CVDEEP Task Force convening for educators in 10-county region to look at strategic planning, policy changes, student success and equity REGISTER HERE The Central Valley Dual Enrollment for […]
The fall winds of change
Welcome to our post-election edition of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium e-newsletter.
Each presidential election brings new changes and initiatives nationally, and this one will be no exception. In future editions of our newsletter, we will highlight and explore changes coming to higher education from our new administration and how those impact our Central Valley colleges, universities and students in the region and similar rural regions in California.
In this edition, please enjoy articles that feature some of the ongoing work that is taking place and the introduction of local research that gives a more intimate look at the performance of our students from underpromoted communities in the region.
Our Math Task Force has been working in a collaborative manner to address issues and concerns surrounding the implementation of AB 1705, its impact on our students, and how Central Valley math faculty have taken on the task of ensuring the legislation is implemented in an equitable and fair manner. The findings and outcomes of these efforts were highlighted at the “CV Way to AB1705 Success and Beyond” convening held at the Clovis Community College Herndon Center Oct. 25, 2024. Many of these math faculty worked through the summer to prepare for the convening of colleagues from throughout the valley.
You will also be introduced to a research initiative at UC Merced funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by Principal Investigator Dr. Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz and Dr. Orquidea Largo: the UC Merced Advancing Educational Opportunity in the Central Valley Project. This team of researchers is taking a deeper more nuanced look at the performance of Central Valley students and their performance in courses designed to prepare them for entrance into the college or university of their choice.
In addition to that article summarizing completion pf phase one of this project last month, you can read more about these efforts in Dr. Aguirre-Muñoz’s “What in the CV-HEC is Happening” blog this month. As the research team continues with the next phases of their work, we are hoping to see evidence that the work by CVHEC colleges and universities in recent years is reflected in the data that emerges.
We also invite you to enjoy news entries about some of our member institutions and other related news articles. With Veterans Day just behind us, we also pay tribute to the men and women of our nation’s military who have selflessly served to build a nation liberty and equality.
Now, as we approach the end of the fall semester and welcome the Thanksgiving holiday season, we wish you well!
Executive Director Benjamín Durán (third from left) led the CVHEC delegation at the Strategic Transfer Summit with Transfer Project Lead Stan Carrizosa, Jennifer Johnson of California Community Colleges Foundation and Dr. James Zimmerman of UC Merced. (Photo below): The California Economic Summit in October was attended by Ángel Ramírez, Elaine Cash, Tom Uribes (back), Priscilla Arrellano posing with Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula.
Strategic Transfer Summit provides showcase for
CVHEC’s Transfer Project as reps make the rounds
Central Valley Higher Education Consortium delegations are making the rounds this fall at several state and national conferences including the recent Strategic Transfer Summit presented by the California Community Colleges Nov. 8 at UC Merced.
Other destinations include the Complete College America National Conference in Indianapolis Nov. 18-20; the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) in Atlanta Nov. 14-17 through the Dana Center with CVHEC Math Task Force members Jeremy Brandl of Fresno City College and Shelley Getty of Taft College; and the Community Colleges League of California Nov. 22 in Sacramento.
CVHEC also attended the California Economic Summit held Oct. 8-10 in Sacramento.
At the recent Transfer Summit, CVHEC’s Transfer Project team presented an update on its progress in partnering with the consortium’s 15 community college members using the Program Pathway Mapper software for a smoother transfer process for students. Leading the CVHEC delegation at the UC Merced event was Executive Director Benjamín Durán and Transfer Lead Stan Carrizosa along with James Zimmerman vice chancellor of UC Merced and Jennifer Johnson California Community Colleges Foundation.
Carrizosa said the summit, attended by the chief executive officers of the state’s three public higher ed segments – the University of California, the California State University and the California Community Colleges – provided a prime opportunity to showcase the consortium’s Transfer Project.
“The participation of the statewide CEOs of CCC, CSU & UC — coupled with powerful student testimony — makes this event an inflection point that sets our Transfer Project on its next upward trajectory,” Carrizosa said.
CVHEC’s Transfer Project has been designated as a California Community Colleges Demonstration Project by Chancellor Sonya Christian to serve as a model systemwide.
This month, Duran will also attend the CLCC in Sacramento as well as lead the CVHC delegation to the CAC national conference in Indiana. Attending the CAC with him will be Angel Ramirez, operations/finance director; Elaine Cash, grants coordinator; and Tom Uribes, communications/media coordinator.
For the CA Economic Summit in October, Ramirez, Cash and Uribes were joined by Priscilla Arrellano, administrative specialist.
Fall momentum: creating rich learning environments for successful collegiate experiences Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues … We are delighted to share the October CVHEC e-newsletter with you and welcome […]
A sweeping new report, “Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley,” by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found a multitude of factors contributing to lower […]
California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV) has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state, which both reflects and perpetuates the region’s economic challenges. Yet it could […]
New PPIC report shows the San Joaquin Valley with lowest
college enrollment and completion rates in the state
Panel to discuss strategies for strengthening college-going pathways in the valley
UPDATE AUG. 15 (Public Policy Institute of California):
Dr. Benjamín Durán, executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, will join a virtual panel of experts discussing a new report to be released next week by the Public Policy Institute of California, “Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley,” showing California’s San Joaquin Valley has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state.
The panel, set for Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to noon, is presented by PPIC and will explore how institutions, educators and policymakers can expand support for college-going pathways in the valley.
Joining Dr. Durán on the panel — moderated by Dr. Olga Rodríguez, director of the PPIC Higher Education Center and a senior fellow at PPIC — will be Dr. Orquidea Largo, associate vice chancellor and chief outreach officer for the Center for Educational Partnerships, University of California, Merced; and Tressa Overstreet, executive director of College & Career Readiness for the Fresno Unified School District. (See detailed bios on the PPIC event page).
The report, which PPIC will release Aug. 15, notes that “with its youthful, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks, the San Joaquin Valley could be on the verge of dramatic improvements in college enrollment and completion.”
Durán said PPIC’s work helps shed light on an issue CVHEC has tackled head-on since its inception 22 years ago this week.
“We applaud PPIC for undertaking this valuable work focusing on ongoing issues and barriers we sometimes encounter that too often still impede student success,” Durán said.
“It is important for valley educators to continuously confront these barriers and address the value of creating meaningful pathways such as dual enrollment courses supported by wrap-around services like our Math Bridge Program and to implement initiatives like our Transfer Project that complement those pathways, all leading to more student success.”
A question/answer session the final 15 minutes will close the PPIC panel. To submit questions: ppiceventquestions@gmail.com
Registration is now available for the free Zoom event.
The PPIC research and its panel event are supported with funding from College Futures Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Sutton Family Fund.
For report and panel event questions:
PPIC EVENT CONTACT: Sal Beeby, events associate (415.291.4426)
PPIC MEDIA CONTACT: Steven Bliss, director of Digital Strategy (415.291.4412)
CVHEC Media Contact (for Dr. Durán): Tom Uribes, cvhecommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu (559.348.3278)
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.
Among the many dignitaries participating in the historic UC Merced Medical Education Building groundbreaking May 14 with Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz were Dr. Ivan Gomez of UCSF Fresno, Dr. Angel Reyna, president of Madera College, Dr. Kenny Iban of UCSF Fresno and Dr. Rosa Manzo of UC Merced who will be the first faculty member hired for the B.S. to M.D. Pathway, SJV PRIME+ Program.
Special edition: medical education
CVHEC members delivering medical doctor degrees to
produce more healthcare professionals for our region
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
First, let me congratulate our consortium members – 28 colleges and districts across the Central Valley — for completing another spring semester highlighted by the always joyous commencement season. It has been delightful seeing all the media reports on your graduations.
Now, it is my pleasure to present you this month’s special issue of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium e-Newsletter that focuses on the universities and medical schools in our membership delivering medical education and training leading to medical doctor degrees that will counter the shortage of healthcare professionals in our Central Valley region.
Our three main stories feature California Health Sciences University (CHSU), the University of San Francisco School of Medicine, Fresno Campus, (UCSF Fresno) and the University of California, Merced.
In the CHSU article, you will learn about the newest medical school in the Central Valley that just celebrated its first commencement, graduating 66 new Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine. Established in 2020, and based in Clovis, the medical school – now with 500 students – recently received a full seven-year accreditation. And fittingly, our CVHEC board member, Flo Dunn, was recognized with an honorary doctorate degree for her service as the CHSU founding and current president. Congratulations Dr. Dunn!
You will also read about the exciting initiatives being delivered by the University of California San Francisco Fresno campus creating pathways to the medical field for students in the Central Valley including an update on the California Medical Scholars Program. Among those initiatives are the new SJV-MedBridge pathway for community college students, the recently launched SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway in collaboration with UC Merced, UCSF Fresno residency and fellowship training programs, and UCSF Fresno’s robust continuing medical education portfolio as well as its efforts in mental healthcare training.
In the UC Merced contribution, the medical education program has developed over the years to help breach the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals in the Central Valley with its most recent exciting development: the groundbreaking for the new Medical Education Building held earlier this month. Slated for completion in fall 2026, the new facility will house the SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway mentioned above in addition to other efforts UC Merced is pursuing to create cohorts of students and direct many of them into the medical field in the region to help address the shortage of medical professionals.
And, as National Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close this week, we are pleased to present a community perspective in this medical education movement with our monthly “What the CV-HEC is Happening Blog” by Juan Garcia, Ph.D, executive director of Integral Community Solutions Institute (known as Community Counseling Services). Dr. Garcia articulates this non-profit organization’s work addressing mental healthcare in underrepresented communities in partnership with CVHEC members UCSF Fresno and Fresno State through the Bienestar Wellness Early Intervention Program.
In closing, we extend a special thank you to West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clarke, Taft Community College Superintendent/ President Brock McMurray and Porterville College President Claudia Habib for their service to the students of the Central Valley during their tenure as higher education leaders in the region. Chancellor Clark and President McMurray will be retiring and entering the next phase of their lives while Dr. Habib will be taking the presidency at Ventura Community College. We wish them all well. They will always be part of the CVHEC family.
Thanks again to you and your institutions that have brought statewide and national attention to the Central Valley.
We look forward to meeting and welcoming new CEOs in the region at our next CVHEC Board of Directors meeting tentatively set for August when we also will introduce new intersegmental regional initiatives we will be launching in the near future.
Thank you for reviewing this special edition showcasing some of our CVHEC member institutions efforts combatting the historical shortage of health professionals in the Central Valley. Have a great summer 2024!