CVHEC website refresh: “a sense of recommitment” that showcases the recent forward momentum of the consortium with its 25th anniversary approaching in two years.
Update underscores communications campaign
to enhance the region’s college-going culture
(NOV. 12, 2025) — As part of an ongoing branding upgrade, the Central Valley Higher Education Summit rolls out its 2025 website refresh this month designed to enhance user friendliness and showcase the recent forward momentum of the consortium with its 25th anniversary approaching in two years.
“This refresh underscores the momentum we have established in the past few years such as our new logo last fall, the board retreat this summer identifying four new goals and the continuation of scalable work we have undertaken in various areas such as dual enrollment, transfer and our math and English task forces and communications such as our e-newsletter,” said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
Angel Ramírez, CVHEC associate director who has spearheaded the consortium progress with Duran since he began as an intern in late 2014, calls it “a sense of recommitment.”
“Our website update reflects the momentum we’ve built as a region. We’re coming together with new energy and focus to strengthen partnerships and keep building on the college-going culture that supports every student in the Central Valley,” Ramírez said.
The website blends the conventional features with specific consortium strategies such as:
- About CVHEC: highlights the consortium’s 28-institutions of higher education membership demonstrating its reach across the Central Valley’s 10-county region.
- Board of Directors: presents the CEOs of each member institution who make up the CVHEC board and provides timely updates on top leadership changes in the region.
- “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog: first person informal updates on CVHEC initiatives and priorities with a personalized “behind the scenes” feel.
- Regional Data page: capturing and presenting pertinent data essential to strategy success.
- News: the monthly CVHEC e-newsletter reporting the latest CVHEC happenings as well as news about members, the valley’s higher ed scene in general and national updates. The newsletter publishes monthly except June-August when one special summer edition is published in early August.
- CVHEC Team: featuring CVHEC’s 11-member internal team that includes the addition in recent years of Dr. Kristin Clark, WHCCC chancellor-emerita; Dr. Lori Bennett, president-emerita of Clovis Community College; Elaine Cash, retired Riverdale School District superintendent; and administrative specialist Priscilla Arrellano.
- Events: CVHEC events and a community calendar of events of interest to the valley’s higher ed community.
- Contact Us: avenues for seeking more information about CVHEC’s work and for input or for assistance with something specific in higher education.
Customized strategy features that chronicle CVHEC’s various initiatives and emphasize the consortium’s focus include such pages as:
- Central Valley Dual Enrollment: shows the history and the work the consortium team members and partners have accomplished across the region to help students get an academic and economic headstart on college while in high school.
- Central Valley Math Bridge: a strategic initiative designed to align high school and college math pathways, creating a smooth and supported transition for students.
- Central Valley Transfer Project: increasing transfers from Central Valley community colleges to the region’s four-year universities that promotes the efficient Program Pathways Mapper.
- Master’s Upskilling Program: providing high school teachers the opportunity to upskill from a bachelor’s to master’s degree that meets the minimum quals to teach dual enrollment English and math courses at their respective high schools (page in development).
The website also features pages showcasing how boots-on-the-ground higher ed professionals in the region help accomplish these CVHEC strategies through committees and task forces:
- Math Task Force: streamlining and redesigning math pathways for student success.
- English Task Force: streamline English pathways for students by examining topics, concerns, and recent legislation.
- CVDEEP Task Force: a growing list of dual enrollment professionals collaborating to blur the lines between high school and higher ed (page in development).
- PIO/Communications Committee: communications professionals (public affairs specialists and public information officers) representing each of the consortium’s 28-member institutions of higher ed working collaboratively to develop and advance a unified voice for the board, made up of each of their campus CEOs, regarding CVHEC initiatives and the general promotion of higher education in the Central Valley. Also provides a resource to news media journalists seeking to reach the valley’s higher ed media relations contacts with links to their respective news pages.
Ramirez said next stages of development include building out the Masters Upskilling Program and CVDEEP pages.
“Like any website, it’s a work-in-progress so we encourage viewers to keep an eye out for ongoing upgrades and updates announced in our monthly e-newsletter,” he said.
Overall, Ramírez cites the web refresh as a symbol of the consortium’s forward thrust in this issue’s “What the CVHEC Happening Blog,” where he reflects on his 10th anniversary.
“Launching our newly refreshed website, building on the momentum of last year’s new logo – it isn’t just a design update; it’s a statement that CVHEC is stepping forward, more visible, more confident, and ready to lead,” he writes. “Seeing it all come together made me pause and realize that this is what growth looks like. Not just bigger programs, but a stronger identity, a renewed purpose, and a clear sense of direction.”
He also said a video documentary chronicling the CVHEC story is currently in progress and set for release in the spring as part of the communications component he began when he first joined CVHEC that included bringing in retired Fresno State public affairs specialist Tom Uribes in 2020 to coordinate communications and media relations and help build the consortium presence in general.
These five CVHEC community college members were recently recognized as 2025 Pathway Champions by the Campaign for College Opportunity. All are actively involved in the consortium’s Central Valley Transfer Project.
Campaign for College Opportunity celebrates 40 colleges statewide for
their work to increase transfer pathways and student success in California
(NOV. 12, 2025) — The Campaign for College Opportunity recently honored 40 California Community Colleges and California State Universities (CSU) – including five Central Valley Higher Education Consortium members – as 2025 Pathway Champions for their work paving pathways to college and economic opportunity for thousands of California students by strengthening the transfer process.
The CVHEC-member California Community Colleges and California State Universities honored in a virtual awards presentation Oct. 23 as part of National Transfer Student Week (Oct. 20-24) for their work implementing equitable placement and Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) policies were: Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College, Coalinga College, Clovis Community College and Porterville College. (See category breakdown below).
According to CCO’s website press release, the 40 higher education institutions selected statewide were awarded for their efforts in implementing two landmark policies:
- equitable placement (AB 705 and 1705, Irwin), which maximizes student success in transfer-level courses at California Community Colleges; and
- implementation of Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), which has simplified transfer between community colleges and CSUs.
These five, along with CVHEC’s 10 other community college members, have been working through the consortium’s Central Valley Transfer Project to create a clear path to transition between community college and the 10-county regions’s four-year institutions, said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC associate director.
“Strengthening transfer pathways for valley students has been a goal of CVHEC since the launch of our CV transfer project in 2021 ,” Ramírez said.
This year, there were four categories (Pathway Champion of Placement, Pathway Champion of Placement Equity, Pathway Champion of Transfer, Pathway Champion of Transfer Equity) recognizing achievement and equity in placement and transfer outcomes.
The CCO website press release provided additional details:
“These reforms have been pivotal as students are increasingly being supported to succeed in courses that count towards their transfer goals and placed on an expedited, guaranteed path to a four-year degree, particularly Latinx and Black Californians, who have long faced disproportionate obstacles in completing their degrees.
“Supporting higher education is vital to the future of California, especially community colleges, where nearly two-thirds of California’s college students begin their higher education journey.
“Historically, transferring from community college to a four-year university has been filled with systemic barriers, with only seven percent of transfer-intending students being able to transfer within two years, prior to 2015. In the decade since, thanks to the implementation of ADT and placement policies, more students are transferring faster, with ten percent of current community college students transferring within two years and 19 percent after four years.
“While there is room for improvement, this growth showcases the vital importance of the work that this year’s Pathway Champions are doing and presents a major solution to the looming economic challenges that California faces.
Jessie Ryan, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity, said, “Our multiracial democracy and economy require us to support the growing majority of diverse students to complete college and earn a degree. At a time when students are increasingly questioning their place in higher education due to mounting attacks on their ability to thrive, we applaud the colleges that are courageously meeting the moment to implement the policies and practices we know transform student success and strengthen transfer in California.”
See:
Reelected to the CVHEC Board of Directors Executive Committee for one-year terms that began Oct. 1: University of California Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and West Hills Community College District Chancellor Robert Pimentel.
Chancellors Muñoz, Pimentel and President Jiménez-Sandoval get new three-year terms
Three Central Valley higher ed leaders were re-elected to new three-year terms on the executive committee of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors effective Oct. 1, announced Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of University of California Merced, who is currently serving a one-year term as chairperson for the board that began in January, was re-elected to the executive committee along with Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and West Hills Community College District Chancellor Robert Pimentel. The previous three-year terms for all three expired Sept. 30.
The CVHEC Board of Directors consists of the chief executive officers of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region that comprise the consortium membership. The executive committee conducts business on behalf of the board when it is not available, especially for timely or urgent matters, and sets the agenda for board business, Durán said.
Per CVHEC bylaws, each higher education segment has a set number of representatives on the committee who are elected by the full board of directors. Seven executive committee members serve three-year terms beginning in October the first year.
“The executive committee acts as a smaller, more agile governing body, often handling operational issues and strategic planning between full board meetings, and serving as a sounding board for CVHEC internal leadership,” Durán explained.
The full board meets quarterly with the next session being planned for an early December target date, said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC associate director.
Executive meetings are also held four times a year prior to board meetings with the first meeting of the 2025-26 executive committee planned for early November at UC Merced where the committee will vote to fill the secretary, treasurer and chair position from among its membership, Ramírez said.
At the recent CVHEC board retreat in August, Chancellor Sánchez Muñoz welcomed the valey higher ed leaders and said about CVHEC’s next steps, “We need to work together to support our students. We’re here to create a vision for how we celebrate.” [
President Jiménez-Sandoval said, “Being reelected for three more years to the executive board of CVHEC is a tremendous honor, as it allows us to continue our noble work in our Valley. This continuity of leadership will allow us to be intentional about our resolve to harness the power of AI, build a strong pipeline between community colleges and four-year institutions, and promote the power of higher education.”
The membership of the 2025 CVHEC Executive Committee by segment with their terms noted is:
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITIES (2)
President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Fresno State (2025 –2028)
President Britt Rios-Ellis, CSU Stanislaus (2024 –2027)
• CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES (3)
NORTH – President Chris Vitelli, Merced College (2024 –2027)
CENTRAL – Chancellor Robert Pimentel, West Hills Community College District (2025 –2028)
SOUTH – President Brent Calvin, College of the Sequoias (2024 –2027)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (1)
Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, UC Merced ( 2025 –2028)
• PRIVATE/INDEPENDENT (1)
President Andre Stephens, Fresno Pacific (2024 –2027)
‘Leading with Cariño, Rising with the Pulse of Possibility!’
Stanislaus State marked a historic moment with the investiture of Dr. Britt Rios-Ellis as its 13th president during a ceremony Oct. 3, at Ed and Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena with several fellow Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors members and team attending.
The event blended academic tradition with the spirit of the Central Valley, welcoming campus and community members to celebrate Stan State’s mission and future.
President Rios-Ellis began her tenure on July 1, 2024. The investiture, a longstanding academic tradition, formally celebrates her leadership and the university’s shared vision for the future.
CVHEC board members at the Stanislaus State investiture were Chancellor Robert Pimentel, President Carla Tweed, President Angel Reyna and CVHEC Associate Director Angel Ramirez.
From the moment guests arrived, the program reflected the University’s student-centered identity. CVHEC board members who attended were: West Hills Community College District Chancellor Robert Pimentel, Coalinga College President Carla Tweed and Madera College President Angel Reyna.
Team members attending were CVHEC Associate Director Ángel Ramírez and Administrative Specialist Priscilla Arrellano.
“It was great to see so many familiar faces from across the Central Valley, including our CVHEC colleagues and the Stan State community, come together to celebrate President Rios-Ellis,” Ramírez said. “Moments like this remind us how connected we are in our shared mission to serve students and strengthen our region.”
Outside the arena, Ballico Taiko, a student drumming group from the Ballico-Cressey School District, set the tone with a powerful drum performance. Student-athletes lined the processional route, creating a corridor of Warrior pride as the platform party entered Fitzpatrick Arena in academic regalia.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rich Ogle served as the emcee for the celebration. Jack Clarke Jr., chair of the California State University Board of Trustees, offered greetings on behalf of the board, welcoming Rios-Ellis and acknowledging the significance of the occasion. Additional greetings were offered by the speaker of the Academic Senate, chair and secretary of Staff Council, president of Associated Students, Inc. and chair of the Alumni Advisory Council.
Musical performances throughout the program reflected the cultural richness of the region and the personal story of the president. The Stanislaus State Latin Jazz Ensemble took the stage early in the ceremony, led by Rios-Ellis’s husband, music educator and musician Enrique Rios-Ellis, on flute. The ensemble performed one of the president’s favorite songs, “La Bikina.”
One of the most heartfelt moments came when Rios-Ellis’s three children — Xóchitl, Enrique Jr. and Itzél — took the stage to share their reflections. As her daughter Xóchitl Rios-Ellis grew emotional, President Rios-Ellis wiped away tears of joy.
“What gives me hope is to see people like you in leadership — people who choose to lead with kindness, respect, integrity and empathy,” Xóchitl Rios-Ellis said. “To have watched you climb from professor all the way to the president of a university is incredibly inspiring, but above all it is well deserved.”
The Mariachi Juvenil Corazón Ranchero from Los Banos Unified School District, featuring students in grades K-12, followed with three songs, delighting the audience and filling the arena with the sounds of celebration.
The ceremony then turned to reflections from distinguished guests. Ron Carter, president and chief executive officer of Carter & Associates and a nationally respected leader in higher education, recognized as an A-C-E Sage and a longtime mentor to Rios-Ellis, offered heartfelt remarks recalling her leadership journey and the qualities that have defined her career.
The Chancellor of the California State University Mildred García followed with remarks praising Rios-Ellis’ vision and the compassion that drives her leadership.
“She calls it a spirit of cariño — a deep caring and commitment to the students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members who comprise the extended Stan State family,” García said.
“Britt, there is no doubt in my mind that under your leadership this institution will reach even greater heights as a shining model of inclusive excellence, a powerful engine for social mobility and as a vital and essential community, economic, social and cultural hub for the Central Valley.”
As the final speaker, Rios-Ellis took the podium to close the ceremony with a message of shared purpose and gratitude.
“Please know that I am both deeply blessed and inspired by the trust you place in me to lead this extraordinary University,” she said. “Our gathering today symbolizes a unified commitment to nurturing a vibrant community dedicated to progress. This investiture is about us.”
In her address, titled “The Pulse of Possibility and Leading with Cariño,” Rios-Ellis reflected on the University’s role as more than an academic institution.
“We have always aspired to be much more than an academic institution,” she said. “We are a beacon where dreams flourish and opportunities abound. Together, we are creating an environment wherein knowledge, diversity, respect and collaboration thrive, ultimately shaping a brighter future for the Valle Central.”
“Together we are building something powerful: A University nationally recognized for its quality, value and impact. A University that not only reflects the Valle Central but shapes its future. There is one undeniable fact: When Stan State thrives, the Central Valley thrives,” said President Rios-Ellis
Throughout her remarks, Rios-Ellis returned to recurring themes of belonging, equity and shared purpose, ideas that have defined her first year as president. She emphasized the transformative power of education and the importance of equity-driven practices as catalysts for progress.
“My vision for Stan State is one where everyone, of all backgrounds, has equitable access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive,” she said. “Cariño-laden inclusivity is the force that transforms education into equity, and equity into progress. At Stan State, cariño is demonstrated in the way we show up for one another, the way we center students in every decision and the way we embody strength and kindness as Warriors.”
She described the “pulse of possibility” she felt the moment she arrived on campus — a rhythm of resilience, dreams and aspirations carried by students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners throughout the Valley.
“It is the rhythm of hard work through challenges overcome and destinations realized,” she said. “This pulse is alive in every lecture hall, every lab, every relationship and every graduate who walks across our stage. It is truly the sound of bright futures unfolding.”
The Investiture served as the centerpiece of a series of events celebrating Rios-Ellis’s presidency. Additional festivities are scheduled for later this month.
Friday’s ceremony reflected the themes that have guided her first year: belonging, collaboration and a shared commitment to the Valley’s future.
“This moment,” Rios-Ellis said, “is our chance to reaffirm our dedication to excellence, belonging and the transformative power of education, ensuring that Stan State is a place where dreams are realized and families and communities are strengthened.
“Together we are building something powerful: A University nationally recognized for its quality, value and impact. A University that not only reflects the Valle Central but shapes its future. There is one undeniable fact: When Stan State thrives, the Central Valley thrives.”
See original Stan State story:
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.
