The CVHEC May board meeting at the Doubletree Inn May 8. See photo galleries of the board meeting and Summit reception below. 

CVHEC Board of Directors holds quarterly

meeting, reception prior to summit; key initiatives updated

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Board of Directors welcomed two new members at its quarterly meeting May 8 in Fresno: Acting Superintendent/President Leslie Minor of Taft College and Vice Dean José M. Barral Sánchez from the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus.

The CVHEC board is made up of the university and college chancellors, presidents and educational administrators in the valley’s 10-county region.

Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of the University of California, Merced, who was recently installed as chair of the board’s executive committee, presided over the quarterly meeting held May 8, the day before the consortium’s Central Valley Higher Education Summit. (See summit recap story)

Chancellor Muñoz and CVHEC Executive Director Benjamín Durán welcomed them before opening self-introductions by the heads of the member institutions – 25 of the 28 were in attendance, 18 in person and 7 virtual.

Dr. Durán said Dr. Barral Sánchez’s appointment as vice dean for the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus became effective May 1. Dr. Minor was named to the Taft position effective Jan. 13.

Also at the board meeting, Durán provided a progress report on CVHEC’s key initiatives and priorities:

• Math Education in the Central Valley: Updates were provided on the Central Valley Math Bridge program and the Math Task Force convening of math educators the past two years regarding Assembly Bill 1705 implementation. CVHEC Math Task Force members presented in Atlanta, where national educational leaders recently recognized the Consortium’s achievements. “These efforts aim to address math readiness across the region, improve equity in math education, and ease student transitions from high school to college.”
• Dual Enrollment Initiatives: With expanded support and awareness at the state level, CVHEC’s dual enrollment programs were highlighted as models of success. In February CVHEC presented its Master’s Upskilling Program at the statewide California Dual Enrollment Conference in Sacramento.
• Central Valley Transfer Project: A continued focal point for CVHEC, the project continues its successful collaboration drive with member instutions to streamline student pathways from community colleges to four-year institutions, improving completion rates and reducing time to degree. (See Project Update Story)

Durán also announced a board retreat set for Aug. to explore CVHEC’s strategic goals and the consortium’s growing regional influence and collaborative momentum fostered by both the board meeting and the summit the next day.

“As challenges in higher education continue to evolve — particularly for rural and underserved areas — CVHEC remains a critical force in ensuring that the Central Valley’s colleges and universities not only adapt but thrive,” Durán said.

“With continued collaboration and a shared vision, our board meetings reaffirm the power of regional unity in advancing student success. This CEO peer interaction is a cornerstone of the CVHEC model, fostering inter-campus collaboration and regional cohesion.”

This dynamic was underscored in a virtual presentation to the board about pressing national issues affecting higher education by Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for ACE’s Division of Government Relations and National Engagement (see summit speakers story).  

The board meeting concluded with roundtable updates from member CEOs, offering each leader a platform to share institutional updates, regional challenges and emerging opportunities before adjourning to the Summit Welcome Reception at the Fresno Convention Center’s Valdez Hall Breezeway with student music provided by Fresno State’s Latin Jazz Ensemble.

“The reception served not only as a networking opportunity but as a celebration of the consortium’s shared mission to expand access, equity and student success throughout California’s Central Valley,” Durán said. “We especially enjoy being able to showcase the student talent of our member institutions in an atmosphere of unity and optimism.”  (-By Tom Uribes, CVHEC Communications/Media Coordinator).

See:

Acting Superintendent/President Leslie Minor of Taft College

Vice Dean UCSF-Fresno Vice Dean José M. Barral Sánchez