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.
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.
Follow a manual added link
CVHEC TRIBUTE: DR. JOSEPH I. CASTRO
CVHEC TRIBUTE: DR. JOSEPH I. CASTRO
November 21, 1966 – August 24, 2025
‘Keep being bold!’
Statement from Dr. Benjamín T. Duran, executive director
of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium,
on the passing of Dr. Joseph I. Castro
It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Joseph I. Castro, former president of Fresno State and former chancellor of the California State University system.
I first met Joe in the early 1990s when he was a young professor at University of California, Merced and the director of academic programs at the UC Fresno Center. The first time I met him, he was so energetic and youthful that I mistook him for a student. At the time, I was president of Merced College and that encounter grew into a close personal friendship and professional relationship that lasted for decades.
It may sound trite, but Joe was truly one of the good guys.
Joe’s story — from growing up in Hanford to earning his doctorate at Stanford and then returning home to serve the Valley — was one that inspired so many. He made history as the first Latino to serve as president of Fresno State in its 102-year (at the time) history and later as the first Valley native, first Californian and first Latino to lead the CSU system as chancellor. In fact, he was the first person-of-color to serve as CEO of the nation’s largest public four-year institution of higher education.
During his time in the Central Valley, while reminding us to “Be Bold,” he championed student success, social mobility and especially first-generation students.
Joe also served as a member and chair of the CVHEC Board of Directors and 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.
Here we present a clip from the Dec. 7, 2020 CVHEC Board of Directors meeting, Joe’s last as a member representing Fresno State when he moved on to the CSU chancellorship and his board colleagues at the time wishing him well.
While his leadership journey was not without challenges, today I remember Joe with deep respect, gratitude and friendship. My heart goes out to his wife, Mary, their children Issac, Lauren and Jess, as well as his friends and colleagues and all who are mourning his passing.
– Benjamin Duran, Ed.D
Executive Director
See Fresno State statement by President Saúl Jiménez Sandoval, CVHEC board member.
Video comments order (with titles at the time):
WHCCD Chancellor Stu Van Horn(board chair);
Porterville College President Claudia Habib;
Merced College Superintendent/President Chris Vitelli;
Modesto Junior College President James Houpis;
SCCCD Chancellor Paul Parnell;
Clovis Community College President Lori Bennett;
College of the Sequoias President Brent Calvin;
CVHEC Transfer project Lead Stan Carrizosa;
Lemoore College President Kristin Clark;
Brandman University President Richard Carnes;
CVHEC MA Upskilling Lead Tom Burke;
Madera Community College President Ángel Reyna;
Columbia College President Santanu Bandyopadhyay;
CHSU President Flo Dunn;
San Joaquin Delta College President Omid Pourzanjani;
CSU Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny;
UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz;
Coalinga College President Brenda Thames;
Reedley College President Jerry Buckley;
Fresno Pacific University Chief of Staff Donald Norman;
Fresno City College President Carole Goldsmith;
CVHEC Executive Director Benjamín Durán;
CSU Stanislaus President Ellen Junn
Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro
Summer Edition 2025:
CVHEC’s first six months of the year
Communications Lead — Central Valley Higher Education Consortium
Our annual Mid-Year Review summer edition highlights CVHEC’s first six months of 2025 as reported across our news and social media platforms from January to June, prepared by Tom Uribes, the consortium’s communications lead.
JANUARY 2025 (No. 46)
– Published Jan. 16
CCC Chancellor Sonya Christian to keynote Dual Enrollment Convening Feb. 3
New: pre-conference session for schools new to dual enrollment
Dr. Sonya Christian, chancellor of the California Community Colleges, was named to keynote the “Dual Enrollment in the Central Valley” Convening Feb. 3 in Fresno presented by CVHEC and its Central Valley Dual Enrollment for Equity and Prosperity (CVDEEP) Task Force with sponsor support from the College Futures Foundation. More than 100 secondary and postsecondary educators from throughout the valley’s ten-county region will hear the chancellor address challenges and barriers to dual enrollment success that can pave the way for high school students statewide leading to a degree or certificate. “Dual enrollment is a game changer in bringing college to first-generation students whose parents did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education,” said Chancellor Christian. “Central Valley colleges have shown tremendous momentum in expanding dual enrollment pathways. The work led by CVHEC in collaborating, facilitating, and realizing dual enrollment is truly a gold star standard for the rest of the country.”
BLOG: ‘Progress in a Time of Disruption: The Urgency of Reimagining Higher Ed’
– By DR. JAMIE MERISOTIS, President/CEO, Lumina Foundation
With the advent of a new year, and many new developments across the nation and worldwide, we kicked off our first Central Valley Higher Education Consortium newsletter of 2025 with a special guest edition of our “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog featuring a reprint of the keynote address delivered by Dr. Jamie Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation, at the 2024 Complete College America (CCA) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana last November: “Progress in a Time of Disruption: the Urgency of Reimagining Higher Ed.” CVHEC sent a delegation to the three-day conference which drew 800 participants from throughout the country who heard Dr. Merisotis issue both an alarm that higher education is at a crossroads and a call to positive action through system changes in higher ed.
UC Merced Chancellor Muñoz to chair CVHEC Board of Directors
Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of University of California Merced, began a one-year term as chairperson for the CVHEC Board of Directors, announced Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director. Chancellor Muñoz succeeded Dr. Kristin Clark who retired from her position as chancellor of West Hills Community College District last year, an action that also vacated her seat on the CVHEC board and as chair. As chair, Chancellor Muñoz leads the executive committee of the CVHEC board and presides over the board’s quarterly meetings as well as the CVHEC Annual Summit.
Math Bridge: foundation for postsecondary journey, academic success
Since the Central Valley Math Bridge program was funded in late 2022 in partnership with CVHEC, the Rand Corporation and several community college members of the consortium, its small but energetic College Bridge team has made headway into 18 high schools in the consortium’s 10-county region thanks with funding from the California K-16 Collaborative (Central – Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings Counties; and We Will! – Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties). This update submitted by Audra Burwell, College Bridge communication coordinator, presents the program’s 2024 progress as it moves into 2025 with its first cohorts. Look for more in our upcoming September issue.
CSU sets another first-year student enrollment record
For the second consecutive year, the California State University (CSU) welcomed an all-time high number of first-time, first-year students for fall 2024—more than 68,500 new students across its 23 universities, including at the three CSU members of CVHEC: Bakersfield, Fresno and Stanislaus.
Taft College names new acting superintendent/president
Dr. Leslie Minor has assumed the acting superintendent/president role at West Kern Community College District/Taft College effective Jan. 13. As CEO of a CVHEC member institution of higher ed, President Minor now serves on the consortium board.
CCA ‘Math Pathways 2.0’ report: national conversation corequisite focus
Complete College America (CCA) released its latest report, “Formula for Success: How to Support Every Student Through Math Pathways” that, drawing from extensive work with institutions nationwide, offers a comprehensive framework for implementing Math Pathways 2.0 and transforming mathematics education to support student success and advance equity goals. Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, said the report reinforces work that CVHEC members and partners such as the Dana Center at the University of Austin (Texas) are pioneering in Central California.
(Social media – JAN) TO DO
FEBRUARY 2025 (No. 47)
– Published Feb. 12
CVDEEP Convening 2025: dual enrollment at scale and with equity
CCC chancellor keynote: ‘Central California is state model for dual enrollment’
Citing the Central Valley as the state leader and exemplary model for dual enrollment implementation, California Community College Chancellor Sonya Christian provided a powerful keynote launch for the “Dual Enrollment in The Central Valley” Convening held Feb. 3 in Fresno. The day-long event, presented by CVHEC and its Central Valley Dual Enrollment for Equity and Prosperity (CVDEEP) Task Force in partnership with the California Guided Pathways Project at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, featured a panel of five valley high school students sharing their dual enrollment experiences and the foundation set for future academic goals. Dr. Christian brought an insightful and encouraging message to the event as she emphasized Vision 2030, a bold strategy set when she was named chancellor in 2023.
Transfer Project Update: Persistence — commitment with intelligence
With 2025 well into its second month, CVHEC presented a look at the success of our Central Valley Transfer Project that was catapulted into the state limelight when it was declared a California Community Colleges Demonstration Project by Chancellor Dr. Sonya Christian in fall 2023. Transfer Project Lead Stan Carrizosa, president-emeritus of COS, reported that 12 of the 15 Central Valley Higher Education Consortium-member community colleges were on board along with members UC Merced and our three CSU campuses: Bakersfield, Fresno and Stanislaus. He noted how “the Central Valley Way” of collaboration and “working smarter, not harder” that characterizes CVHEC initiatives is spreading into a statewide effort to increase successful community college transfers with the implementation of the project’s software platform, Program Pathways Mapper (PPM). [STORY]
CVHEC Math Task Force: Next AB1705 convening March 28 — going ‘beyond’ student success
While its work with math curriculum for Assembly Bill 1705 over the past two years neared a conclusion In February, the CVHEC Math Task Force ramped up its mission within a broader math landscape for the valley’s 10-county region when CVHEC announced “The Central Valley Way to Math Success: AB 1705 Success and Beyond” Convening set for March 28 at the new West Fresno Center of Fresno City College. The daylong event continued two years of discussion by Central Valley community colleges and their counterparts statewide about meeting the requirements of the state law related to equitable placement, support and completion practices for STEM programs. Dr. Erik Cooper of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office agreed to attend person and address a CCCCO memo issued Dec. 10, 2024, “Updated Guidance for Placement and Enrollment for Students in STEM Programs.”
BLOG – New year, new laws: the Stop Campus Hazing Act is now in effect
By Ashley Emerzian, Jenna Cummings and Pamela Schock
The February edition of the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog featured Fresno attorney Ashley Emerzian of Emerzian Shankar Legal Inc., who specializes in education law, providing informative insights into the Stop Campus Hazing Act that was signed into law by President Biden in December, and the newly enhanced Clery Act that requires universities to include hazing data in their annual Clery Reports as well as publish a separate report which describes hazing violations. She reports that “staggering” statistics on higher education campus hazing have been widely reported in recent years and presents key areas of compliance that institutions of higher education will need to implement this year including deadlines and penalties such as loss of federal financial aid funding for Clery violations. She was joined in this blog by law partner Jenna Cummings and Pamela Schock of CVHEC-member Fresno Pacific University. [STORY]
(Social media – FEB) TO DO
– Published March 7
As educators across the nation face urgency reimagining higher education to meet the needs of today’s students and society, CVHEC announced topics for its Higher Education Summit 2025 set for May 9 in Fresno that present voices from policy makers and practitioners nationally, statewide and from throughout the Central Valley’s 10-county region. The CVHEC 2025 Summit brings together chancellors, presidents and campus directors of 28 Central Valley institutions of higher education — who make up the CVHEC Board of Directors – with other educators and policy makers including elected officials who develop litigation that affect the region.
One of the panelists participating this year will be Dr. Brandon Protas, assistant vice president for Alliance Engagement at Complete College America, a national alliance of higher education institutions and organizations including CVHEC in California. [STORY]
BLOG: Blazing a Trail–my journey as an undocumented student & the path forward for higher ed
— BY DR. ILIANA PEREZ – Executive Director, Immigrants Rising
The March edition of the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog featured Dr. Iliana Perez, executive director of Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing opportunities for undocumented communities. Dr. Perez, who was raised in the Central Valley (Turlock), is an alumna of CVHEC-member Fresno State where she earned a BA in mathematics before attending Claremont University for her master’s and PhD. She and her organization have worked with several CVHEC-member campuses regarding issues related to undocumented students including an entrepreneurship incubator and pitch competition for undocumented students with a shark tank style competition held at Fresno State in the spring semester. In this month’s blog, she shares her personal experience as an undocumented student who has reinvested herself in her community. She outlines gains and ongoing challenges in that landscape as well as resources regarding undocumented students that are available to institutions of higher education. CVHEC members interested in collaborating with Immigrants Rising for their undocumented students may contact Dr. Perez at iliana@immigrantsrising.org.
Math profs share ‘The Central Valley Way’ to AB1705 at AMATYC national meet at March 28 MTF
CVHEC released the official agenda for the “The Central Valley Way to Math Success: AB 1705 Success and Beyond” Convening set for March 28 at the new West Fresno Center of Fresno City College including a report from two community college professors, Shelley Getty and Jeremy Brandl, discussing how they shared at the national conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Conference (AMATYC) Nov. 17 CVHEC’s approach to addressing AB 1705 the past two years. They attended with Dr. Tammi Pérez-Rice, course program specialist for the Charles A. Dana Center (University of Texas at Austin). Also planned for the convening were updates in five breakout sessions from Central Valley community colleges regarding their revised calculus and precalculus curricula and a visit by Dr. Erik Cooper of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to present “Reflections from Chancellor’s Office” regarding a Dec. 10, 2024 memo which provides “additional direction on placement and enrollment options.” [STORY]
CVHEC presents Master’s Upskill, Math Bridge programs for CADEP Conference
Over 650 educators, presenters and sponsors met at the 3rd California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference in Sacramento Feb. 23-26 including a CVHEC delegation that presented a panel on two dual enrollment initiatives: the Master’s Upskilling Project and the Central Valley Math Bridge Program. Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, led the CVHEC delegation of eight with six presenting on the panel, “Using Dual Enrollment as a tool for Math Alignment and Increasing Instructor Capacity in the Central Valley.” The panel team was Seth Williams, Sanger High School; Ginny Sandhu, Sunnyside High School (Fresno Unified); Taft High School Principal Mary Alice Finn; Taft math teacher Oscar Nuno; Owynn Lancaster, College Bridge (Math Bridge Program) and Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC (visuals). Also attending was CVHEC communications coordinator Tom Uribes. Conference co-hosts were the California Alliance of Dual Enrollment Partnerships (CADEP), Career Ladders Project and Education Trust–West. [STORY]
Dr. Clark resumes higher ed career leading CVHEC dual enrollment with Cash
Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emeritus of West Hills Community College District (WHCCD), has joined the CVHEC team as a consultant leading the development of a “Dual Enrollment Guide/Playbook of Best Practices” for Central Valley colleges, especially those serving students in rural areas. Dr. Benjamin Duran, CVHEC executive director, announced the appointment bringing the former chancellor out of retirement seven months after stepping away from her 30-year career in higher education that also included the presidency of West Hills College-Lemoore (now Lemoore College) and service on the CVHEC board of directors. Dr. Clark will pair up with Elaine Cash, CVHEC grants and programs lead and dual enrollment coordinator, and former superintendent of Riverdale Joint Unified School District.
DUAL ENROLLMENT WEEK 2025: CVHEC featured on “The Bridge to Success” podcast
To help kick off Dual Enrollment Week March 10-14, we present the California Department of Education (CDE) podcast, “Bridge to Success: Navigating Dual Enrollment,” recorded Feb. 25 at the California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference featuring members of the CVHEC delegation. Interviewed and sharing our dual enrollment initiatives at the third annual statewide conference held Feb. 23-26 in Sacramento were Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director; Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC Operations & Finance manager, Ginny Sandhu, Sunnyside High School (Fresno Unified) English teacher who earned qualification to teach dual enrollment courses through CVHEC’s Master’s Upskilling Program. The podcast by Diane Crum, Education Programs consultant in CDE’s High School Innovations and Initiatives Office, explores dual enrollment success stories from around the state of California. She dives into inspiring stories, best practices and expert insights to help students bridge the gap between high school and college. [STORY]
DREAMSCAPE: Merced College pioneers first community college VR lab in the state
A little journey into an immersive alien landscape at Merced College’s new Dreamscape Learn Lab that is now in use to aid in learning the basics of biology provided CVHEC team members a break from their usual routines. President Chris Vitelli extended an invite to Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, for an exclusive tour Feb. 28 of the first permanent, brick-and-mortar virtual reality learning facility in the California Community College system to deploy both a Dreamscape Learn classroom and a free-roam pod experience. Joining Dr. Duran on the virtual reality trek were Priscilla Arellano, Ángel Ramírez, Elaine Cash and Tom Uribes.
UCSF Appoints Dr. José M. Barral Sánchez as Fresno Regional Campus vice dean
José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, was named vice dean for the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus, effective May 1, 2025. UCSF School of Medicine Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD, announced recently. Dr. Sánchez will oversee medical education, faculty development and research growth, including regional campus expanding partnership with UC Merced, Dean King said. [STORY]
(Social media – MARCH) TO DO
– Published April 17
State’s higher ed systems to present at CVHEC Summit
“Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way” May 9 summit also features Congressional reps, state legislators
Representatives from California’s four systems of higher education will tackle pressing issues facing colleges across the nation in the keynote panel for the CVHEC 2025 Summit next month in Fresno under the theme “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way.” Panelists – including federal and state legislators – have been announced for the summit set for Friday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. [STORY]
The CVHEC Master’s Upskilling Program – now successfully scaled across three California K-16 Education Collaboratives regions throughout the consortium’s 10-counties with 146 degrees conferred to date — recruited for 12 North Valley and three more Kern County English high school teachers interested in earning a master’s degree that will qualify them to teach dual enrollment college courses. [STORY]
CCCCO rep address tough questions as CVHEC member colleges report compliance with AB 1705
The CVHEC Math Task Force held its fifth AB1705 convening Mar. 28 in Fresno where about 65 community college math professors, California State University and University of California representatives and other higher ed professionals gathered to follow up on two years of deliberations regarding compliance with the state law for STEM requirements including an incisive face-to-face interaction with Vice Chancellor Eric Cooper of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Facilitator Dr. John Spevak, former Merced College vice president who is now CVHEC’s Math and English Task Forces lead, provided a recap of the Math Task Force convening and how CVHEC’s 15 community college members have submitted curriculum plans to the Chancellor’s Office.
BLOG April 2025 -Retired, but not expired: a higher ed encore
By Dr. Kristin Clark – CVHEC Dual Enrollment Lead; Chancellor-emeritus, West Hills Community College District
This edition of the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog features Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emeritus of the West Hills Community College District, who in March came out of short-lived retirement to join the CVHEC team as dual enrollment lead (see March issue). Here Dr. Clark provides some insight into this bold move to throw down the retirement mantle and resume her “commitment to higher education, particularly in support of those who have been marginalized and underserved.” For more information about partnering with CVHEC’s dual enrollment team: CVHECinfo@mail.fresnostate.edu.
Dr. Bennett joins CVHEC’s team – Master’s Project seeking community college mentors
Dr. Lori Bennett, president-emeritus of Clovis Community College (CCC), is the latest addition of talent to CVHEC, announced Executive Director Benjamín Durán. Dr. Bennett, who retired from CCC in 2023, will serve as Math Faculty Mentor coordinator for CVHEC’s Master’s Upskilling Project for English and Mathematics. She joins the MA Upskilling team of Tom Burke, the Kern MA Upskilling lead; and Dr. Vikash Lakhani, English Faculty Mentor coordinator. Burke also announced that the project is currently recruiting community college professors to serve as mentors to the program participants for assignments starting in fall of 2025. The community college mentors receive two stipends of $1,000 each during their mentorship period.
SPOTLIGHT: CDE podcast transcript featuring CVHEC
This issue, we spotlight the transcript for the California Department of Education podcast “Bridge to Success: Navigating Dual Enrollment” recorded Feb. 25 at the California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference featuring members of the CVHEC delegation that was first featured in our March issue. Interviewed and sharing our dual enrollment initiatives at the third annual statewide conference held Feb. 23-26 in Sacramento were Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director; Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC Operations & Finance manager, and Ginny Sandhu, Sunnyside High School (Fresno Unified) teacher who earned qualification to teach dual enrollment through CVHEC’s Master’s Upskilling Program (also see Dual Enrollment Week video that includes an excerpt of the podcast).
BOARD NEWS
Fresno City College president: Dr. Denise Whisenhunt comes home
Ms. Denise Whisenhunt, J.D., was named Fresno City College president effective July, 2025 by the State Center Community College District (SCCCD) Board of Trustees at its May 6 meeting. She also took a seat on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting May 8, filling the spot vacated when Dr. Robert Pimentel became chancellor of the West Hills Community College District (remaining on the CVHEC board by virtue of his WHCCD position).
(Social media – April) TO DO
– Published June 4
More than 175 higher education leaders who gathered at the Central Valley Higher Education Summit in Fresno on May 9 rallied to address sweeping federal changes reshaping the education landscape nationwide. The summit, hosted by CVHEC and sponsored by College Futures Foundation, was marked by a powerful virtual address from California Attorney General Rob Bonta (see related story). It featured panels addressing national trends, equity, the state’s higher education systems policies, student experiences and collaborative innovation. The summit theme, “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way,” was delivered through five panels with members of the CVHEC board providing panelist introductions and moderating. Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of UC Merced and chair of the CVHEC board, set the tone for the panels and Bonta’s remarks later in the afternoon: “The focus of today’s summit is unique in that higher education across the nation is dealing with challenges created by a new administration in Washington and the ever-changing higher education landscape.”
YT: https://youtu.be/Y7kLTfa0YsU
California Attorney General Bonta, ACE VP Fansmith assess the higher ed challenge
CVHEC in May virtually delivered the voices of two key leaders at the head of the quick changing education landscape facing the nation amidst policy and funding changes by the current White House Administration. At CVHEC’s summit May 9, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told the leaders of higher education institutions in the Central Valley they are facing an “all-hands-on-deck moment” as changes under the Trump administration threaten educational equity and federal funding. The day before, at the quarterly meeting of the CVHEC Board of Directors – made up of the university and college chancellors, presidents and educational administrators of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region – Jon Fansmith, American Council on Education (ACE) senior vice president, delivered a deeply informative and, at times, sobering virtual conversation including an alert about possible TRIO Programs funding cuts.
BLOG: Commencement 2025
By Ellie Oliva, Class of 2025 – Fresno State
Like many high school seniors, Ellie Oliva had big college dreams after graduating from high school. But, just like for numerous students, her plans changed and she “took a break” to earn some money and “live life” before eventually returning to her academic journey. For our commencement season “What the CV-HEC is Happening” blog, we recruited Ellie to tell her story of not giving up on her dream and eventually experiencing the thrill of graduating from two CVHEC-member colleges in the past 365 days including walking in two commencement events last month. Right after her Fresno State graduation May 17, Ellie began her full-time professional career with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno as its social media coordinator.
CVHEC is renowned for its effectiveness in fostering regional collaboration among all of the Valley’s higher education institutions. Most notable, as evidenced by the recent Central Valley Higher Education Summit, is the ability to bring intersegmental partners together from the University of California, California State University and California Community college systems as well as independent/private institutions for the purpose of increasing access and success of Central Valley students in their higher education experience.
At the summit, a more recent and very powerful example of this was the presentation by Dr. James Zimmerman on the panel, “What the CVHEC is Happening in the Central Valley,” where he discussed the success of the Central Valley Transfer Project initiated by CVHEC in partnership with UC Merced (UCM), backed by the testimony of successful transfer student Araceli Tilley in the student panel earlier that morning. CVHEC’s Transfer Project protocols were so successful that California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian adopted the Transfer Project as a statewide demonstration project in 2023, first announced at our CVHEC Summit that October. It is now part of the CCC Vision 2030.
CVHEC BOARD MEETING: New Taft College, UCSF-Fresno reps welcomed to board; key initiatives discussed
The 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, M.D., Ph.D. from the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus.
(Social media – JUNE) TO DO
National Higher Education Day June 5 — Salute to our California Central Valley college leaders
TO EDIT
In observance of #HigherEducationDay today … our annual salute to the leaders of 28 Central Valley institutions of higher ed in our 10-county region from San Joaquin to Kern who make up the CVHEC Board of Directors: speaking in a single voice on higher education policy issues that affect our region the #CentralValleyWay.
Collectively these educational executives – chancellors, presidents, campus directors – collaborate as the CVHEC board to increase Central Valley’s certificate and degree attainment rates while serving as a regional convener on post-secondary equitable work.
A special shout out to new board members: Acting Superintendent/President Leslie Minor of Taft College and UCSF Fresno Vice Dean José M. Barral Sánchez.
Also, in transition, congrats to Yosemite Community College District Chancellor Henry Yong on his retirement and to Dr. Lena Tran, @columbiacollege president who was named YCCD interim chancellor to replace Chancelor-emeritus Yong.
SUMMER – TO DO
(Social media ONLY – JUNE/JULY)
TO EDIT
MidYearRvw25-sumNL25 v1
NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION DAY 2025 – Salute to our California hashtag#CentralValley college leaders
Follow a manual added link
Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director (right), moderated the final panel of the day, “What the CVHEC is Happening in the Central Valley,” at the CVHEC Summit held May 9 in Fresno. Panelists were Dr. James Zimmerman, University of California administrator who served with CVHEC’s Transfer Project team; Dr. Lynn Cevallos, founder and president of College Bridge, the lead partner in the Math Bridge Program with CVHEC and the Rand Corp.; and Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor-emeritus of West Hills Community College District who is now CVHEC’s Dual Enrollment lead.
A spring of productivity in uncertain times
Focusing on our mission to stimulate a college-going culture in the Central Valley
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues …
I hope you are all enjoying a well-deserved summer break and that your 4th of July with family and friends last month was a wonderful time. This traditional national holiday is especially important to us all today in these uncertain times.
With the launch of our summer edition of the CVHEC e-newsletter, we reflect on an eventful and impactful spring semester and summer recess as we head into the 2025/26 Academic Year. In this first half of the year, CVHEC colleges and universities engaged in several initiatives and projects that emerged organically in the region from faculty, staff and leaders who are dedicated to student success in all its forms. These productive efforts support our mission to stimulate a college-going culture for the improvement of the lives of our students and their families as well as improving the economic and social well-being of the Central Valley – the very essence of the CVHEC mission.
It is rewarding and heartwarming to see faculty and staff in the CVHEC region from the state’s four segments of higher education — community colleges, California State University campuses, University of California campuses, and our independent partners– all working collaboratively to implement strategies that reach across our ten-county region.
It is especially rewarding to see this power of collaboration through the eyes of an out-of-state partner and observer who joined us at our CVHEC Higher Education Summit in May: Dr. Brandon Protas from our partner organization, Complete College America. In addition to serving on a summit panel regarding the importance of data, Dr. Protas authored this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog where he aptly shares his thoughts on what he has experienced working with CVHEC. I know you will enjoy reading about his national perspective of the unique culture he observes in the CVHEC universe.
Also, in our annual mid-year review, you will see a recap of the great work our intersegmental partners produced in these first six months around such initiatives like a regional transfer project that is a statewide model; and implementation of dual enrollment throughout the valley. This includes collaboration with K-12 partners towards student success in gateway courses like math and English by providing upskilling opportunities for high school teachers to earn master’s degrees in those two subject areas thus qualifying them to teach dual enrollment community college courses at their respective high schools).
We are looking forward to the second part of this year and all that the fall semester promises to bring.
To further strengthen our internal structure and objectives so we can support our consortium member institutions, the CVHEC Board of Directors will meet this summer to strategically plan for the next three years. These valley higher ed leaders will identify and deliberate new initiatives and approaches to serving and continue lifting our student populations as they pursue their academic goals.
The board will also examine how the region can come together to deal with the current national environment that is hostile to higher education and the decades-long mission of universities and colleges in the United States. Stay tuned with our fall newsletters for updates regarding the direction of the consortium for the rest of 2025-26 and beyond.
I truly hope you enjoy this summer edition of the newsletter and find it worthy of your time. We encourage you to forward it to colleagues and urge them to subscribe to become part of the communications network we are building in the Central Valley for higher education professionals and partners locally, statewide and nationally.
Until the next issue, we wish you a productive but restful and enjoyable summer.