There are two major organizational themes in the history of the University of California: the one-university idea, which emphasizes the unity of the University, and the institutional preference for decentralization, which underscores the importance of campus independence. The purpose of this project is to trace the development of these two key principles in an organized and systematic way. It examines their emergence over the course of UC history, how they have shaped UC’s evolution as a multicampus system, and the evolving role of the president and the Office of the President.