California University of Pennsylvania was established as part of the State System of Higher Education on July 1, 1983, with President John Pierce Watkins and a Council of Trustees that included Judy Ansill as chairman, Donna Oreski as vice chairman, Richard Shapiro as secretary and student member, Paul Altomari, James Leonard, Alfred Kraft, Marylou Stefanko, Fred Lebder, and Philip Stout.