The University's Official Name and Approved Nicknames
California State University, Los Angeles, is the formal name of the institution. The University has two approved nicknames: Cal State LA and Cal State Los Angeles. Any one of these options is acceptable on the first reference. Please note that we no longer use periods in the LA abbreviation.
Previously used nicknames are not acceptable, including CSULA, CSU Los Angeles, Cal State Univ., Los Angeles, CSU, LA, or any other abbreviation.
Notes:
- All Cal State LA logos for colleges, divisions, and offices, as well as institutes, initiatives, centers, and programs connected to the University, are approved and created by the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. All requests for an alternate logo must be sent to the office, which will create the new logo if approved.
The University's Official Seal
The University Seal has as its motif the outline of the State of California, with a sunburst indicating the location of the University within the City of Los Angeles. The open book symbolizes the educational mission of the University, with the numerals indicating the year of its founding.
The original design for the seal was created by John R. Siebon. It was accepted by the Associated Students as its official emblem in November 1949, and was adopted officially by President Howard S. McDonald and the Executive Council in April 1953.
The university seal is reserved for legal, formal and ceremonial purposes, including commencement materials, diplomas, transcripts, formal events, presidential documents and gift items from the President’s Office.
The seal, available in full-color or black-and-white, cannot be altered or varied. Do not use the official seal in combination with the logo. Permission for other use must be obtained from the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. A high-resolution digital file of the seal will be made available once the usage has been approved.