San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

$1.1 Million Gift to Aid New Tourism Major

A local businessman donated $1.1 million to San Diego StateUniversity last week to help launch its new hospitality and tourismmanagement degree program.

L. Robert Payne, owner of Mission Valley’s Hilton and HanaleiHotels, pledged the money as capital for the program.

The new degree has been approved by the Academic Resources andPlanning Committee of SDSU’s University Senate, said Gene Lamke,chairman of the department of recreation, parks and tourism at SDSUand co-author of the proposal.

The new degree program is offered by the College of ProfessionalStudies and Fine Arts and the College of Business Administration.

“Both departments saw a need for this program,” Lamke said, “notonly as an interdisciplinary study, but also to fill jobs. Tourism isthe third largest industry in San Diego.”

Once the Fall 2000-01 SDSU catalog comes out, students can begintaking courses toward their major.

However, they cannot declare a hospitality and tourism managementmajor until Fall 2001.

It is estimated that between 50 and 100 students will enter thenew degree program in its first year and will top out in five to sixyears at 400 to 450 students, Lamke said.

The plan for this new program came about last spring when thedepartments of management and recreation, parks and tourism waslooking to approve the program.

“Through our thousands of graduates, SDSU has helped build SanDiego into a major metropolitan community and is a significantcontributor to the region’s economic growth and development,” SDSUPresident Stephen Weber said in a statement.

“San Diego’s tourism is in need of trained managementprofessionals and SDSU is ready to work with them to fill that need.”

In November, the proposal will go to the University Senate and toWeber for his approval. Then the California State University board oftrustees and the California Post-secondary Education Committee willvote on the proposal.

“We think SDSU can be an internationally recognized leader in thisarea,” Lamke said.

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
$1.1 Million Gift to Aid New Tourism Major