951 at the University of Illinois. He began his PhD program, but a stint in the United States Navy interrupted his academic career. Wilson served as a cryptographic watch officer in England and then entered operational intelligence (anti-submarine warfare) and ended his military career at Norfolk, Virginia. Wilson returned to the University of Illinois and completed his PhD in English in 1959.

Dr. Wilson worked for the Central Intelligence Agency until the mid-1960s when he returned to the academic world. Wilson taught English and organized writer workshops at Clarion State College (PA), Tulane (LA), and Michigan State University. He published several science fiction novels and served as a consulting editor for the Journal of Higher Education. He continued to write and publish throughout his academic career.

During his time at California State University, Chico, Dr. Wilson faced continual budget problems caused by California’s faltering economy during the 1980s. Sizeable budget cuts, merit pay procedures, and over-enrollment issues recurred throughout his tenure.

Although Dr. Wilson promoted academic excellence, stressed technological improvements, increased grant funding, and improved financial management practices, his administration had numerous controversial moments. Wilson cancelled the 1987 Pioneer Days after riots broke out, and, following a Faculty Senate resolution in 1991, asked the ROTC program to leave campus by 1994. Wrestling and swimming were dropped as funded athletic programs in the late 1980s.

In 1986, Dr. Wilson approved the change from “schools” to “colleges” at California State University, Chico. The student union expansion began, Nettleton Stadium was upgraded, and the Housing office extension was completed under Dr. Wilson. The O’Connell Technology Center opened in the fall of 1992, and Tehema Hall was also completed during Wilson’s time on campus. The TRACS registration system began in January 1993 as well.

Following his retirement in July1993, Dr. Wilson moved to Monterey Bay State University as a “trustee professor.” Robin and Patricia Wilson have three daughters and one son.