California State San Bernardino (CSUSB), on March 17, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the grand opening of the Santos Manuel Student Union North (SMSU) building, a three-story, 120,000-square-foot, $90-million expansion of the Santos Manuel Student Union complex. The SMSU complex—which actually consists of three buildings—is the largest building in the California State University system named after an indigenous elder and leader. It features a multi-purpose ballroom, an eight-lane bowling alley and game room, a pub, food service and retail space, collaborative spaces for student organizations and support centers, and the Coyote Bookstore.
At the ceremony, CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales announced the building’s namesake, Santos Manuel, the founding leader of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, will receive an In Memoriam (Posthumous) Honorary Doctorate—CSU’s highest honor—at its 2022 spring commencement in May.
“As an anchor institution in the region, we would be remiss not to recognize his long-lasting contributions to the Tribal communities in Inland Southern California,” Morales said. “We can think of few others who best exemplify our region’s, state’s and nation’s most distinguished leaders and humanitarians, individuals whose efforts have transcended the ordinary and made a remarkable impact on the lives of generations of people.”
