As our Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) member institutions approach the end of a historic and challenging 2020, we are delighted to report that faculty, staff, administrators and leaders have pulled together to continue to deliver a high-quality higher education experience to our Central Valley students.

In the midst of this historic pandemic, we can confidently say that there were, and are, heroes on our campuses who stepped up to serve our students.

First, speaking of heroes and in observance of Veteran’s Day, we extend a very special thank you to the many men and women who served and are currently serving in our United States Armed Forces, especially any veterans on our board, faculty, staff and students at our member institutions.

As we come to the end of the fall semester, the CVHEC Board of Directors join together in wishing our own Dr. Joseph Castro, president of Fresno State and the new Chancellor-select of the California State University System, the very best as he prepares to assume his new role Jan. 4 as leader of the largest four-year public university system in the United States. We in the Central Valley have much to be proud of as we see one of our own rise to this prestigious and important post.

Dr. Castro, your friends and colleagues in the CVHEC wish you success and good luck as you assume your new role. Know that we will always see you as an esteemed Central Valley colleague whose support and contributions to higher education in our region are immeasurable. We are forever grateful!

And as we say goodbye to our longtime partner, we welcome two new colleagues and friends to the CVHEC Board of Directors: Dr. Sean C. Hancock and Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.

Dr. Hancock was appointed president of Cerro Coso College by Kern Community College District Chancellor Thomas Burke this summer, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Dr. Jill Board.  Dr. Hancock most recently served as vice chancellor for Student and Institutional Success at Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District in El Cajon and brings more than 20 years of experience in community college administration to his new role.  President Hancock, welcome to the Central Valley.

Dr Jiménez-Sandoval, Fresno State’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, was appointed by California State University Chancellor Timothy P. White in October as interim president to guide the University when current Fresno State president Dr. Joseph I. Castro begins his new role as chancellor of the CSU Jan. 4, 2021. We look forward to these two talented leaders joining our CVHEC board at our next quarterly meeting, Dec. 7.

In this issue, we highlight some of the activities and strategies we are planning for the rest of the fall semester and the 2021 spring semester.  CVHEC, with the Charles A. Dana Center of the University of Texas at Austin and other partners, will continue to bring professional development opportunities to Central Valley faculty and staff to better serve students in our region.

Also, to further opportunities that serve students, we are pleased to again offer our CVHEC mini-grants to partner institutions. The mini-grants, up to $7,500 each, provide opportunities for faculty and administrators to engage in innovative approaches that lead to student success in a virtual environment given rise by the pandemic.

Finally, since the Consortium was unable to hold its annual Legislative and Policy Summit, the board of directors will offer a series of mini-summits that will address salient topics currently being discussed such as, “The Impact of the Pandemic on Our Students” and “Addressing Equity and Racial and Social Justice in Central Valley Colleges and Universities.”

And, in observance of Veteran’s Day Nov. 11, we extend a very special thank you to the many men and women who served us in our United States Armed Forces, especially any veterans on our board, on faculty and staff working at our member institutions and our student veterans.

Please enjoy the latest issue of our newsletter and thank you for being a supporter of higher education in the great Central Valley.

 

Benjamin T. Duran, Ed.D.
Executive Director – Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC)