California Baptist University (Cal Baptist or CBU) is a private, Christian, liberal arts university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1950 as California Baptist College, it is affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention, an organization affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. CBU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Founded in 1950 as California Baptist College in El Monte, California, the new college enrolled 120 students during its first year under the leadership of the first president, P. Boyd Smith. In 1953, the college moved under the wing of the California Southern Baptist Convention, the same year that the first edition of the Angelos, the college yearbook, was published. In 1954, the college received its charter from the state of California.

Soon, the college outgrew its facilities, and, in 1955, moved its campus to the then rural city of Riverside.

The college moved to a more spacious 75.6 acre campus which already had constructed buildings that could be used for offices, classrooms, and living areas. What is now known as the Annie Gabriel Library, was the first to be built in 1921. In 1927, the original administration building was constructed whereas the W.E. James Building was built in 1934. The building which now houses the ceramics studio and boiler was constructed in 1938. In 1958, the college named its second president, Dr. Lloyd Simmons.

In 1961 CBU received full accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In 1964, the college began expanding with the construction of the Lancer Arms apartment complex and the student population reached 500.

In 1968, Smith and Simmons residence halls were built and named in honor of the college's first two presidents. These new dorms allowed for higher enrollment at the college.

In 1971, Dr. James R. Staples was named as the third college president. Two years later, the Wallace Book of Life Theater was built. In 1978, the college's $800,000 note for the Riverside campus was finally paid and was burned in a college-wide celebration.

Dr. Russell R. Tuck became the college's fourth president in 1984. The same year, the first graduate degree was granted and accreditation was received by the National Association of Schools of Music.

In 1991, Wanda's Place was established, an on-campus cafe named in honor of a popular long-time college employee. Three years later, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis was installed as the fifth college president and the next year school enrollment reached 1,000.

California Baptist College became the first college on the West Coast to receive accreditation by Association of College Business Schools and Programs ^[25] in 1996. The next year enrollment reached 2,000.

In September 1998, California Baptist College officially became California Baptist University.

In 2000, the school's 50th anniversary was celebrated. The campus again expanded in 2001 with the addition of the University Place Apartments.

The School of Music was established in 2002 with the new Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education following in 2003. The same year, the new university complex, known as the Yeager Center, was opened housing classrooms, administration offices, the cafeteria, computer labs, and professors' offices.^[3]

In mid-2004, new housing complexes were built, and later in the year the university enrolled its first students in the Masters of Music degree program.

The School of Engineering was established in 2006. The inaugural class in the fall of 2007 had 55 students.

CBU added its College of Health Science in the fall of 2010 when enrollment exceeded 4,700 students.^[4] Also in September 2010, CBU also opened its third campus restaurant, Brisco's Village Café.^[5]

On August 30, 2011, nursing student Domaine Javier was expelled from California Baptist University for being a transgender woman.^[6] The reason given for Javier's expulsion was that she was accused of "committing or attempting to engage in fraud, or concealing identity" by having applied and being accepted as a woman to the school. As a private institution, laws restricting gender discrimination do not apply to California Baptist University.^[7]

On August 22, 2012, CBU’s bachelor's degree programs in civil engineering (BSCE), electrical and computer engineering (BSECE) and mechanical engineering (BSME) were accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

On August 23, 2012, CBU dedicated a new building for its Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business.

Undergraduate programs in Applied Statistics, Architecture, Aviation Science, Chemical Engineering and Software Engineering were added for Fall 2013. New MBA concentrations in Accounting, Healthcare Administration and Construction Management were added, as well as Master of Arts in Education concentrations in Science Education and Leadership.

On September 8, 2015, CBU offered its first doctoral degree, a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) through the School of Nursing.

On Wednesday, December 14, 2016, CBU broke ground on its new engineering building.

The CBU Events Center opened in November 2017.^[8]

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The MPH degree has two concentrations: Health Education and Promotion or Health Policy and Administration.

The CBU Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building opened in July 2018.^[9]

The Annie Gabriel Library is named in honor of Miss Annie Gabriel, whose gifts enabled the initial development of the collection.

Holdings

In addition to more than 110,000 print volumes and 150,000 e-book holdings, the library provides access to over 30,000 journals titles and 79 databases. The library has a growing collection of more than 17,000 DVDs and streaming videos. Along with a research computer lab, the library is equipped with wireless service throughout the building.

California Baptist University is known in the city of Riverside for its Mission Revival style architecture. Many of the older structures on campus were built during the 1920s and 30s, a time when this particular style was popular. The Mission Inn in downtown Riverside is also built in the Mission Revival style. Buildings that have been built on campus have followed this architectural tradition.

In 2004, CBU was recognized in a November 2004 article in the American School and University magazine, which recognizes education design excellence, for the construction of the Yeager Center, by Kroh/Broeske Architects in Riverside. The university also won honors from the city of Riverside.

In 2005 the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building was built. It houses the Collinsworth School of Music.

A new building for CBU's Jabs School of Business was dedicated and opened for use in August 2012.

A new Recreation Center building was dedicated in January 2013 offering a wide range of physical fitness options to students and employees.

A new Events Center opened in November 2017 to host various university sports and commencement events.^[8]

A new building for CBU's Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, the Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building, was dedicated and opened for use in July 2018.^[9]

CBU's Campus Activities office hosts a range of annual social and recreational events, including Fortuna Bowl, an intramural flag football season with men's and women's teams that culminates in championship games on the campus front lawn in November, Yule, a formal dinner and night of entertainment at the Disneyland Hotel where the year’s Mr. & Ms. CBU are revealed and TWIRP (The Woman Is Required to Pay), a week-long event where female students invite male students to fun activities and events throughout the week. Highlights of the week include a Barn Dance, complete with a caller, square dancing, and costume contest, as well as a trip to Magic Mountain.

International Service Projects, or ISP, is the CBU-based program through which students can serve overseas for three weeks during the summer. An ISP team is generally made up of 8–10 students and is led by a CBU faculty or staff member. Since being established in 1997, ISP teams have served in more than 40 countries on six continents. While overseas, the teams participate in a variety of ministries that may include music, drama, sports, ethnography, children's ministry, and teaching English. Student can also participate in United States Service Projects, or USPs, which are arranged similarly to ISPs but target U.S. destinations.

California Baptist University is a joint member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level.^[10]

CBU competes in the Western Athletic Conference in most sports. The university previously competed in the Pacific West Conference at the Division II level.^[11] CBU offers 18 sports (9 for men and 9 for women):^[12] For men, California Baptist sponsors baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, track (distance), water polo, and wrestling. For women, California Baptist sponsors basketball, beach volleyball (future), cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, track (distance), volleyball, and water polo.

California Baptist University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In March 2011, WASC awarded a 10-year accreditation reaffirmation to the university, the maximum accreditation period granted by WASC.^[13] It is the first time in CBU's more than 60-year history that the institution has received the maximum accreditation extension.

In addition, CBU's various schools and colleges hold accreditations from and memberships with organizations related to their specific disciplines. These accreditations and memberships currently include:

The university is a member of the American Association of Higher Education, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges.

California Baptist University is incorporated under the laws of the State of California as a university of arts and sciences, and as such grants the degrees of Bachelor of Applied Theology, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Architecture, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Music, Master of Public Health, Master of Social Work, Master of Science, Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Psychology and Doctor of Nursing Practice.