High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The University of the Pacific is a Private University in Stockton, California, originally affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university was chartered on July 10, 1851, in Santa Clara under the name California Wesleyan College. In 1858, the college opened the first medical school on the West Coast. The medical school later became part of Stanford and is now California Pacific Medical Center. Previously known as COP and then UOP, the school is primarily known by the nickname of Pacific to avoid any association with University of Phoenix.