Early instructors were Roger Schmidt, Dan Lusthaus, Jim Santucci (now chair of the Department of Comparative Religion at California State University, Fullerton), and Lewis Lancaster, an eminent Western scholar of Buddhism, a former UWest president and now Chair Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley.

In 1996, Fo Guang Shan purchased a property at 1409 Walnut Grove Ave. in Rosemead, California, a multicultural suburb of the San Gabriel Valley, approximately ten miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Undergraduate and advanced degrees in business, English, psychology, philosophy, Chinese language, Buddhist chaplaincy, and religious studies were added.

The degree programs in history, philosophy, Chinese language, and the bachelor of arts in Buddhist studies, are no longer offered, however, they remain accredited should the university revisit them in the future.

The accreditation process took approximately 10 years to complete, with former dean of academic affairs and noted Buddhist scholar Ananda Guruge steering the drive for WASC recognition.

The trustees select the president, oversee all faculty and senior administrative appointments, monitor the budget, supervise the endowment, and protect university property.

The lower floor of the administration building offers services such as financial aid, admissions, student accounts, registrar etc.