The Division of Business was one of the original six divisions of the newly formed Sacramento State College in 1947. The Division was housed in a converted apartment house at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Freeport Boulevard, and shared the facility with Student Services and the Student Health Service. There were two faculty members (Dr. F. Blair Mayne and Dr. Daniel D. Gage), both of whom also taught classes at Sacramento City College, because the Division only offered four courses that first year (1947-48). The four courses were:

• Business Administration 118 - Advanced Commercial Law
• Business Administration 120 - Business Organization and Management
• Business Administration 123 - Principles of Marketing
• Business Administration 160A- Advanced Accounting

The cost for these courses (per the Announcement of Courses and General Information, 1947) was $12.00 per semester for a Regular Student (six or more semester units) and $3.00 per semester unit for a Limited Student (less than six unit load).

Blair Mayne was teaching at the University of Wyoming when President Guy West found and recruited him to join in the challenge of starting a new college. Dr. Mayne held a Doctorate from New York University in teacher training, accounting and business mathematics. He was immediately made Chair of the Division of Business Administration. Dr. Mayne became the Administrative Dean of the College in 1950 and was interim president of the college for the year following Guy West's retirement in 1965.

Daniel Gage came to the new campus with an MBA from Harvard University's Graduate School of Business Administration and a PhD from the University of Michigan.

Growth was rapid and in the next academic year (1948-49) the faculty increased by one (Mr. Merrell W. Skeels) full time faculty and the use of a part time faculty member (Miss Elizabeth Butterway); as well as a student assistant (Mr. Thomas W. Seawer). There were 26 seniors declared as Business Majors out of a senior class of 124, and 22 graduates with an A.B. in Business Administration in the Class of '49.

Fees remained the same ($12.00 a semester for "regular" students, $3.00 per unit for "limited" students), but additional fees were tacked on for various services:

• The Student Association's Student Activity fee - $7.50,
• Additional copies of transcript of record (no charge for first copy) - $1.00,
• Diploma (A.B. Degree) fee, for graduating seniors = $3.00
  

The dream of a campus started on the road to reality.
Stanley W. Pretzer, Business Manager for the College from 1950 to 1980, was on the site selection committee and recalls the decision.

Fees increased, for the first time, as reported in the 1949-50 Catalog:

• Regular students (carrying over 5 units)
  • Tuition per semester - $6.50
  • Materials and services per semester - $6.00
• Limited Students (carrying 5 or less units)
  • Tuition, per unit = $2.50
  • Materials and service, per unit = $0.50
• Extension students
  • Tuition, per unit = $6.00
  • (To cover cost of instruction only. Travel of instructor and other costs are prorated and are additional.)
• Studio lessons (for private instruction) Fee, per lesson per student - $1.00 to $4.00
• Late registration - $2.00
  • (This fee will be charged regular students who fail to complete registration before classes begin. Limited students will be required to pay the fee if they do not register before the beginning of the second meeting of the class.)
• Change of program after final filing date - $1.00
• Other Fees or Charges
  • Transcript of record (no charge for first copy) - $1.00
  • Official evaluation of record for non-matriculating students - $2.00
  • Failure to meet administratively required appointment or time limit - $2.00
  • Replacement of laboratory equipment - Cost of item lost or broken
• Fees Not Charged by the State but Payable to the Student Association
  • Student activity fee, per semester (subject to change) - $7.50
  • Diploma fee, for graduating seniors - $3.00

Two more full-time faculty joined the Division of Business Administration in the 1950-51 academic year. Mr. John R. Cox (A.B., Depauw University and MBA, Stanford University) and Dr. Marion M. Lamb (A.B., Wilson College, B.S., Carnegie Institute of Technology; M.A., Ed.D., New York University). (ed. note: seems like Stanford and New York University were the hot recruiting spots for the Division back then.)

With the addition of Dr. Lamb, the Division of Business Administration was able to offer a Master of Arts degree in Business Education (the first Master's program offered by the Division).

Mr. Leete A. Thompson (B.S., University of Indiana; MBA, University of California at Los Angeles) joined the faculty for the 1951-52 academic year.

The January, 1953 was a MOVING experience for the college as it paraded everything from Freeport Boulevard, down 21st Street, and then J Street to its new home at 6000 J Street in what was called "Move East with West."

Dr. William R. Blackler (B.S., University of Utah; MS, University of California at Berkekey; DCS, New York University) joined the faculty as Professor and Chairman of the Division of Business Administration in the 1953-54 academic year, relieving Blair Mayne of the dual responsibilities of being Division Chair and Executive Dean of the College.

The Schedule of Classes for the Fall, 1953 is the oldest schedule available according to the SBA's unofficial archivist, Joan Boyd.

The first student organization in the Division of Business Administration (The Marketing Club) started in 1953, under the watchful eyes of sponsor Willard Thompson.