PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/25/18 

Contact:Angel Ramirez, Communications Manager

(559) 698-4665 or angelr@csufresno.edu

Higher education leaders and legislators will convene to revisit policy and legislative action that will have a great impact on higher education at the annual CVHEC Policy and Legislative Summit

(Fresno, CA – October 26, 2018) – The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) will hold its annual Higher Education Policy and Legislative Summit on Friday, October 26, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Fresno. The nine-county regional consortium from San Joaquin to Kern counties brings education leaders, legislators and policy advocates together to address the central valley’s higher education needs. The strength of the consortium is drawn from working collectively to encourage policy and legislation to support post-secondary goals. This year Assembly members Dr. Joaquin Arambula (District 31) and Adam Gray (District 21) will share a discussion with UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland on collective challenges faced in higher education.

“The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is a critically important and unique group because of its unified voice that brings together all of the higher education institutions in the Central Valley,” said Ellen N. Junn, President of California State University, Stanislaus. “The members come together for the sole purpose of enhancing student success and access to high quality baccalaureate degrees and beyond for everyone across the Central Valley. Educational attainment is especially precious for the economic vitality of the Central Valley and indeed the entire state, and CVHEC joins with our region’s state elected officials to make that promise a reality.”

Joining the valley’s higher education leaders will be partners from the Public Policy Institute of California, California Futures Foundation, Community College League of California and The Campaign for College Opportunity. Participants will also hear from Valley students who will share personal experiences as a result of the transformative policies.

“Jointly, CVHEC member institutions are working to implement student success initiatives brought about through blockbuster legislation and policy that has drawn the attention of state leadership. CVHEC member institutions in the Central Valley nine county region are working collaboratively to make strides that will lead the rest of California,” said Dr. Benjamin T. Duran, CVHEC Executive Director. “This year, CVHEC member institutions have chosen to emphasize that ALL MEANS ALL in the Central Valley. The strategies showcased this year are designed to close equity achievement gaps.”

The summit will showcase the work the consortium of central valley institutions has committed efforts toward for the collective goal of increasing persistence and certificate and degree completions. Over 130 intersegmental education leaders from throughout the Central Valley are expected to attend. For more information about the summit, please visit: http://cvhec.org/cvhec2018summit/.

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About Central Valley Higher Education Consortium

Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a 501(c)3 incorporated non-profit organization

comprised of 27 accredited public and private colleges, universities, and community college district

members. CVHEC was founded in 2000 by then Fresno State President John D. Welty along with 18

college and university leaders. Jointly, the consortium serves over 250,000 students in California’s Central Valley, a nine-county region. Its focus is to increase the region’s higher education attainment rate. www.cvhec.org