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CVHEC SUMMIT 2025 WRAP: ’more timely and impactful than ever’ (photo gallery)

June 4, 2025
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CVHEC SUMMIT 25: California attorney general, ACE VP assess the higher ed challenge

June 4, 2025

California Attorney General Rob Bonta tells the CVHEC Summit 2025: “This is an all-hands-on-deck, all-tools-in-the-toolbox moment where everyone needs to rise up and push back against the attacks and make sure that we’re continuing our pathway to progress.”

 

‘ …we’re here to represent California’s beautifully diverse communities and ensure everyone

can achieve their vision of the California dream. So we’re here for you.’

– Calif. AG Rob Bonta

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications/Media Coordinator

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, earlier this month, 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.

Calif. Attorney General Rob Bonta

At the 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 – American Council on Education (ACE) Senior Vice President Jon Fansmith delivered a deeply informative and, at times, sobering virtual conversation including an alert about possible TRIO Programs funding cuts.

Both gatherings provided more than 175 participants the opportunity to review progress regarding ongoing strategies and initiatives in CVHEC’s quest to improve educational outcomes under the summit theme “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way.”

“We are navigating a landscape shaped by sweeping policy shifts, federal restructuring, and the lasting impact of a historic pandemic,” Dr. Benjamin Durán, CVHEC executive director, told the assembly.

Jon Fansmith, American Council on Education (ACE)

“At the same time, we are adapting to revolutionary changes in instructional delivery, integrating artificial intelligence into academic life and responding to the evolving demands of a dynamic workforce. These unprecedented challenges are not just obstacles—they are the defining forces of a new era in higher education. As the summit theme affirms, we are called to lead, adapt and innovate as we chart a course through this pivotal time.”

In addition to Bonta and Fansmith, the CVHEC summit, funded by the College Futures Foundation, included national and state lawmakers providing updates on the legislative front and representatives of the California’s four systems of higher ed sharing perspectives regarding White House policies on their respective landscapes statewide (see related story).

Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz, chancellor of UC Merced and chair of the CVHEC board, introduced Bonta in the 2 p.m. virtual forum after lunch.

“As you know, the attorney general has been at the forefront not just for California, but nationally leading legal response to some very concerning directives from the federal government related to educational funding,” said Chancellor Muñoz.

‘An all-hands-on-deck, all-tools-in-the-toolbox moment …’

Bonta recounted that he and 19 other attorneys general have filed 20 lawsuits nationwide to stop such actions as freezing $3 trillion in capital critical federal funding that would threaten hundreds of billions of dollars in California annually as well as affecting immigration and international students.

“We also issued guidance to higher education institutions and K-12 schools in response to the Department of Education’s threats to withdraw federal funding from institutions that retain DEI programs and policies,” the attorney general said.

“Bringing our diverse perspectives to campus benefits all students and everyone deserves equal access to public education. Educational institutions should be encouraged to continue to foster diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.”

Bonta thanked the educators for protecting access to higher education and pledged his commitment to stand with them.

“The California Department of Justice is here to protect and defend, and enforce our state’s laws and protections,” Bonta told the summit participants. “And we’re here to represent all of California’s beautifully diverse communities and ensure everyone can achieve their vision of the California dream. So we’re here for you. And you can be sure that if Trump breaks the law or violates the Constitution, we will see him in court.”  

Bonta noted that the attorneys general have successfully challenged the Trump administration “for conducting an illegal mass firing of nearly half of all employees at the US Department of Education.

“I sued the Trump administration for conducting an illegal mass firing of federal probationary employees,” he said.  

As a result, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from firing thousands of workers at the Department of Education, ruling that the announced terminations were a thinly veiled effort to dismantle the entire department without congressional approval. The judge said that the thousands of terminations announced in March “had deeply disrupted services for students, families and states, making processes less efficient.”    

Also, another  federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from preventing Harvard from enrolling foreign students.   

Bonta also addressed concerns about the treatment of immigrants, an issue colleges are facing with their DACA students.

“Now more than ever, it is imperative that we make sure all immigrants and their families know the rights and protections afforded to immigrants under the law — rights and protections that I’m here to defend and to enforce,” Bonta said.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck, all-tools-in-the-toolbox moment where everyone needs to rise up and push back against the attacks and make sure that we’re continuing our pathway to progress.”

One summit participant said she was glad to hear the attorney general make that declaration that day.

Dr. Iliana Perez, executive director of Immigrants Rising based in Long Beach which works with immigrant students across the state supporting their pursuit of access to higher education, career opportunities and entrepreneurship, said the attorney general’s perspective around immigration as expressed in the virtual forum “is so needed at this moment in time.”

Dr. Iliana Perez, executive director of Immigrants Rising with CVHEC Executive Director Dr. Benjamin Durán after Attorney General Rob Bonta’s virtual remarks at the 2025 higher ed summit.

An alumna of CVHEC member Fresno State who wrote a blog for the CVHEC newsletter in February, Dr. Perez said, “There’s a lot of fear in the community. To have an attorney general that is definitely taking a stance that is supportive of the rights of all individuals in California, including immigrants, I think delivers the kind of message we need to hear. We need to hear that California stands with its residents, regardless of immigration status.”

Once undocumented herself, Dr. Perez has been an advocate for Dreamer students for over a decade, especially in the area of entrepreneurship, and asserts it is in the best interest of the community at large to provide access to higher education support for them.

“The reality is that undocumented students, and all immigrants in the state, are contributing to the economy,” Dr. Perez said.

“These students are graduating, they’re pursuing careers in a variety of different fields, they are contributing to the workforce. It really is a disinvestment if we don’t protect their rights, if we don’t protect the freedoms of all students. So this is a time for higher education leaders to be able to come together to really be thinking about how important it is to stand in support of students.

That was accomplished in the day’s panels beginning with Dr. Benjamin Durán, CVHEC executive director, in the opening welcome session, echoing the Chancellor Muñoz’ assessment that higher education in California — and across the nation — “is facing a transformative moment” that beckoned the valley’s education leaders to the summit.

It was also carried out the day before when the higher ed CEOs sat as the CVHEC Board of Directors and heard Fansmith after Duran laid out the board’s charge.

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

‘… a sense of the temperature and temperament in DC …’

This dynamic was underscored in ACE senior vice president Fansmith’s virtual presentation to the board about pressing national issues affecting higher education.

He was introduced by Chancellor Muñoz, a member of the ACE board who noted that Fansmith has a daily ongoing interaction with legislators in the halls of Congress.

“John is on the Hill almost every day, he’s in the entrails of all of these congressional offices both on the House and the Senate side and regularly provides updates to the ACE members,” said Muñoz who arranged for Fansmith to provide the CVHEC board “a sense of the temperature and the temperament of what he’s seeing in DC relative to higher education legislation.”

In the board session, Fansmith addressed the challenges campuses face surrounding immigrant student populations, an especially relevant issue in the Central Valley, which is home to a large immigrant and first-generation college student population.

He provided insights into the shifting landscape of federal education grants and how institutions can navigate these changes to continue supporting underserved students.

In particular, he discussed serious federal funding threats to higher education support programs such as TRIO.

Fansmith explained that the Trump administration’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes eliminating the TRIO program, along with other major cuts to educational support programs such as GEAR UP, work-study, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), and campus childcare.

While Congress is unlikely to approve these drastic cuts in full, even partial adoption could cause significant harm to institutions and students, he said.

Despite the proposed elimination, Fansmith expressed cautious optimism about TRIO’s future. He noted that TRIO enjoys strong bipartisan support, especially from influential lawmakers such as the Republican chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

He also emphasized the effectiveness of TRIO advocates within the Department of Education. However, recent political tensions have generated some pushback from outside education circles, he cautioned.

He summarized that, while TRIO faces real threats, its broad support in Congress gives it a better chance of survival than some other programs. Fansmith said he and his colleagues continue working in Washington to protect these critical resources for underserved students.

Duran said the two presentations underscored CVHEC’s mission and ideals.

“With continued collaboration and a shared vision, the consortium board meeting and summit reaffirmed the power of regional unity in advancing student success,” said Duran who is also president-emeritus of Merced College. “Bringing our leadership together in one room to engage in this dialogue is essential for shaping a voice for higher education the Central Way as we move forward.”

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bonta-Art-NL0525.png 1192 2560 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 07:55:362025-06-04 11:56:03CVHEC SUMMIT 25: California attorney general, ACE VP assess the higher ed challenge

UPDATE: CVHEC increases transfers the Central Valley Way

June 4, 2025
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SPOTLIGHT: ABC30 coverage of CVHEC Summit 2025

June 4, 2025

CVHEC Executive Director Benjamín Durán was interviewed by ABC30 Fresno at the Central Valley Higher Education Summit May 9.

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ss-ABC30-summit25-050925.jpg 1265 2244 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 06:15:272025-06-12 23:51:34SPOTLIGHT: ABC30 coverage of CVHEC Summit 2025

BOARD MEETING MAY 2025: UCSF dean, Taft College interim welcomed to CVHEC Board (photo galleries)

June 4, 2025
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https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/BODwelcomes0525-art.png 788 940 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 02:46:042025-06-11 13:18:05BOARD MEETING MAY 2025: UCSF dean, Taft College interim welcomed to CVHEC Board (photo galleries)

MEMBER NEWS: CHSU Future DOctor Pathway accepts 7 Fresno State students

June 4, 2025
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https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CHSU-FS-students-web.jpeg 1416 2500 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 02:28:552025-06-04 12:01:10MEMBER NEWS: CHSU Future DOctor Pathway accepts 7 Fresno State students

HIGHER ED NEWS: Dual enrollment growing but access gaps linger

June 4, 2025
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https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/061423-Bakersfield-College-LGBTQ-LV_CM_07-crp.jpeg 1059 1996 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 02:01:182025-06-04 12:46:23HIGHER ED NEWS: Dual enrollment growing but access gaps linger

BOARD NEWS: UCSF-Fresno Vice Dean Barral Sánchez

June 4, 2025

New UCSF Fresno vice dean joins CVHEC board as regional campus eyes 50th anniversary

 

José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, was seated on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting May 8 in Fresno upon assuming the position of vice dean for the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus, effective May 1.

Dr. Barral Sanchez’ appointment was announced in February by UCSF School of Medicine Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD  as the regional campus prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

He said Dr. Barral Sánchez oversees medical education, faculty development and research growth, including an expanding partnership with UC Merced, also a CVHEC member.

“This newly established role supports UCSF Fresno’s expansion as a regional campus,” said Dean King at the time.

Founded in 1975, UCSF Fresno was established to address the physician shortage in the San Joaquin Valley and help meet the region’s health care needs.

“With a career dedicated to academic leadership, faculty mentorship and community-driven medical education, Dr. Barral Sánchez is well-positioned to advance the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus’s mission of improving health care in the San Joaquin Valley,” added Dean King.

Dr. Barral Sánchez joins UCSF from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM), where he has served as the inaugural chair of Biomedical Science and founding co-director of the MD-PhD Program with Caltech since 2018. He previously held leadership roles at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, including senior associate dean for Academic Affairs and vice chair of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy.

“I am looking forward to immersing myself in UCSF Fresno and learning what the needs and aspirations are of the campus community, Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley,” said Dr. Barral Sánchez. “I want to become embedded in the environment and learn how I can become a catalyst for enhancing the overall educational and research culture — everything that comprises an academic medical center and to enhance attracting health care providers to train and remain in the region.”

 

See original UCSF-Fresno press release.

For media inquiries about UCSF Fresno: Brandy Ramos Nikaido brandy.nikaido@ucsf.edu 

For media inquiries about the CVHEC Board: Tom Uribes cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu

 

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/JBS-Headshot-scaled-e1746482920114.jpg 768 535 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 01:57:222025-06-04 11:53:05BOARD NEWS: UCSF-Fresno Vice Dean Barral Sánchez

BOARD NEWS: Interim Superintendent/President at Taft College

June 4, 2025

Dr. Leslie Minor  joins CVHEC Board  

 

Leslie Minor, Ph.D., Taft College interim superintendent/president, was seated on the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) Board of Directors at its quarterly meeting May 8 in Fresno. She was named to the Taft position effective Jan. 13.

Dr. Minor is an experienced and dedicated educational leader who joined Taft College initially as the vice president of Instruction in 2019. While at Taft College, Dr. Minor has collaborated on the development of the college’s Educational Master Plan and other strategic plans, accreditation self-studies, a baccalaureate degree and has worked to update processes and procedures at Taft College while promoting professional development programs for district employees.

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Minor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Washington, as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine. Her prior administrative leadership experience spans both Oregon and California, and she brings many years of teaching experience in psychology, sociology, teacher preparation, and business human relations to her work. She was the regional representative to the Chief Instructional Officer Executive Board for the California Community College system and participates in statewide committees. She has received recognition for her work, including two international Fulbright travel awards.

Dr. Minor has also been an active member of her community, serving with organizations such as Kiwanis, Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Long Beach Farms, and the National Forest Service. She takes great pride in her role as a mentor and in supporting students, including her three adult children, all of whom attended community college.

Her passion for education, leadership, and service continues to inspire her work at Taft College, where she is committed to creating pathways for students to succeed academically and professionally.

Source:  https://www.taftcollege.edu/faculty-staff/employee-directory/profiles/LeslieMinor.phpd

https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FINAL-L-Minor-Portrait-scaled-e1746678511471.jpg 768 538 Tom Uribes https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.png Tom Uribes2025-06-04 01:50:212025-06-04 11:55:04BOARD NEWS: Interim Superintendent/President at Taft College

CVHEC SUMMIT 2025 NEWS: California Attorney General Rob Bonta to update Valley’s college chancellors, presidents

May 7, 2025

SUMMIT UPDATES: •2025 CVHEC Summit Program FlipBook   •Summit 2025 panelist bios  •News release: CVHEC Summit 2025 panels

NOTE: Registration  is now closed.

Panelists announced for CVHEC Summit May 9;

Congress, State Legislature reps to address funding cuts

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications/Media Coordinator

(May 7, 2025 — FRESNO, CA) – California Attorney General Rob Bonta will address the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Summit 2025 Friday, May 9, in Fresno during a Zoom session, “Higher Education & Justice: A Virtual Forum,” where he will discuss with the heads of the valley’s university and colleges the litigation that he and a coalition of state attorneys general have initiated challenging Trump Administration executive orders affecting higher education.

Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, announced today that Attorney General Bonta will connect at 2 p.m. via Zoom with the chancellors, presidents and campus directors who make up the CVHEC Board of Directors and other participants at the summit which will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel  (2233 Cesar Chavez Blvd.).

Prior to Bonta’s talk, Congressmembers Jim Costa (21st District) and Adam Gray (13th District) and California State Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria (District 27) will present in-person updates at 12:30 p.m. regarding the elected officials’ efforts to address such issues as federal funding cuts and student concerns amidst deportation and other immigration actions by the Administration that took office in January.

In the opening morning panel, top administrators representing California’s four systems of higher education: California Community Colleges, California State University, University of California and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, will discuss the current state of affairs and strategies within their respective systems at 9:15 a.m. to kick off the event’s five panel discussions.

Under the theme “Navigating Higher Education in a New Era – The Central Valley Way,” the summit will convene 175 educators, legislators, policy makers, community members and higher education professionals from throughout the valley’s 10-county region as well as from throughout the state and nation.

Duran also announced that registration for the free event, supported by event sponsor College Futures Foundation, reached capacity and is now closed.

CVHEC also recently announced names of other panelists for the summit including valley higher education leaders that serve on the consortium board who will be panel moderators and provide introductions of the panelists.

Duran said the annual summit takes on special significance this year with major changes occurring and he expects critical deliberation between political, community and education leaders in attendance.

“With the dismantling of the Department of Education and wholesale severance of federal funds, higher education now faces perhaps its biggest challenge in the nation’s history,” said Durán.

“Now, as massive ongoing policy and program changes hit, we find it imperative that our region’s university and college leaders deliberate critically but thoughtfully with legislators, policy makers and other educators in general to share our perspectives in search of concrete solutions for the benefit of our student populations. We must act judiciously.”

He said the 2025 summit, with leaders from the state’s higher ed systems collaborating with the federal and state legislators sets the stage for this interaction.

Duran also is superintendent/president-emeritus of Merced College, serving that tenure from 1998-2012 before he became the consortium executive director in 2015. He also served on the CVHEC Board when he was Merced College president.

The Attorney General’s office said Bonta will update the valley’s college leaders on his latest efforts “to hold the Trump Administration accountable to the law and protect our students and higher education institutions.”

Since President Trump took office for a second term, the Attorney General has filed lawsuits “challenging the unlawful mass firing at the U.S. Department of Education, the unlawful termination of education grants, unlawful NIH funding cuts that impact universities and research institutions, and the unlawful attempt to freeze nearly $3 trillion in nationwide federal funding.”

He and a coalition of attorneys general filed an amicus brief last month “challenging the Trump Administration’s executive orders allowing for the ideologically-motivated revocation of visas for students and faculty who exercise their free speech and association rights.”

The Attorney General has also proactively published information on immigrant rights and protections in California, including the right to an education.

Attorney General Bonta, who became the state’s 34th Attorney General in 2021, has led statewide fights for racial, economic and environmental justice and worked to further the rights of immigrant families, renters, and working Californians. He previously worked as a deputy city attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, served as an Alameda Council Member and represented Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro in the California State Assembly. Bonta is the first person of Filipino descent to occupy the position.

“For so many, higher education is a key that opens doors to vibrant careers and unlocks access to the California Dream,” the Attorney General said about his address to the Central Valley’s higher education leaders and community.

“As the Trump Administration attacks colleges and universities that do not blindly fall in line with their demands, we must do all we can to defend, protect and invest in institutes of higher learning so they fulfill their role of inspiring future generations of leaders. From advancing scientific research to training school teachers to opening minds, encouraging freedom of speech and educating students, our colleges and universities play a critical role in our communities and our democracy.

“As Attorney General of California, I am proud to uplift and support the many colleges and universities that help make California great,” Bonta said.

The panelists

The summit will open at 9 a.m. with a board welcome by Dr. Juan Muñoz, UC Merced chancellor and chair of the CVHEC Board of Directors, followed by Durán reviewing the summit agenda.

The keynote panel, “Stronger Together: Aligning Systems for Equitable Outcomes,” from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., will be moderated by State Center Community College District Chancellor Carole Goldsmith after CSU Stanislaus President Britt Rios-Ellis introduces the panel:

  • Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng, California Community Colleges deputy chancellor;
  • Nathan Dietrich, California State University assistant vice chancellor of University Relations and Advancement;
  • Yvette Gullatt, University of California vice president for Graduate and Undergraduate Affairs, vice provost for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and chief diversity officer;
  • Alex Graves, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities vice president for Government Relations.

A panel featuring student testimony, “In Their Words: Real Students Talking about Central Valley Strategies,” follows from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. facilitated by Lemoore College President James Preston. Columbia College President Lena Tran will introduce the student panelists.

The student panelists are two college students: Aracelli Tilley, Merced College and UC Merced, and Zeidi Diaz, Fresno State; and three Dinuba High School students: Abigail M. Soto Toscano, Izabella Cavazos and McKenzie Rosas.

The third panel, “Data at Every Level: Sharing National, State, and Local Insights,” will be moderated by Merced College President Chris Vitelli.  Coalinga College President Carla Tweed will introduce the panelists:

  • Dr. Brandon Protas, assistant vice president for Alliance Engagement for the national higher education advocacy organization, Complete College America;
  • Dr. Hans Johnson, senior fellow for the Public Policy Institute of California;
  • Dr. Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz, principal investigator of the UC Merced Advancing Educational Opportunity in the Central Valley Project;

After lunch, the legislative update panel, “The Path Forward: Higher Ed Policy and the New Administration,” from 1 – 1:45 p.m. will be moderated by Chancellor Muñoz after Porterville College President Primavera Monarrez introduces the panelists serving in the United States Congress and the State Legislature.

The final panel before the closing session, “What the CVHEC is Happening in the Central Valley,” from 1:45 to 2:30 p.m. will be moderated by Durán after Fresno Pacific University President André Stephens introduces the panelists:

  • Dr. James Zimmerman, UC Merced, will discuss the Central Valley Transfer Project with an update since its designation as a California Community Colleges Demonstration Projectwas announced at the 2023 CVHEC Summit.
  • Dr. Kristin Clark, CVHEC Dual Enrollment lead, will discuss dual enrollment models; data showing how the Central Valley leads the state; and the CVHEC Master’s Upskilling Project’s collaboration with K-16 partners and how 250 high school teachers are projected by 2026 to earn the graduate degree required to teach dual enrollment courses at their respective campuses.
  • Dr. Lynn Cevallos, president/founder of College Bridge, will discuss the Central Valley Math Bridgeproject in partnership with CVHEC community college members and K-16 partners.

For the summit’s Closing Comments session, “Where Do We Go from Here?” from 2:30 to 3 p.m., Durán will discuss plans for a regional data project and a campaign to support former students seeking to complete degree requirements, the Central Valley Reconnect Project.

“The CVHEC summit will provide our panelists and participants alike the opportunity to share their thoughts on these tumultuous times and help lay foundation to unite for formidable action,” Duran said. “This year’s CVHEC summit attendees will leave with a good understanding of the work Central Valley higher education institutions have been doing.”

The CVHEC board also will hold a quarterly meeting the day before followed by the CVHEC Welcome Reception from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. (Thursday, May 8) for registered summit participants featuring the Fresno State Latin Jazz Ensemble.

  • Event questions:contact Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC Associate Director, at angelr@csufresno.edu or 559.278.0576.
  • CVHEC media inquiries: Tom Uribes, CVHEC communications lead text 559.348.3278 or cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu
  • ATTORNERY GENERAL media inquiries: (916) 210-6000 or AGPRESSOFFICE@DOJ.CA.GOV
  • For event updates:see the Summit 2025 event page, subscribe to the free CVHEC monthly e-newsletter or visit CVHEC social media platforms.

ABOUT CVHEC

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a California non-profit made up of institutions of higher education in the ten-county region from San Joaquin to Kern that is the size of some states. Through CVHEC, higher education professionals and academicians in the Central Valley address difficult and complex initiatives, scaling them up across the region for mutual effectiveness to serve our students and communities.  

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