President Emeritus

Hugh La Bounty was appointed acting president in 1977 and became the university’s second president in 1978. He had already served Cal Poly in a variety of roles for more than 25 years, having come to the Voorhis campus as a junior instructor in 1953.

During his tenure and despite the challenges following passage of Proposition 13, Cal Poly Pomona continued to grow. Fundraising commenced, the curricula expanded and enrollment continued to increase. There was also a renewed emphasis on the importance of international ties, which included establishing the International Center and expanding foreign study programs, including new exchanges with universities in China. New programs included the trustee-in-residence and the legislator-in-residence programs.

Physical changes to campus included the conversion of W.K. Kellogg’s historic horse stables into university offices, the University Office building (94), new bookstore, the W. Keith and Janet Kellogg University Art Gallery, the Collins Center for Hospitality, University Village, and installation of the university’s private telecommunications system.