HIGHER ED NEWS: Dr. Joseph I. Castro, former CSU chancellor, Fresno State president and CVHEC board chair

‘His impact on our students, our communities,

and the Valley itself will be felt for generations to come’

Dr. Joseph I. Castro, the former chancellor of California State University and president of CVHEC-member Fresno State, died Sunday, Aug. 24, his family announced. He was 58.

“His warmth, generosity, and conviction in the power of education to change lives touched his family most deeply and extended to students, colleagues and communities across California and beyond,” his family wrote in a memoriam published online.

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Dr. Castro made history as the first person of color to serve as president of Fresno State and later as the first Valley native, first Californian and first person of color to lead the California State University system as chancellor.

“His story — from Hanford to Stanford and back to serve the Valley — inspired and resonated with many, and he dedicated much of his professional life to expanding access to higher education,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Fresno State president in a university statement posted Aug. 25. He ordered a flag tribute for his predecessor with the University flags posted at half staff ___. Services were held ___

“During his time at Fresno State, while reminding us to ‘Be Bold,’ he launched initiatives focused on student success and social mobility, and championed support for first-generation students,” said the current Fresno State president who also succeeded Dr. Castro on the CVHEC board. “While his tenure in leadership included moments that prompted important conversations within our community, we mark his passing with compassion and care for all who loved him.”

In a CVHEC statement, Executive Director Benjamin Duran noted that Dr. Castro served as a member and chair of the CVHEC Board of Directors when he was president of Fresno State. “I was grateful to have him as a partner in advancing higher education opportunities for students across our 10-county region. His impact on our students, our communities, and the Valley itself will be felt for generations to come.”

The Cal State Student Association noted that Dr. Castro’s story reflected the story of many CSU students.

“CSSA recognizes Chancellor-Select Castro’s story as the grandson of immigrants from Mexico, son of a single mother, and the first in his family to graduate from college; a story that resembles that of so many students at the CSU and serves as an example of the transformational power of higher education in an individual’s life, their families life, and lives of those in their communities,” CSSA said in 2020 when Dr. Castro was appointed CSU chancellor.

Dr. Michael V. Drake, University of California President (2020-25) said Dr. Castro “really did create a pathway that hadn’t been there before.

“For someone like him to rise to being the leader of the largest public education system in the country was unimaginable when he was growing up, and it was really a special thing for him to achieve.”

Hugo Morales, co-executive director and founder of Radio Bilingue, served as California State University Trustee (2012-20) at the time that Dr.Castro was president of Fresno State and was also part of the board when it voted him to be CSU chancellor.

“He made history, both as the first Chicano to lead Fresno State and CSU,” said Morales. “His focus on students really paid off. He took that message (of seeing themselves in college) to a lot of kids in our Valley. Changed the Valley and changed Fresno State for the better in terms of opportunities for our students at Fresno State and all CSU. Demonstrated what can be done at the CSU.”

Francisco Ramirez, Jr., who was mayor of Dr. Castro’s hometown Hanford from 2020-21, said, “On that evening in 2020, when our city honored him, I saw more than an accomplished academic. I saw a man who carried his community in his heart, who had worked tirelessly to open doors for others, and who believed that no student’s background should limit their dreams.”

See news accounts:

Former CSU Chancellor, Fresno State President Joseph Castro, 58, Passes of Cancer

Joe Castro: A Life Cut Far Too Short, but His Legacy Marches On

Valley native and leader Joseph I. Castro dies at 58 

Master’s Upskill: Mentors helping teachers, teachers helping students

Read more

Transfer Project Update: from CCC ‘demo’ to national stage at CCA

 

 

 

CVHEC Transfer Project and PPM moves from ‘demo’ to

CCC ‘Vision 2030’ status; national presentation set

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications/Media Lead

The demonstration status that the Central Valley Transfer Project was conferred by California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian in 2023 has been elevated with the inclusion of the project into the CCC “Vision 2030,” the system announced recently.

Simultaneously, the Transfer Project became formalized when the California State Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved state funding for all colleges to align with the “Program Pathways Mapper” software platform that is the Transfer Project’s central feature.  

Now, CVHEC announces that its team will present the Transfer Project at the Complete College America national conference later this fall along with the Central Valley Math Bridge Program presented by College Bridge.

The Central Valley Transfer Project is the fruit of efforts by a small team of Central Valley higher education leaders convened by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) in 2022 who set out to break down the barriers between community college, California State University and University of California campuses to increase successful transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions.  

The project is supported through the PPM software platform, a Cloud-based, public facing application that rides independently on the internet and is accessible to all parties the same as all public applications.

CVHEC’s Transfer Project initiative is also helping eliminate the equity gap among historically underrepresented students, said Stan Carrizosa, president emeritus of College of the Sequoias who is now CVHEC’s Transfer Project co-lead with Tom Burke, chancellor-emeritus of the Kern Community College District

Now the CVHEC initiative will be shared on the national stage at the Complete College America national conference in Baltimore Nov. 18. A CVHEC team will share how the project originated with a pilot effort including UC Merced, Merced College and Bakersfield College.  (CCA line-up)

Chancellor-emeritus Burke will make the trek to Baltimore with Dr. Benjamin Duran, CVHEC executive director, and Jennifer Johnson of California Community Colleges Foundation.

“Our team will present how the process has been refined and streamlined to achieve effective collaboration between all entities,” Burke said.

They will share how CVHEC’s protocols were so successful that CCC Chancellor Christian adopted the Transfer Project as a statewide demonstration project in 2023, first announced at CVHEC’s Higher Education Summit in Fresno that October.

Carrizosa said the Transfer Project process that will be shared at the national conference includes intersegmental convening of faculty, advisors and guidance staff to engage in focused efforts to review, align and approve lower and upper division course sequences as transfer pathways from community colleges to four-year colleges

Through the ease of access to PPM, historically marginalized and underrepresented students have easy access to quality, accurate course sequences to help clearly map their pathway to degree completion, he explained.

“PPM also enables counselors, advisors, high school students and parents to engage with the same official information and start their college planning at any point along their K-12 experience,” Carrizosa said.

“And the Transfer Project is leveraging the implementation of dual enrollment courses in high schools across the system further enhancing timely completion of transfer-level requirements in English and Math and closing the student achievement gap.”

Perhaps just as important, he said, the project now has collected baseline data from 5,000 incoming freshman to Bakersfield College that presents the positive impact the project is having on eliminating the equity gap among historically underrepresented students.

Joining CVHEC at the national conference will be Owyn Lancaster of College Bridge who will discuss in a separate session, “Central Valley Math Bridge: Creating Seamless Pathways for Student Success.”

He will present how the Math Bridge Program, with support from   CVHEC and the Rand Corporation, is redefining math education by creating seamless, equity-driven pathways from high school to college and how, through strategic partnerships between high schools and community colleges, the program aligns curriculum, instruction and support to eliminate learning gaps and boost student success. (See related Math Bridge data article in this issue).

“With an 88 percent pass rate and 248 students earning college credit in 2024–25 alone, the initiative proves what’s possible when systems work together,” Lancaster said. “We will discuss with the national audience how Math Bridge isn’t just about curriculum alignment; it’s about reshaping outcomes, removing barriers and transforming how students experience math, paving the way toward educational equity and degree attainment.”

See CCA full lineup

 

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CVHEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (September 2025)

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Central Valley higher ed leaders retreat for strategic planning

The CVHEC Board of Directors and team members convened Aug. 15 at UC Merced for a hybrid strategic planning retreat. Attending in person: (FRONT): Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval; CHSU President Flo Dun; Coalinga College President Carla Tweed; YCCD Interim Chancellor Lena Tran; San Joaquin Delta College Superintendent/ President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson; Madera Community College President Ángel Reyna; Clovis Community College President Kim Armstrong; Merced College Superintendent/ President Chris Vitelli; CVHEC Dual Enrollment Lead Kristin Clark; UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. (MIDDLE): CVHEC Admin Assistant Priscilla Arellano; Fresno City College President Denise Whisenhunt; Bakersfield College Interim President Stacy Pfluger; Taft College Acting Superintendent/ President Leslie Minor; CVHEC Executive Director Benjamín Durán; Reedley College President Jerry Buckley. (BACK): CVHEC Associate Director Angel Ramirez; WHCCD Chancellor Robert Pimentel; Lemoore College President James Preston; Modesto Junior College President Brian Sanders; Fresno Pacific University President André Stephens; College of the Sequoias President Brent Calvin.  (Photo: Juan Rodriguez – UCM).

CVHEC board sets direction for next 3-5 years

with collaborative focus on student success

 

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications/Media Lead

Leaders from colleges and universities across California’s Central Valley gathered at the University of California, Merced for a one-day Strategic Planning Retreat hosted by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Board of Directors Aug. 20.

The session marked an important milestone in the consortium’s 23-year history, as presidents, chancellors and higher education CEOs from across the region came together to chart a bold course for the next three to five years, said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, .

“This was a ‘roll up your sleeves’ kind of day,” Durán said, reflecting the spirit of the retreat. “It was about open discussion, candid collaboration, and making decisions that will set the state and direction for CVHEC in the years to come.”

A Trusted Voice for Higher Education Advocacy and Collaboration in the Valley

Hosted by UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, the retreat began with welcome remarks that underscored the importance of regional collaboration in advancing higher education opportunities.

The day carried special significance as participants reflected on CVHEC’s origins. Founded at California State University, Fresno under the leadership of President-Emeritus John Welty, the consortium has grown into a trusted voice for higher education advocacy and collaboration in the Valley.

Current Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval noted in a social media post after the event the historical connection he found in reminiscing about his predecessor.

“This is a deeply meaningful program to our university and region,” President Jiménez-Sandoval said. “It represents not just a partnership but a shared responsibility to lift up the Central Valley through education. I look forward to our continued intentional collaboration on so many areas — from AI to transfer pathways to joint research projects.”

The retreat agenda featured a presentation by Durán and Ángel Ramírez, associate director, who revisited CVHEC’s founding story and outlined its core purpose: strengthening higher education access and success across the Central Valley.

“When institutions across the Valley work together, we amplify our impact for students, families, and communities,” said Ramírez, who previewed a draft of a video currently in progress telling the CVHEC story.

Their presentation highlighted the consortium’s current initiatives, including:

  • The Central Valley Transfer Project, streamlining student movement between community colleges and universities.
  • Expansion of dual enrollment programs.
  • And Math alignment efforts including the Math Task Force and CV Math Bridge work.

Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor -emeritus of the West Hills Community College District participating as a former CVHEC board member, reinforced CVHEC’s uniqueness. She served on the board including as chair until her retirement from WHCCD last year.

“The CVHEC Board of Directors is made up of CEOs. That’s powerful,” she said. “It means we have the ability to drive collective impact at the highest levels of our institutions. We are not duplicating anyone’s work. We are doing what no single institution can do alone. That’s why this board matters.”

Collaborative Workshops: From Challenges to Solutions

Facilitated by Nitya Wakhlu and Greg Netzer of Drawbridge Innovations, the retreat emphasized interaction and problem-solving. Prior to the retreat, board members participated in a survey identifying regional challenges most pressing to their institutions.

During the session, participants divided into small groups to tackle those challenges. Using structured templates, they explored questions such as:

  • What is the core challenge we need to solve?
  • Who is impacted, and what are we hearing from stakeholders?
  • What role should CVHEC play, and how can institutions collaborate?
  • What barriers exist, and what resources are needed?

Each group developed a “challenge charter” and presented their ideas to the full board. Using a dot-voting process, members prioritized three to five strategic initiatives for CVHEC to pursue over the next three to five years. Champions were identified for each initiative to ensure follow-through and accountability.

“This is the hard part,” said Wakhlu with a smile. “It’s easy to generate ideas. It’s harder to commit to action. But today you’ve done both.”

“This was the consortium at its best,” Dr. Duran said. “We saw CEOs from across the Valley not only identify shared challenges but also commit to being part of the solution. That’s the spirit of CVHEC.”

Building Toward the Future

The retreat outcomes included:

  • Stronger relationships among member CEOs.
  • Deeper understanding of CVHEC’s history and ongoing work.
  • Clear priorities for regional collaboration.
  • Champions stepping up to lead the next phase of CVHEC initiatives.

In addition to the retreat, UC Merced staff offered participants a guided campus tour, showcasing the university’s growth and commitment to serving the Valley.

Reflecting on the day, Associate Director Ramírez expressed optimism for what lies ahead.

“This was more than just planning,” Ramírez said. “It was about reaffirming our shared purpose and commitment in CVHEC’s work. Together, we can expand opportunities and outcomes for every student we serve.

“What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog (Sept. 2025): No war on college ed

In the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog for our September 2025,  Dr. John Spevak presents an adaptation of a column he wrote for the August 6 issue of The Westside Express touting the effectiveness of higher education, its impact on students and the return on investment (ROI).  Dr. Spevak, who is a vice president-emeritus of Merced College and currently a CVHEC lead, coordinates the English and Math Task Forces for the consortium. We welcome feedback as well as ideas for future blog topics: cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu.

 

Please, no war on college education

… and check out your local community college for true return-on-investment

BY DR. JOHN SPEVAK
CVHEC Math & English Task Force Lead
Vice President-Emeritus – Merced College

 

It seems these days that there is a war on education, especially on college education.

One national commentator wrote that college is an “overpriced scam.” Another stated that “many college degrees are useless.” I could cite dozens more, but I think most of my readers have heard some pundit say or write something similar.

These commentators believe that college isn’t worthwhile and that it’s too expensive. That may be true in some cases, but community colleges in California, like the college campuses on the Westside of the Central Valley in Los Banos and Firebaugh, prove these statements wrong.

Besides these two campuses, I have visited almost all of the other community colleges in California. They are friendly and welcoming to all students and accept 100% of all students who apply.

I have a long history with the Merced College campus in Los Banos. Over the past 50 years, I have heard hundreds and hundreds of students who attended that campus tell me the education they received there improved their lives significantly without hurting them financially.

I personally know many of these people. They have improved the quality of life in this community. Los Banos Campus alumni and alumnae are successful businesspersons, farmers, teachers, nurses, radiologists, sonographers and on and on. The same could be said for every California city which includes a community college campus.

People who claim that young people should not bother going to college always have a narrow definition of what a college is. College is not limited to four-year universities and abstract majors. “College” also includes community colleges, with programs that include education in what over the years has been called “vocational education,” “the trades” and “career technical education.”

The career tech programs on the Westside of the Central Valley include welding, agriculture, computer technology and emergency medical technician (EMT).

The main campuses of their colleges, in Merced and Coalinga, offer even more, including licensed vocational and registered nursing, mechanized agriculture and automotive technology. I would bet the complete list of career tech programs in California community colleges would list more than 100 vocational programs.

All of these programs provide the education and training that enables a person to earn a decent salary on a path to earn enough money for individuals to support themselves and their families. Any employer who has hired these students will tell you that their community college education was an important factor in hiring them.

But wait! There’s more! California community colleges, like the campuses in Los Banos and Firebaugh, also offer a wide variety of transfer programs that enable students to complete their first two years toward a four-year degree and then transfer to a university at very little or no cost.

These transfer students enter the universities as juniors and are well on their way to bachelor’s degrees in the sciences, business, advanced computer technology, and other fields that will enable them to earn a very significant income.

What I find ironic about people who say a college education isn’t worthwhile is that they themselves have a college education and they want their children to have a college education. These people feel, however, that OTHER parents’ children don’t need it.

They want their own children to have a college education because they know the facts. Studies show that a college education, two-year or four-year – significantly increases the earning capacity of graduates.

Over their entire working life, according to the Hamilton Project, the typical high school graduate will earn $580,000, the typical associate’s degree graduate will earn $855,000, and the typical bachelor’s degree graduate will earn $1.19 million in today’s dollars.

The key word in these statistics is “typical.” There are some cases of students with just a high school diploma earning more than a college graduate, but they are not typical. Another way of putting it is “What are the odds of earning a good income?”  Smart parents, including those who declaim against a college education, know that the odds are with students with degrees.

When I talk with young people wondering if college is worth it, I suggest they go to something called “Program Pathways Mapper.” It’s an online site that’s free to all and doesn’t require a password. One way to get to the Mapper is to Google “Merced College Program Pathways Mapper.”

Once on the Mapper site, they can select one of the many career fields, like “Agriculture and Industrial Technology,” and scroll down to “Career Explorer.” There they can see the jobs available in that field, the average salary of that job and the education required, whether bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or high school diploma. For many it’s an eye-opening experience.

I also tell young people that a college education is no guarantee of a high-paying job. They need to have initiative and a work ethic and a willingness to adjust to the working world and its demands, as well.

My parents didn’t have a college education. In fact, they didn’t have a high school diploma. But they encouraged their children to get a college education, and for that I will be ever grateful.

I, in turn, encouraged my three children to get a college education, and they all did, including attending the Los Banos Campus of Merced College. That, and a strong work ethic, enabled them to go into careers that paid a good salary and enabled them eventually to own their own homes—all without significant student loan debt.

For anyone who has doubts about what I have written, I encourage you to look at a recent study done by College Futures Foundation (CCF):  “Golden Returns: A Regional Look at the Return on Investment (ROI) of California’s Community and Career Colleges.”

As the CCF website puts it, “This new analysis ranks 327 community colleges and certificate-granting institutions—including 121 public, 186 for-profit, and 20 private non-profit—located within the state across 12 of California’s economic regions by how long it takes learners to recoup their educational costs.”

As the brief summary on the website states: “Forty percent of public two-year colleges enable students to recoup their costs in under a year, compared to just 5% of private non-profit and for-profit institutions.”

Anyone can go to the website, find their closest community college, and see how quickly students there recover their costs. Seeing the positive ROI is another way of pointing out to people who argue against a “college education” that they are way off base.

So before you believe anyone who tells you that a college education isn’t worth it, explore the issue on your own. And if you end up agreeing with me, encourage young people you know to attend their local public community college campuses.

There’s no better time to start than now.

John Spevak’s email is john.spevak@gmail.com.

 

Math Bridge update: data shows an 89% pass rate

 

In 2022, CVHEC partnered with College Bridge to expand its Math Bridge program into the Central Valley as a model strategy to align math pathways.  Using dual enrollment college courses as the delivery method, this effort is intended for high school students who have historically struggled with math and might feel they are not college-ready.  Thanks to K-16 Collaborative state funding, this project has been implemented in two regions of CVHEC’s 10-county service area – Mid-Valley and North Valley – with our sights set on expanding this pioneering program to other regions in the next year. This story by Audra Burwell of College Bridge shares data demonstrating the initiative’s impact to date and how a targeted program like Math Bridge effectively helps rural high school students successfully complete gateway college level courses before graduating from their high school.  Research shows that programs like these with wrap-around services for targeted student populations serve as springboards towards college completion for these students .

From Doubt to Determination

CV Math Bridge first

cohort explodes with Success Revealing an 89% Pass Rate

 

(July 8, 2025) — For many high school students, especially those who struggle with math, the idea of college can feel distant, even impossible. The Math Bridge Project was created to change that trajectory.

Designed as an academic intervention, Math Bridge aligns high school and college mathematics programs, offering a supported, credit-bearing alternative that prepares students for college success.

What makes this program truly transformative is that many of the students who joined Math Bridge didn’t initially plan to take higher level math courses during high school. Some believed they weren’t “math people.” Others had never taken a college course or imagined they could. But throughout the school year, they participated in a supportive environment where college faculty and high school teachers worked collaboratively to guide them. Students engaged with rigorous college-level material, received detailed feedback on their work, and built confidence. Now, many are looking toward college with a sense of purpose, a completed math requirement, and a clearer idea of the future they want.

Partner Colleges & Schools

College Bridge spent over a year visiting high schools up and down the Central Valley, building relationships, engaging with educators, and ultimately securing the following partnerships:

  • San Joaquin Delta College: Stagg HS, Weber Institute of Applied Sciences & Technology
  • Merced College: Golden Valley HS, Livingston HS, Atwater HS, Buhach Colony HS, Mariposa HS
  • Reedley College: Dinuba HS, Orosi HS, Sanger HS, Sanger West HS
  • Taft College: Taft HS
  • West Hills Lemoore College: Riverdale HS

Student Eligibility Criteria

The Math Bridge Project is specifically designed to support students who have historically struggled with math and may not see themselves as college ready. To qualify, participants must be in the 12th grade, have a cumulative GPA between 2.3 and 3.4, and must have already completed their high school graduation math requirements. By targeting this particular student population, the program ensures that those most in need of academic support receive guidance and the opportunity to succeed in college-level math.

Spring 2025 Math Bridge Outcomes: By the Numbers

For the 2024-2025 school year, the Math Bridge program served over 300 students across fourteen classrooms. Looking ahead, we estimate that the number of students enrolled in Math Bridge will double for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Program-Wide Success Rates

Across all partner schools, Math Bridge achieved an impressive pass rate of 89% for the 2024-2025 school year. Each student completed a transferable college-level math class, which for many, will be the only math course they will need to graduate from college.

Several classrooms distinguished themselves with outstanding outcomes. Notably, Buhach Colony, Riverdale, and Sanger West reached a 100% pass rate in their college classes.

90% of Math Bridge graduates are headed to college:

  • 65 % plan to attend a California Community College
  • 23% will be enrolling in a California State University (CSU) 10% are headed to a University of California (UC) campus Expanding Access & Empowering Students

The Math Bridge Project is more than just a math course; it’s a model of how educational systems can work together to eliminate barriers and open doors. With this year’s data reinforcing the power of collaboration, we’re excited to expand even further in the 2025- 2026 school year by adding an additional community college and several more high schools to the Math Bridge project. More students. More schools. More futures rewritten.

As one student stated: “I feel more prepared for college-level math thanks to the Math Bridge program. It is helpful to see what I can expect in the future.”

– Julissa, Livingston High School

Are you an educator or school leader interested in transforming the math journey at your school or campus? Explore our website to learn more about the Math Bridge project, discover how it’s making an impact, and find out how you can become involved.

 

Audra Burwell

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