[8] The Cal State San Marcos Cougars compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Efforts by community and political leaders to bring a state university to North County date back to the 1960s.

In 1969, the chancellor of the CSU system, Glenn S. Dumke, issued a report concluding that there was "an ultimate need" for a new university campus in the area.

In 1982, the satellite moved to larger quarters in an office building on Los Vallecitos Boulevard in San Marcos.

In September 1985, Senate Bill 1060, introduced by Craven, passed, appropriating $250,000 for a feasibility study on building a university in North County.

By 1988, the enrollment of SDSU North County had reached 1,250 students, and the CSU board of trustees purchased for $10.6 million the future site of CSUSM, the 304-acre Prohoroff Poultry Farm in San Marcos.

[9] In 1989, Governor George Deukmejian signed Senate Bill 365 (also sponsored by Craven) into law, officially creating Cal State San Marcos.

Bill W. Stacy was named the university's first president in June 1989, and over the next year recruited the first 12 members of the faculty.

[9] These dozen "founding faculty" played an important role in the university's early years and are today honored at Founders Plaza on the CSUSM campus.

An industrial facility on Stone Drive was also used to provide lab space for the biology program, and was used through January 1993.

[9] The university continued to grow rapidly, and by 1993 CSUSM's enrollment had grown to almost 2,500 and it received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

In 1995, CSUSM admitted its first freshman class and offered lower-division (and general education) courses for the first time, with enrollment growing to 3,600.

[9] The university also received additional major donations, including a $2.3 million gift from Leonard Evers to establish the Evers Computer Scholarship and a donation from Bob and Ruth Mangrum to build the Mangrum Track & Soccer Field.

[9] The university intercollegiate athletics department opened in 1998, and initially consisted of men's and women's golf, cross-country, and track and field.

[12] The 106,509 gross square foot Social and Behavioral Sciences Building at the north end of the campus is next to it.

As a unit within the Academic Affairs Division, EL is North San Diego County's premier provider of continuing education and training programs.

The USU offers many spaces for students to gather between classes with seating, electronic charging ports and restrooms.

It connects the campus to other cities of north San Diego County, including Oceanside, Vista and Escondido.

The Cal State–San Marcos (CSUSM) athletic teams are called the Cougars, and their official colors are bright/royal blue and white.