MEMBER NEWS: Info sessions for North Valley Master’s Upskilling

Recruitment of North Valley high school math and English teachers for dual enrollment qualification begins – info sessions set

Applications are now available for 24 North Valley high school math and English teachers to enroll in the WE Will! K-16 Collaborative Master’s Upskilling Program sponsored by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium and offered by National University and Fresno Pacific University.

The MA Upskilling Program qualifies them to teach dual enrollment courses. The cohorts will begin in spring 2025. Registration for online information sessions is now available. See WE Will! Grant story.  

MEMBER NEWS: Consortium members earn Wall Street Journal rankings

Several members of the CVHEC earned accolades in the WSJ rankings recently topped by UC Merced listed No. 1 for social mobility: California State University, Stanislaus came in second on the list of the top schools for social mobility; Fresno State was No. 4. and Fresno Pacific University was No. 14.

UC Merced is No. 1 university for social mobility in the US, new study says.  

 

BY FERNANDA GALAN

Merced Sun-Star

SEPTEMBER 09, 2024 3:19 PM

 

 

UC Merced is the No. 1 university in the nation for social mobility, according to new college rankings.

The Wall Street Journal recently teamed up with research partners College Pulse and Statista to rank the 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S., rating the top 500 universities in the United States.

In addition to awarding schools overall scores, the Wall Street Journal and College Pulse ranked universities based on best value, best salaries, student experience and social mobility.

“The WSJ/College Pulse Social Mobility ranking … rewards universities that take in the highest proportion of students coming from lower-income families,” the Wall Street Journal said, “while maintaining high graduation rates and having a positive impact on graduate salaries and minimizing the costs of attending the college.”

“At UC Merced, we routinely say that we don’t do what we do for rankings, but when you excel others will always take notice,” university Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said in a Sept. 4 news release. “We hope this recent acknowledgment will be yet another opportunity for people to learn about the exceptional culture of student success that has taken root at UC Merced.”

WHY IS UC MERCED NO. 1 FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY?

UC Merced landed at top of the WSJ/College Pulse Social Mobility ranking with a score of 86.8 out of 100

The university was No. 18 on the overall list of Best Colleges in the U.S. with a score of 84 out of 100, up from No. 59 in 2023.

According to the Wall Street Journal, it costs $13,450 per year on average to attend UC Merced, including tuition, fees, room and board and books and supplies.

However, the value added to graduates’ median salary attributable to them attending UC Merced is $33,874, the Journal found.

 

UC Merced has a variety of programs that have helped students excel academically, including the Center for Educational Partnerships and the Fiat Lux Scholars program.

The Center for Educational Partnerships works with Central Valley schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade help kids become “college and career ready,” UC Merced said on its website, while the Fiat Lux scholars program focuses on providing first-generation college students with academic success and housing options.

The university also partners with College Track, an organization that helps students from low-income community get their bachelor degrees.

 

About 60% of the student body of UC Merced is comprised of Pell grant-eligible students who have exceptional financial needs, and 65% are first-generation college students according to the news release on Sept 4.

HOW DID OTHER CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITIES RANK?

 

California State University, Stanislaus, in Turlock came in second on the list of the top schools for social mobility.

California State University, San Bernardino, took third place, while Fresno State was No. 4. California State University, Los Angeles, rounded out the top five.

Elsewhere in the Central Valley, California State University, Sacramento, landed at No. 13, while Fresno Pacific University was No. 14 and UC Davis was No. 32.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY?

 

These are the top 10 universities in the nation in terms of enhancing students’ social mobility, according to Wall Street Journal and College Pulse:

 

  1. UC Merced
  2. California State University, Stanislaus
  3. California State University, San Bernardino

 

  1. Fresno State
  2. California State University, Los Angeles
  3. Florida International University in Miami
  4. California State University, Long Beach
  5. Baruch College in New York
  6. California State University, Northridge

 

  1. California Polytechnic State University, Pomona

 

HOW DID WALL STREET JOURNAL COME UP WITH ITS RANKINGS?

 

The Wall Street Journal partnered up with College Pulse and Statista to rank schools using “the latest data available for analysis, it said.

 

In the social mobility category, schools were scored based on the following components:

 

Social mobility salary impact

Social mobility graduation rate impact

See:

Merced Sun-Star article

UC Merced press release: UC Merced Ranked No. 1 in the Nation for Social Mobility, No. 18 Overall

Fresno State News press release: Wall Street Journal ranks Fresno State in top five nationally for social mobility

Stanislaus State press release: Stanislaus State Ranks No. 24 in the Nation on Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges

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CVHEC’s Mid-Year Review 2024

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CVHEC DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE (Summer 2024): A break for reflection

Summer break provides pause for reflection

Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!

I welcome you to the mid-summer edition of our CVHEC newsletter. We hope you are having a restful and enjoyable summer and taking time to recharge and prepare for the upcoming fall semester.

This time of the year we try to step back, take a breath and highlight the great work that has been taking place on our member campuses by the dedicated faculty and staff.

As you visit the entries, you will get a sense of the efforts across the Central Valley in the last six months to improve access, retention and completion of students at our CVHEC member institutions in the region.

We also acknowledge ongoing transition in the region’s higher education scene with CEO changes at WHCCD, Porterville College, Fresno City College and Clovis Community College. One of those changes is the departure of Dr. Claudia Habib who left her Porterville presidency this month for the Ventura College presidency. We thank President Habib for her service to her students and to the CVHEC board.

All the best Claudia …as well as to Dr. Kristin Clark whose retirement as chancellor of WHCCD takes effect Aug. 8. We are especially appreciative of her service as the chair of the CVHEC board the past few years. We said our goodbyes to Kristin at our recent board executive committee meeting and also at a farewell reception for her July 26 at Lemoore College.

Speaking of the board, members should have received detailed info about our upcoming quarterly meeting in early September. If you have not received anything, please do contact Angel Ramirez at centralvalleyhec@gmail.com ASAP.

Finally, please allow me to close this summer message with a Happy Birthday greeting to … US!  It was on Aug. 5, 2002 that CVHEC became formally incorporated under the leadership of then Fresno State President John D. Welty. Watch for more about our history in the near future.

We hope you enjoy our newsletter and continue enjoying your summer.

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MEMBER NEWS: CSU PK-3 Early Childhood Credential Programs – Fresno State one of first approved

Fresno State’s program to help meet unprecedented need for

new teachers in California planned for Summer 2025 launch

 

Two California State University (CSU) campuses are the first universities in California to receive approval to start offering teacher preparation programs for the new PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential: San José State and Fresno State,  a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium.

To date, the San Diego County Office of Education and Riverside County Office of Education are the only other institutions that have received approval by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

“As home to the largest teacher preparation program in California and among the largest in the nation, the CSU is proud to once again lead the way in producing teachers that will change the trajectory of our children’s lives and elevate the early childhood education workforce,” says Shireen Pavri, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor of Educator & Leadership Programs at the CSU Chancellor’s Office. “We are thrilled about the potential of this new PK-3 early childhood education credential to provide a strong and equitable early learning foundation for our youngest and most diverse learners in the state.”

California’s phase-in of universal transitional kindergarten has triggered the unprecedented need to expand the early teaching-learning workforce in the state. Answering California’s call for 12,000 to 15,000 new teachers by 2025-26, the CSU and its campuses have fast-tracked the development of PK-3 Credential programs. The PK-3 Credential, which authorizes graduates to teach children in pre-kindergarten (PK) through 3rd grade, aims to produce qualified teachers who have the necessary skills to provide age-appropriate and culturally responsive instruction. Different from a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, the PK-3 Credential requires child development/early childhood education coursework that is specific to the development of a young child and how they learn.

San José State will offer its PK-3 Credential programs beginning this fall, while Fresno State is slated for a Summer 2025 start. Seventeen additional CSU campuses, as well as CalStateTEACH—the CSU’s fully online program—are in various stages of developing their PK-3 Credential programs for approv​al by the Commission on Teaching Credentialing. Each program is being expertly designed by faculty across several disciplines to produce educators who are specialized in using developmentally appropriate practices to teach young multilingual and multicultural  children in inclusive settings.​

The CSU prepares 48.9% of the state’s teachers and awards approximately 5,200 California teaching credentials annually. To learn more about the CSU’s efforts in preparing California’s future educators, visit the Educator and Leadership Programs website.

 

SEE: CSU press release

INFO: Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (562) 951-4800

 

About the California State University

The California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 450,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU’s 23 universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 127,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.  

 

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BOARD NEWS: Dr. Pimentel is first Latino named WHCCD chancellor

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BOARD NEWS: SCCCD announces interim presidents at Fresno City and Clovis Community Colleges

Armstrong to serve as FCC interim,

Chahal is Clovis interim

The State Center Community College District announced two interim presidential selections in the wake of Fresno City College President Robert Pimentel’s appointment as West Hills Community College District chancellor in June:

Dr. Monica Chahal  

Dr. Kim Armstrong  

• Dr. Kim Armstrong will serve as the acting president of Fresno City College. Dr. Armstrong, currently serving as the president of Clovis Community College, will bring her wealth of experience and her extensive leadership qualities to continue the excellent work at Fresno City College.

• Dr. Monica Chahal, vice president of Instruction at Clovis Community College, will step into role of Interim College President with Dr. Armstrong’s transition to Fresno City College. Dr. Chahal’s dedication to educational excellence and student success makes her well-equipped for this interim leadership position.

Also, the Fresno City College Vice President of Administrative Services, Dr. Omar Gutierrez, has been appointed as the Chief Business Officer at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. Ms. Glynna Billings will assume the role of Interim (Provisional) Vice President of Administrative Services at Fresno City College until the position is advertised and filled. Ms. Billings currently serves as District Accounting Manager, where she supervises State Center’s accounts payable, payroll, and other vital financial operations.

The District will open the position of Interim Vice President of Instruction at Clovis Community College for which internal candidates across the District may apply.

State Center Chancellor Dr. Carole Goldsmith said, “I have full confidence in our leadership team and the entire District as we navigate these transitions and continue our mission of providing quality education and support to our students. These strategic appointments reflect the District’s deep commitment to maintaining positive momentum and our focus on advancing equitable student access and achievement across the district. We are fortunate to have such talented and versatile individuals in our District.”

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WHAT THE CV-HEC IS HAPPENING BLOG (Summer 2024): Why some colleges are worth it

  In the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog for our summer 2024 special edition,  Dr. John Spevak presents an observation about the value of a higher education.  Dr. Spevak, […]

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MEMBER NEWS: CHSU Accreditation Celebration set for Sept. 10

The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has reaffirmed Accreditation of California Health Sciences University for a period of six years, Dr. Florence T. Dunn, CHSU founding president announced July 18.

To mark the accomplishment, CHSU will hold an Accreditation Celebration Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Clovis.  The open house event will include Simulation Center tours, refreshments and other activities.

“Our university, medical school, master’s program, and simulation center are all accredited by their respective accreditation agencies,” President Dunn said. “We have invested many years, and an incredible amount of work towards achieving these important goals.”

The formal invitation with details will be forthcoming, said Richele C. Kleiser, vice president of Marketing & Communications (rkleiser@chsu.edu).

 

 

 

Also see: 

CHSU Newsroom

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): CHSU – opportunity to attend an accredited medical school in Central Valley

 

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SPOTLIGHT ON CVHEC: Priscilla Arrellano

CVHEC appoints Arrellano new admin specialist

 

Joining the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium  core team is Priscilla Victoria Arellano, who was named the consortium’s fulltime administrative specialist effective June 10.

She will oversee and provide high-level support in all consortium administrative needs, budgeting and special events/meetings, said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC finance and operations manager, as well as provide support to Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.

An experienced professional in medical administrative services, Arellano said she welcomes the challenges of translating her experience to the educational field and contributing to furthering the consortiums’ mission of increasing the degree attainment rate of the Central Valley’s nine-county  region from San Joaquin to Kern.

“I am especially enthusiastic about this new journey with an organization that brings together college executives and educators who are helping residents of our valley get a college education and improve their lives,” said Arellano. “I enjoyed working with medical professionals the past six years and all they do for healthcare. Now I look forward to applying that experience at CVHEC working with educators and all they do for higher education in our area.”

Ramirez said the addition of Arellano is a major organizational step as the consortium’s work continues to expand.“We are impressed with the extensive experience Priscilla brings from the medical field and look forward to her completing our team,” he said. “We are only a month in, and I can already feel the relief of having her onboard full-time.”

He also extended heartfelt gratitude to outgoing admin specialist Priscila Villanueva who worked parttime for the consortium since 2018.

“We now call her our first Priscila and we are forever grateful for the crucial role she played, even in a part-time capacity, helping launch the new direction CVHEC has undertaken in recent years,” Ramirez said. “I am sure we will continue to see her around, once a CVHEC-er always a CVHEC-er.”

 

See BIO-Priscilla Arrellano

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