CVHEC IN NEWS: CETF Partnership helps Planada establish a digital community

BY LETICIA ALEJANDREZ
Director of Communications
California Emerging Technology Fund

(October 3, 2023) – In January of this year, students and teachers at the small, rural Planada Elementary School District (PESD), still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, faced another crisis:  massive rainstorms and flooding had eroded the district’s access to basic technology needed for teaching, learning and connecting with families.  Superintendent José González said, “The Digital Divide has always been a challenge for our families, and this disadvantage has grown since the January flooding.  So many student and family learning activities were disrupted.”  That’s when the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) stepped in to help.

Together with Comcast, CETF provided a $15,000 grant for the PESD to replace 3 laptop carts and purchase 40 Chromebooks for their students.   “Comcast is pleased to work with CETF to provide the tools and resources needed for students to succeed in the Central Valley,” said Walter Hughes, Vice President of Government Affairs for Comcast California. “This donation along with Comcast’s recent announcement of investing $4.5 million to bring our smart, fast, reliable high-speed broadband network—the Xfinity 10G Network—to Planada later this year is an important part of our overall efforts to increase digital equity and close the digital divide across the state.”

Sunne Wright McPeak, CETF President and CEO, who grew up in the Merced County in the rural community of Livingston, the hometown of Superintendent González, added, “It is a privilege to assist Planada by joining with others who grew up in the San Joaquin Valley to invest in the current generation of future leaders.”

“This is a wonderful example of a public-private partnership in service of rural schools, students, and families,” said Abel Guillén, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction at the California Department of Education (CDE).

Soon, CETF will assist the district in successfully driving awareness and checking the eligibility of PESD families to apply for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a monthly $30 subsidy towards Internet service.

In addition to these activities, PESD will receive support from School2Home, an education program sponsored and managed by CETF.  School2Home will provide guidance, tools, and training to help the district rebuild its technology program, equip teachers with critical professional development, and build family confidence with technology through digital literacy, digital safety, and home-school communications workshops.  “We look forward to helping PESD teachers and staff optimize their use of technology to accelerate learning and engage families. Devices and connectivity are essential but educators need guidance on effectively using these tools to maximize the impact on student outcomes,” said Agustin Urgiles, Executive Manager, School2Home.

Dr. Ben Duran, CEO of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium and President Emeritus of Merced College, and a native of Planada who grew up in Merced County at the same time as McPeak also observed, “This collaboration among CDE, CETF, and Comcast to ensure Planada students have technology and their parents benefit from School2Home is a prime example of how investing in education makes a difference because it was made possible by ‘Valley Kids’ getting a good education and being able to give back to their home community.”

See CETF press release.

About California Emerging Technology Fund

CETF is a statewide non-profit foundation with a mission to close the Digital Divide in California.  CETF provides grants to non-profit community-based organizations (CBOs) to assist low-income households in adopting broadband and becoming digitally proficient.  School2Home www.School2Home.org is the signature education initiative of CETF that helps Title I schools integrate technology into teaching, learning, and parent engagement to close the Achievement Gap.  For more information, please visit www.cetfund.org.  For ACP information, please visit www.InternetForAllNow. 

BOARD NEWS: New Central Valley Community College CEOs Caucus first convening

Area legislators address policy issues with CVHEC-member CC chancellors, presidents

 

By Cory Burkarth
Madera Community College

 

Madera Community College hosted the Central Valley Community College CEO Caucus Policy Summit and Legislator Convening on October 26.

The meeting brought together Central Valley state legislators, chancellors and presidents to discuss a variety of policy issues facing community colleges. The forum also provided the colleges the opportunity to highlight their respective academic and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs.

State Senator Anna Caballero and Assemblymembers Dr. Joaquin Arambula, Juan Alanis and Esmeralda Soria attended the summit, along with staff representing the Office of the Governor, State Senator Shannon Grove and Assemblymember Jim Patterson.

“We had wonderful conversations throughout the day with our legislators and staff,” said Dr. Angel Reyna, president at Madera Community College.

“We discussed many of the successes our community colleges have delivered over the last several years, especially as it relates to student success and seeing our graduates enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year college or university. We also identified areas where we can work together to ensure we have the resources and support needed to continue serving our students and communities. It was a very insightful and productive day and I’m grateful to our legislators for their continued support for our campuses and the work they do to help us deliver a first-class education to our students.”

The CVCCCC summit was led by Dr. Chris Vitelli, president of Merced College and chair of the Central Valley Community College CEO Caucus, and Dr. Kristin Clark, chancellor of West Hills Community College District who is also board chair for the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium which helped convene its community college members for the event.

 Media inquiries: Cory Burkarth, director of Marketing & Communications at Madera Community College – 559.675.4129

 

MEMBER NEWS: SCCCD Chancellor Goldsmith on EdSource OER/ZTC panel

Panel discusses how to reduce the dizzying cost of textbooks for California college students

BY EMMA GALLEGOS
EdSource Education Reporter

California’s public institutions of higher education have launched efforts — some more extensive than others — to dramatically reduce or eliminate the cost of course materials, which can sometimes rival the price of tuition.

Textbook costs affect academic success

Higher education leaders and advocates, including leaders from California Community Colleges and the California State University system, discussed the biggest successes and hurdles for California colleges during a Thursday panel “Free college textbooks: Dream or reality?” hosted by EdSource.

Cailyn Nagle, open educational resource program manager for Michelson 20MM Foundation, said that 65% of students who responded to a national survey by the Public Interest Research Group skipped out on buying textbooks or course materials because they were too expensive. That figure was 82% for students who had also skipped a meal; many students also declined to buy access codes that courses may require for quizzes or assignments.

“This means students are being priced out of participating in classes that they’ve already paid tuition for,” Nagle said.

According to the California Student Aid Commission, the average student spent $630 on books during the 2022-23 academic year. That doesn’t take into account other course materials, such as clickers, that are increasingly used for attendance and to answer questions in class, Nagle said. With the cost of supplies, the total rises to $1,152 per student annually.

Aya Mikbel, a Sacramento State student, found through interviewing other students in California the various ways they have softened the high cost of textbooks, including buying used copies, shopping for cheaper copies online or renting textbooks. They also borrow textbooks from classmates or forgo textbooks altogether.

These alternatives can affect students’ academic performance. One student told Mikbel that borrowing a textbook often meant it was difficult to check on answers to problem sets or to review previous lessons.

“Students should never feel like they’re focusing more on the price tag of the course rather than the content itself,” Mikbel said.

How California institutions are reducing textbook costs

The California Community College system has received systemwide funding from the state to create zero-textbook-cost pathways. This includes a $5 million pilot program in 2016 and an additional $115 million in 2021 to expand that effort.

The 2016 pilot demonstrated that textbook costs affect academic performance. According to the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Rresources, grades for students in zero-textbook-cost classes were 3% higher than in the same classes taught with traditional class materials, and grades were 7.6% higher for Pell Grant recipients, who can use their grants on textbooks but may opt to use them on other college expenses.

State funding has been key for creating zero-cost pathways at community colleges, but they may not be able to continue doing this work when the funding runs out, said Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy, vice chancellor of educational services and support at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

“The money is not enough; we need sustainable funding,” said Ruan-O’Shaughnessy.

The CSU and UC systems have not yet received the same kind of statewide funding as community colleges. But there are other efforts within the systems and at individual universities to address the costs of textbooks and create four-year degree zero-cost pathways.

Leslie Kennedy, assistant vice chancellor of academic technology services in academic and student affairs at CSU’s Office of the Chancellor, called the lack of funding “challenging.” But she noted that the system provides internal funding to the individual campuses ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 each year and is also hiring coordinators for affordable learning solutions.

Libraries play a key role in reducing course costs for students. The CSU system has negotiated with publishers to purchase electronic textbooks that can be offered to students for free. CSU is also ensuring that faculty puts a direct link to these resources on their syllabi.

Carole Goldsmith, chancellor of the State Center Community College District, added that publishers and bookstores have employed strategies to reduce costs, such as renting out copies of books or offering lower-cost digital copies.

But Nagle is skeptical of the three big publishers, saying they still have a monopoly on most publishing and are responsible for the steep rise in textbook costs. Publishers could hike rates later, leading to the “Amazonification” of course materials, Nagle added.

“If someone came into my home, lit my curtains on fire and then turned around and put a fire cap on and said, ‘Don’t worry, I can fix this,’ I would not trust them to save my home,” Nagle said.

Nagle said she is particularly worried about automatic billing, the practice of automatically charging students for textbooks and access codes on their tuition bill, typically with discounted bulk rates.

“I know people don’t always agree with me on this,” Nagle said, “and they see this as a great way to leverage bulk purchasing to get students a great deal.”

Open resources hold promise

Open educational resources are a particularly powerful and increasingly popular tool to reduce or eliminate the costs associated with courses. Opern educational resources include freely accessible textbooks, lecture notes, quizzes and other assets released under an open license and can be adapted, modified or reused as students or faculty see fit.

There are many benefits besides being free, easily accessible resources. It’s much easier to update or correct a mistake in an open resource than it is to do in a copyrighted text by a publisher, said Ruan-O’Shaughnessy. The open nature of the resources also allows faculty to customize course materials.

Drop rates and retention rates have improved in pilot courses that relied on open educational resources at State Center Community College, Goldsmith said.

What was really exciting about these courses, she said, was the increased engagement among faculty and students alike. Because they have reliable source texts, they no longer have to rely so heavily on lecture notes, and it’s easier for students to participate in class. Faculty at community colleges also are working to ensure that open-source texts better reflect student diversity. It’s been a win for everyone, she said.

“Faculty were able to curate the coursework, so they felt more engaged,” Goldsmith said. “Students saw more reflective stories of themselves and their culture in the work that they were reading about.”

 

Reprinted from EdSource (Oct. 27, 2o23)

Emma Gallegos covers equity issues in education for EdSource and is based in California’s Central Valley.

MEMBER NEWS: KCCD honored with ACCT Pacific Region Equity Award 

Association of Community College Trustees lauds KCCD for

dual enrollment and equity work to increase access and success for all students

 

The Kern Community College District was awarded the 2023 Pacific Region Equity Award from the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) at ACCT’s annual conference in Las Vegas, Nevada last month. ACCT is an organization representing more than 6,500 community college trustees throughout the United States.

Kern CCD is home to the fastest growing dual enrollment program in the state of California. Under the leadership of the Kern CCD Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Tom Burke, and former Chancellor Dr. Sonya Christian the college district has prioritized college access for all students beginning as early as the 9th grade and is fiercely committed to removing the barriers that underrepresented and rural students traditionally face when attempting to access post-secondary education.

Through intentional outreach efforts in rural communities, strong partnerships with local high school districts, and support services that range from the fields to the classroom, Kern CCD is rapidly and effectively moving the dial on college attendance and completion rates in some of California’s most impoverished communities. According to ACCT, “The dual enrollment and early college work in Kern Community College District provides an exceptional example of the equity work that must be done to increase access and success for all students.”

“This award recognizes the commitment of the Board of Trustees and the entire Kern Community College District to providing affordable, quality, education to students in all corners of our community who desire to improve their quality of life through higher education, or workforce development training,” said Kern CCD Board President Romeo Agbalog.

Accepting the award in Las Vegas Oct. 18 on behalf of Kern CCD were Trustees Nan Gomez-Heitzberg, Yovani Jimenez, and Christina Scrivner including Interim Chancellor Tom Burke, a Central Valley Higher Education Consortium board member.

The mission of ACCT is to foster the principles and practices of exemplary governance while promoting high quality and affordable higher education, cutting edge workforce and development training, student success, and the opportunity for all individuals to achieve economic self-sufficiency and security.

Reprinted from the Kern Valley Sun (Oct 18, 2023)

MEMBER NEWS: Comcast California pledges $100,000 in scholarships to five CVHEC-member  community colleges

 

Comcast presented a $100,000 donation to five Central Valley Higher Education Consortium-member community colleges to support the next generation of students eager to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).

The five colleges, which will receive $20k each, are Fresno City College, Clovis Community College, Madera College, Reedley College  of the State Center Community College District and College of the Sequoias. The institutions selected span four counties in the Central Valley and are home to primarily income constrained student populations with many first-generation students.

The scholarship reception was held Oct. 18 at Fresno City College and included SCCCD Chancellor Dr. Carole Goldsmith, presidents from the five area community colleges who all serve on the CVHEC Board of Directors, along with business and communities leaders from the region.

“This scholarship donation from Comcast will help so many students from communities throughout the Central Valley who will go on to accomplish amazing things,” said David Tashjian, Regional Senior Vice President of Comcast California.

“As someone who doesn’t have a traditional college education— and took a unique path to achieve success in business and life —I’m proud to work at a company that understands the importance of investing in our communities in a variety of different ways. It’s no longer a one-size-fits-all-journey. We need to think creatively, adapt and apply innovation. Our hope at Comcast is that these community college scholarships will do just that — meet these students where they are and support their future learning, growth and advancement in whatever way serves them best.”

This scholarship announcement is part of Comcast’s larger digital equity efforts in the Central Valley where the organization has invested millions in expanding its network and creating new “Lift Zones,” which provide free WiFi access, powered by a Comcast Business solution, to help connect youth and their families, seniors, and community members to the Internet so they can fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital economy.

So far, Comcast has now established nearly 20 Lift Zones throughout the South Central Valley—and a total of more than 150 Lift Zones throughout its California footprint.

“We are grateful for Comcast’s outstanding gesture of philanthropy here in the Central Valley and delighted to accept these scholarship funds that will go to better the lives of our students,” said Dr. Robert Pimentel, Fresno City College president and CVHEC boardmember.

“Comcast’s dedication to our students success is mirrored through its outstanding community efforts and we applaud the company’s commitment to supporting dreams and giving students the extra assistance and resources needed to advance them in finding a rewarding career.”

Dr. Ángel Reyna, Madera College President, said the generosity and commitment of community partners like Comcast assists  students and families in developing robust educational opportunities and providing the resources for our students to thrive and succeed.

“Partnerships like these, where our students are given extra assistance toward their education success, as well as the opportunity to participate in the growing digital economy, enable our entire community to prosper,” said President Reyna, who is also a CVHEC board member.

“Comcast’s generous scholarship donation will provide a pathway for students in our communities to transform their lives through higher education, and that is definitely something to celebrate,” said Dr. Kim Armstrong, Clovis Community College president and CVHEC board member. “Organizations like Comcast help encourage everyone in our community to continue to support our students and help them meet the challenges they face head on so they can graduate and succeed.”

Dr. Jerry Buckley, Reedley College pPresident and CVHEC board member said, “Today’s significant investment from Comcast will help expand our workforce development initiatives in the future and further proves the company’s commitment to the Central Valley, which is sometimes overlooked when it comes to the success of our students. This scholarship donation will help increase access to students looking to enter the tech industry and creates a pipeline for future leaders and entrepreneurs who otherwise would not have been able to participate in the industry.”

“Investments like these in our youth and the larger community are meaningful as they will have lasting impacts on building a highly skilled and diverse talent pipeline here in the Central Valley,” said Dr. Brent Calvin, College of the Sequoias president and CVHEC board member. “Comcast’s scholarship donation will directly support the next generation of leaders that will have the tools and resources needed to tackle the issues the Central Valley will face head on in the future.”

This scholarship donation is part of Comcast’s Project UP initiative, which is the company’s $1 billion commitment to reach 50 million people over the next 10 years with the tools, resources, and skills needed to succeed in a digital world. For more information about Comcast’s Project UP initiative, please visit: https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up

 

See the Comcast press release (Oct. 19. 2023).

 

 

The San Joaquin Valley Broadband Summit Nov. 9 seeks affordable internet across the region

The San Joaquin Valley Affordable Broadband Summit Nov. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm via Zoom will bring key community leaders together to strategize for the adoption of affordable internet across the region.

The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) is hosting the virtual summit with the deadline to register set for Nov. 7 at: https://bit.ly/SJVSummitRSVP.

A pre-summit held Nov. 1 addressed broadband barriers, resources and solutions such as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

At the summit, a diverse group of experts, community leaders, and advocates will share their insights and experiences in addressing Broadband Access in the San Joaquin Valley as they seek to bridge the digital divide in the San Joaquin Valley.

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is a partner with the Central Valley Regional Broadband Consortium which has joined the California Department of Technology (CDT) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to collaborate with other state agencies and local partners working towards creating an equitable digital future.

“Bringing affordable broadband internet services to the most vulnerable populations in the Central Valley is an important part of the work CVHEC does in the valley,” said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.

Three summit goals are to: establish a network of ACP leaders to reinforce action and advance best practices; shape a regional and county strategy based on local successes and constraints; and secure commitments for near-term actions.

Discussion topics are:

  • Digital Equity and Broadband Access for All
  • Strategies and Tactics to Increase Affordable Home Internet Adoption.
  • Updates from State and Local Leaders on New and Existing Resources.

The virtual convenings are part of a series of Broadband for All, Digital Equity, and Broadband Equity, Adoption, and Deployment (BEAD) Regional Planning Workshops being held across California to engage with the public and collect feedback. Input shared during the workshops will help California develop the State’s Digital Equity and BEAD Five-Year Action Plans that will determine how future federal dollars are allocated to address digital inequities in the community.

For more information, contact Marissa Canche, Broadband Adoptions director for the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), at marissa@cetfund.org.

 

Links

• Register

• CVHEC joins valley’s broadband development movement – SJVRB seeks response to RFQPP

• MEDIA ADVISORY: Broadband Regional Planning Workshop April 14

 

 

Math Task Force begins discussion of AB1705 implementation – Nov. 17 next

CVHEC Math Task Force — Math professionals representing the consortium’s community college members from throughout the Central Valley’s nine-county region convened in Fresno Oct. 13 to continue AB 1705 implementation discussions. (See photo gallery below).

‘The math education professionals in the CVHEC region are showing up for the task’

With an eye towards ensuring the success rates of their students enrolled in corequisites to gateway math courses, community college members of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Math Task Force kicked off a series of convenings in October to begin preparing for implementation of Assembly Bill 1705 in the 2024-25 academic year. (See photo gallery below).

CVHEC announced that follow up meetings are set for November and January to continue a year-long discussion of ideas and options with the task force members and other educators in an ongoing quest for equitable mathematics under AB705 and AB1705.

To accommodate faculty schedules, two one-hour virtual sessions have been set for Nov. 17: 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. A follow-up day-long session is set for Jan. 26 in-person in Fresno.

These sessions will continue discussions initiated Oct. 6 (virtual) and Oct. 13 (in person), when CVHEC convened more than 30 math educators, counselors and administrators to begin exploring their existing respective implementation data and follow-up measures.

Dr. John Spevak, CVHEC regional coordinator who oversees the consortium’s Math and English Task Forces, said the agenda for the two November Zoom meetings will cover the same topics so math professors can choose the meeting time that fits their schedule. But they are welcome to attend both he said.

“The purpose of the next meetings is to move the discussion along from the October sessions and to set the stage for our next in-person meeting in January,” said Spevak, a Merced College vice president-emeritus. “It’s a way to keep momentum going from those first very interactive meetings that featured a lot of productive discussion.”

Those inaugural sessions were facilitated by representatives of the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin:  Joan Zoellner, M.A., who is the lead for the Dana Center’s Launch Years Initiative; and Dr. Tammi Perez-Rice, Postsecondary Course Program specialist.

At the Oct. 6 virtual informational session, Dr. Erik Cooper, assistant vice chancellor of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Zoomed in to discuss the recent history of math education reform in California. He fielded questions about the requirements and expectations for community colleges under AB1705. (See recording).

A week later, the Dana reps came to Fresno to meet in person with the CVHEC Math Task Force — made up of representatives from CVHEC community colleges — and other math educators diving deeper into the AB1705 implementation discussion started in the first virtual session.

At that six-hour Oct. 13 gathering that included breakfast and lunch, participants explored their existing AB705 implementation data, including the success rates of students enrolled in corequisites to gateway math courses.

“They explored holistic student support strategies to further increase success rates in their existing corequisite courses such as early alerts, incorporating non-cognitive skill instructions, strategies to humanize math instruction and culturally responsive instruction strategies,” Zoellner said.

Participants also explored the concept of modernizing calculus and revisiting the core prerequisite concepts necessary for calculus success, with the possibility of implementing calculus corequisites in mind.

“Strategies for validating prerequisite courses and/or specific prerequisite skills were discussed, as well as ways to provide just-in-time support to allow more students to enter directly into calculus,” Zoellner explained.

Campus teams developed initial plans for their AB1705 implementation for the next year that will be pursued in the upcoming November and January sessions.

Dr. Perez-Rice, who travels nationwide to meet math faculty working to reform mathematics, was impressed with the Central Valley math professionals tackling the issue.

“Being my first time in the CVHEC region, I found the mathematics faculty, administrators and staff ready to continue the momentum set forth by AB705 to see AB1705 through,” she said. “They quickly dove into the data and rolled up their sleeves to do the hard work to ensure equitable mathematics is implemented.

“To say this work is complex would be an understatement; however, the excellent math education professionals in the CVHEC region are showing up for the task. Clearly, the math faculty in the CVHEC region are some of the best,” Dr. Perez-Rice said.

Spevak echoes that call to the Math Task Force for continued forward progress by responding to one of the two Zoom invites for the Nov. 17 virtual meetings that will again be facilitated by the Dana Center.  He and the Dana Center will be sending discussion points for the participants to consider in advance.

“Among other things, I will briefly share what I learned in talking with Dean Tammi Marshall at Cuyamaca College, where currently a Calculus 1 course with a mandatory prerequisite is being taught to students who have not had pre-Calculus,” Spevak said.

Also participating in the October sessions were representatives of College Bridge whose historic Central Valley Math Bridge project with CVHEC was launched this year as an intersegmental collaboration designed to improve math outcomes for struggling 11th and 12th graders and streamline Math pathways into college for them.

Dr. Lynn Cevallos, College Bridge president and cofounder, said these math task force sessions provide an excellent opportunity for math practitioners to learn how the Math Bridge can provide valuable pathways to achieving AB1705 compliance.  

Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, expressed his gratitude to the Math Task Force and all involved for “their interest in this endeavor and ongoing dedication to student success in math.”

For more information: Angel Ramirez, CVHEC finance operations manager, centralvalleyhec@gmail.com.

(For media inquiries, contact Tom Uribes at cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu) or text  559.348.3278).

BACKGROUND

Passed in 2022 for implementation July 1, 2024, AB 1705 expands the provisions established in AB 705 (2017) by explicitly requiring community colleges not only to place students directly into transfer-level English and math courses but also to ensure that students actually enroll in those courses.  The recent legislation also establishes that for students who need or desire extra academic support, community colleges shall provide access to such support. The new law clarifies that a community college can require students to enroll in additional concurrent support if it is determined that the support will increase the student’s likelihood of passing transfer-level English or math.

 

See:

Recording of “AB1705 in the Central Valley” webinar with Dr. Erik Cooper 10.6.23

CVHEC Website Feature: Math Task Force Page

Central Valley Mathematics Pathway

The CVHEC Way to Math Success — Implementing AB1705 (December 2023)

Math Task Force begins discussion of AB1705 implementation – Nov. 17 next

(November 2023)

CVHEC Math Task Force meets in-person Oct. 13 for AB 1705 follow-up   (October 2023)

NEWS RELEASE – CVHEC Math Task Force: Impactful legislation (AB 1705) Convenings Oct. 6 & 13 (September 2023)

CVHEC Partners With College Bridge in Grant Supporting DE Courses from Six Rural Community Colleges at 21 Service Area High Schools (January 2023)

MEMBER NEWS: CVHEC Merced members team up to build joint $100M student housing complex

The proposed housing complex for Merced College and UC Merced students is shown in an artist’s rendering. Credit: UC Merced.

The dual project – a first in the Valley – will provide affordable,


on-campus housing for both Merced College and UC Merced students

 

By RACHEL LIVINAL and BRIANNA VACARRI

Central Valley Journalism Collaborative and KVPR

 

MERCED Oct. 2, 2023 (CVJC and KVPR) – Braulio Bustos-Guzman just started his freshman year at Merced College, but he’s already looking ahead at his options for transferring to a four-year university.

The 18-year-old business administration student could head to a bigger city, like Sacramento or Fresno. Or, he could stay local and attend UC Merced, though he would have to figure out his living situation.

Right now, the graduate of Merced’s Golden Valley High School shares a five-bedroom home with nine other family members. On a good day, it’s seven. Either way, the busy house isn’t always conducive to studying. In a town where rental vacancies remain tight, stories like Bustos-Guzman’s are not rare.

“I feel like I can’t focus unless I’m at school,” he said. “So I usually go to school earlier to study with my friends.”

A new program could encourage community college students like Bustos-Guzman to transfer to UC Merced rather than going elsewhere, while also providing options for affordable student housing.

This spring, UC Merced and Merced College officials are set to begin construction on an apartment-style building with capacity for nearly 500 beds.

The new building is a cornerstone of “The Merced Promise,” a partnership between Merced College and UC Merced to smooth the transition for students moving from the community college to the university.

The project is the culmination of talks between UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sanchez Muñoz and Merced College President Chris Vitelli to address an acute housing shortage affecting all residents, particularly those who earn lower-than-average incomes. 

Local education officials such as Mike McCandless, vice president of student services at Merced College, said the project is a win for retaining local transfer students in the Valley. It will also provide more local student housing, which in recent years has been drastically low.

“One of the things that we really want to work against is that brain drain where our best and brightest are (going) through our high schools here and then they leave,” McCandless said.

After hearing about the project’s plans, Bustos-Guzman said he added UC Merced to his list of transfer options. “I’d just be right around the corner from home,” he told CVJC.

 

Project split evenly between schools

Fully funded by a $100 million allocation from the state’s general fund, the housing project is a unique partnership between the University of California and a California Community College campus – the first collaboration of its kind in the San Joaquin Valley.

Plans call for a mix of studio, two- and four-bedroom apartments, along with a shaded courtyard and outdoor meeting and assembly space. The facility is set to be built on UC Merced’s campus, replacing a parking lot on the west side of campus near existing student housing.

UC Merced and Merced College students would fill the beds equally. Monthly rent estimates range from just under $600 per bed to $700.

The state Legislature gave its final stamp of approval for the project funding on Aug. 30, dividing the money evenly between the two campuses.

The project is also meant to increase a sense of belonging for Merced College students eyeing transfer to UC Merced.

McCandless said Merced College students who live at the complex would see perks special to on-campus life such as access to UC Merced sports games, the recreational center and the dining hall, to entice those students who might otherwise leave the area to continue their education.

“They may have a little trepidation about being three, four, five, six hours from mom and dad and going to a large city, but still thinking they want the college experience,” McCandless said.

“We can provide the best two years of education that you can get anywhere, right at Merced College, but you can still get that four-year experience by participating in the Merced Promise and the Merced Promise housing program.”

 

Potential for more transfer students

For transfer students, the path to a University of California campus hasn’t always been easy.

Charles Nies, UC Merced’s vice chancellor for students affairs, says that’s partially because of differentiation in eligibility requirements between the system’s nine campuses.

While the California State University system has taken decades to create an easier path to their campuses, Nies acknowledged UC campuses have not been as quick to act. He’s hopeful the Merced Promise program will help change that.

“Around 200 to 220 transfer students come to the campus each year,” Nies said. “We believe we’ve got the capacity to double that number easily.”

In 2021, UC Merced established a projected goal to enroll 11,800 students by the 2023-2024 academic year. The campus’ strategic plan is aiming for 15,000 students by 2030.

Right now, the campus has an enrollment of 9,147 students according to university officials.

“We believe we’ve put in place the necessary infrastructure to achieve (the strategic plan’s) goal and support that number of students on campus,” said Alyssa Johansen, UC Merced public information officer.

Nies said the new housing project will include an office of administrative services that could help streamline the process for transfer students. The campus is also considering moving their transfer center closer to the project.

 

Valley lawmakers acted to protect funding

On behalf of local education officials, State Sen. Anna Caballero and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, both Valley Democrats, said they made a point of protecting the $100 million for the project, even in the face of a potential budget deficit earlier this year.

A report from the state’s Legislative Analyst Office initially said removing the Merced housing funding was a “budget solution.”

Luckily, the necessary plans and studies for the project were already completed, making the project almost ready to begin construction, Soria said.

She and Caballero helped coordinate what she called “critical meetings” during the budget process to make sure the funding stayed in the budget. “So luckily, not only were the dollars preserved, the budget actually called out specifically this project, which is remarkable,” Soria said in a phone interview with CVJC.

Caballero said the project is important because Merced County, like most of California, has a lack of affordable housing. Merced’s shortage is exacerbated by the region’s lower-paying jobs.

“Anytime you build a UC campus, you’re going to end up with the need for student housing,” Caballero said. “What happens is that, as the college grows, the ability of the college to house the students on its site becomes less and less and it starts impacting the community that they’re located in.”

 

Who’ll qualify to live in the building?

McCandless said housing eligibility for the project will be determined using a nine-tier “Waterfall  System” of student demographics ranked from highest to lowest priority.

The highest priority is given to income-eligible, academically qualified Merced College students who either have or intend to enroll at UC Merced.

From there, the enrollment structure will work its way down the list of priority students, ranging from community college students regardless of income to undergraduate and graduate students at UC Merced.

The new housing complex at UC Merced is expected to be completed in 2025. For more information about Merced Promise, visit UC Merced’s website.

 

See original story at the CVJC Substack

MEMBER NEWS: 150 future physicians take Osteopathic Oath at CHSU White Coat Ceremony

 

 BY RICHELE C. KLEISER – Vice President, Marketing & Communications

California Health Sciences University

There is more hope on the horizon for the thousands of patients in the Central Valley who face health inequities while seeking health care. The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted a White Coat Ceremony for its first-year medical students on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Austin Jones from Porterville is one of the 150 medical students in the class of 2027 who received a white coat and recited the osteopathic oath in the presence of family and friends.

Jones will be the first in his family to become a physician after his parents immigrated here from South Korea.

Austin Jones received a white coat Sept. 30 and recited the osteopathic oath in the presence of family and friends.

“I know what health care disparities this area faces, and to me it is personal,” said Austin Jones, first-year medical student at the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. “If I could be a piece of the puzzle that fixes this disparity, that would be fulfilling.”

Jones intends to stay here and serve the health care needs of the people he grew up with in the Valley.

“I am proud that our medical students, like Austin Jones, represent the diverse Central Valley populations we serve, and they have an opportunity to help address health inequities experienced in our community,” said John Graneto, DO, Dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

At the ceremony, Dr. Graneto shared the history of the white coat and the importance of maintaining professionalism and humanism in health care careers.

An inspiring welcome address was provided by Alan Shatzel, DO, MBA. Dr. Shatzel spoke about his personal journey through medical school and how osteopathic medicine helps him provide better care for his patients. Dr. Shatzel serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Mercy Medical Group and Second Vice-President of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California. Dr. Shatzel holds board certifications in Neurology, Sleep Medicine, and Clinical Neurophysiology.

The white coats were generously sponsored by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California, an organization focused on advancing and supporting osteopathic physicians in California by serving its mission to engage, educate, and advocate for DOs, so doctors can focus on being doctors. Founded in 1961, the association serves over 9,000 current and future doctors of osteopathic medicine throughout California.

 

See original CHSU press release.

White Coat ceremony video clips and photos available for download here, courtesy of California Health Sciences University here. 

Media Contact: Richele Kleiser, (559) 312-3892, rkleiser@chsu.edu

 

About California Health Sciences University

California Health Sciences University (CHSU) is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). CHSU is the first university of its kind in the Central Valley and offers a local option for medical school and a master’s in biomedical sciences to help remedy the shortage of health care services offered in the Valley.

The CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine now has about 500 medical students in attendance and plans to grow to approximately 600 medical students in the next year. Applications are being accepting for its fifth cohort of 150 medical students to matriculate in 2024. (link)

The university plans to open up to 10 post-baccalaureate colleges on their 110-acre campus in Clovis, California to train health care professionals in the coming years. The timing and specific discipline for each new program will be determined based on the need and opportunity for job placement within the region.

For more information about California Health Sciences University, visit chsu.edu or find them on Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin.

 

WHAT THE CV-HEC IS HAPPENING BLOG (September 2023): Teachers

 

As students return to classrooms for the fall semester, this month’s “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog is a message about the lifelong impact that teachers deliver for their students. It is a reprint of a column by Dr. John Spevak that appeared in the Los Baños newspaper, The Westside Express,  Aug 30. Dr Spevak, who is a vice president-emeritus of Merced College and currently a regional coordinator for CVHEC, taught English in his early career and shares here a recent email from a former student.

The lasting impact teachers have,

even when they don’t realize it

 

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

So wrote Henry Adams, a 19th century American historian. Recently, I felt the impact of that statement. Many veteran teachers, dedicated men and women, will understand the experience about which I’ll be writing today.

Some readers of this column may know that once upon a time, from 1971 to 1985, I taught English and speech at the Los Baños Campus of Merced College, first in a rented building on L Street and then in a facility on Mercey Springs Road. I was fortunate to have many talented and dedicated students of all ages in my classes.

The other day I received an email out of the blue from one of those students, with the simple subject heading of “Former Student.”

“Hello, John,” the email began, “I was a student at the Los Baños Community College Satellite Campus in the early 1980s. You connected me with a tutor who supported my writing and got me started on my college path.

“As an ex-Marine and former high school dropout, I had few academic skills.  I just wanted you to know the long reach of your work. Who knew I’d spend 40 years working with young people, write a dissertation and publish a book? I owe you and your tutors a huge debt of gratitude.

“I am very glad to see you’re still writing your newspaper articles and supporting education through your work. I’d love to send you a signed copy of the book I co-authored. May you continue to enjoy the blessings of profound impact. Dr. C. Edward Jackson.”

Later, when he mailed me a signed copy of his book, Dr. Jackson enclosed a note which affirmed what he had written in his email.

“John, without your intervention, I would not have been able to write a thesis, dissertation and this book. The great thing about being a teacher—you never know the extent of your impact, but you know it’s there. Blessings, Ed.”

I was startled, flummoxed, amazed. For a teacher to get a thank you from a student who was in his class 40 years ago is unusual–although, as veteran teachers can attest, it does happen occasionally.

What’s remarkable about my interaction with Dr. C. Edward Jackson, whom I knew as “Ed” when he was in my English class, is that I didn’t think I had done anything remarkable.

Like other teachers who love their profession, I believe in the importance of good teaching — not only having command of your subject, but also sharing your knowledge with enthusiasm. Equally important is providing support, encouragement and empowerment to students. I saw talent in Ed, as I saw talent in so many other students, and I simply encouraged him.

I believe what I did is common among good teachers at all levels, from kindergarten to graduate school. Good teachers understand the intense responsibility they have. A simple encouraging word can sometimes make a positive lifetime impact. The converse is true, as well. One disparaging word to a student can have a negative lifetime impact.

I must admit that I feel proud of my student Ed, even though I don’t think I contributed much to his success. He moved on from the foundation he received at the Los Baños Campus not only to pursue writing, but also to work with young people and then become the author of an insightful and significant book, as I discovered when I read it.

Soon after getting his email, I received in the U.S. mail from Dr. C. Edward Jackson his book, “Meaning-Centered Leadership,” which he co-authored with Dr. Barbara Bartels.  Soon after beginning to read it, I recognized and appreciated what he was saying.

Leadership has always intrigued me. During much of my septuagenarian life, I have taken note of what makes a good leader and what makes a bad leader. I’ve also concluded there are more bad leaders than good leaders in today’s world.

Reading chapter after chapter, I kept nodding my head and agreeing with Ed (I think it’s OK for me to  call Dr. Jackson by his first name).

Ed’s main idea is that good leaders must ensure that the people who work for them feel their work is meaningful. To do that, good leaders have to engage and empower their employees, while demonstrating integrity, as well as optimism and humility.

Ed and his co-author Barbara go on to say that good leaders must build trust. They need to care about their employees, getting to know them personally by “managing by walking around” and connecting with them. The authors add that showing enthusiasm for what you believe in and acknowledging the contributions of your employees are also essential leadership traits.

I talked with a friend of mine who worked as a community college administrator for 23 years, as a dean and then vice president, a person I consider a good leader. He agreed with every point Ed and Barbara made in their book.

My friend went on to say that following Ed’s advice is not always easy and involves a large investment of time and energy. Getting to know the people whom you supervise also takes time, usually a big chunk of time each day. Building trust can take years and requires patience and perseverance.

Most people in leadership positions don’t want to take that time or expend that energy, because it extends their workday long past eight hours and often leaves them exhausted. However, my friend said, Ed is correct when he writes in his conclusion that “becoming a meaning-centered leader is a grand adventure that you pursue throughout your career.”

As I was reading Ed’s book I noticed that a good leader in business also shares similar qualities with good military leaders, teachers and even parents. We all, I believe, have something to learn from Ed’s book.

What’s significant about Ed’s approach is that good business leaders are not only appreciated by their employees, they’re also good for the bottom line. That’s because good leaders, by empowering their employees to succeed, enable their companies to produce better financial results than bad leaders.

Ed and Barbara’s book reflects these two outcomes in its subtitle, “Skills and Strategies for Increased Employee Well-Being and Organizational Success.” Good leaders not only increase well-being; they also achieve success.

My pride in my former student Ed’s authorial success was reinforced by the endorsement he received from a long renowned author, Tom Peters. Peters is the co-author of “In Search of Excellence,” a best-selling book I read and valued when it was written in 1982. In Peters’ endorsement of Ed’s book, he wrote, “I wish I had written this book. Its message is in fact more important than ever.”

So three cheers for Dr. C. Edward Jackson. And three cheers for all good teachers.

I hope Ed’s email and book remind all teachers of the impact they have on their students’ lives, whether they realize it or not, keeping in mind, as Henry Adams wrote, “a teacher affects eternity.”

See Westside Express columns by Dr. John Spevak.

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