News

7
Jun

Interim Presidents Named at Bakersfield College, Columbia, West Hills Lemoore

Congratulations to three interim presidents appointed recently and joining the CVHEC Board of Directors: • Bakersfield College – Dr. Zav Dadabhoy was named to replace Dr. Sonya Christian who is now the chancellor of the Kern Community College District. • Columbia College – Dr. G.H. Javaheripour, effective  July 1, to replace Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, who is now president of Modesto Jr. College. • West Hills College Lemoore – Dr. James Preston, effective July 1, following current President Kristin Clark's selection as…

Read more

7
Jun

Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay Named Modesto Junior College President

Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay, named president of Modesto Junior College effective June 1, said growing enrollment and forging meaningful alliances with regional employers are among his immediate goals. The Yosemite Community College District Board of Trustees selected Bandyopadhyay, who was serving as interim president since January at its May 12 meeting. Previously, Bandyopadhyay had served as president of Columbia College in Tuolumne County, YCCD’s other  institution, since July 2018 when also he…

Read more

7
Jun

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval is First Immigrant to Head Fresno State

Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D., became Fresno State’s ninth president May 19 when the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees announced his selection to succeed Joseph I. Castro who was named Chancellor last fall. “It is an honor to be chosen to lead this premier university, which opens doors of opportunities for our talented students and improves the quality of life for everyone in the Valley,” said Jiménez-Sandoval. “I look forward to…

Read more

7
Jun

CVHEC In The News – Broadband Disparity Video

KSEE-24 Central Valley Today host Emily Erwin interviews CVHEC Director Ben Duran via Zoom.  The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium's recent video, "Pursuing the Last Mile: Broadband in the Central Valley,” was featured in several media stories shortly after it was launched in our May 6 newsletter:  • Pursuing the Last Mile: Addressing internet disparities in the Central Valley - KSEE24 Central Valley Today (May 6, 2021). • Nonprofit advocating for broadband equality for all Valley students -…

Read more

7
Jun

End of academic year brings high hopes for brighter days

Greetings Colleagues and Friends of CVHEC, We are delighted to present the June, 2021 CVHEC Newsletter as we welcome a much anticipated culmination of the 2020/21 Academic Year.  This is our 10th issue since we began publishing a year ago. It was a delight to see commencement exercises in various forms on CVHEC member college and university campuses throughout the region where students and families once again celebrated degree attainments during this…

Read more

7
Jun

Mini-Grant Success Stories – MJC’s Faculty Mentor Plan Supports AB705

Adjunct Faculty Embedded Into Accelerated/Co-Requisite English, Math  Modesto Junior College recently used its Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Mini-Grant to support compliance with California Assembly Bill 705 by funding a faculty mentor program that embedded adjunct faculty into accelerated/co-requisite English and math courses during the Spring 2021 semester, addressing the key elements of persistence; time to degree; and decreasing equity gap. “Modesto Junior College’s use of the grant funds is the epitome of…

Read more

7
Jun

Save the Date — CVHEC Higher Education Legislative and Policy Summit Dec. 2-3, 2021

The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Legislative and Policy Summit 2021 will be held Dec. 2 and 3, 2021, with the theme “Recovering with Equity and Inclusion in the Central Valley in a Post Pandemic World” at the Double Tree by Hilton (2233 Ventura St.) in Fresno. Dr. Benjamin Duran, executive director of CVHEC, announced this week the return of the regional event – which was on pandemic hiatus in 2020…

Read more

7
Jun

CCA Podcast features CVHEC Equity, Race and Social Justice Taskforce June 22

  A new podcast series by Complete College America, “CCA On the Air,” will feature Virginia Madrid-Salazar, strategies lead for the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, discussing “Committing to Systemic Equitable Change” June 22. Streaming on all platforms since February, the podcast’s short episodes feature candid conversations with higher education leaders on a variety   of topics related to student success, college completion and advancing CCA’s mission, said Brandon Protas, Ed. D.,…

Read more

4
May

PRESS RELEASE: Pursuing the Last Mile: Broadband in the Central Valley

Broadband Disparity: Equity Issue in California’s Central Valley -- Adequate Access Is Essential to Increasing Degree Attainment Rates (May 6, 2021) -- After the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year, Fresno Pacific University student Verónica Méndez García returned to the Central Valley grape fields to help her family earn income. But she faced a new challenge: finding adequate broadband access as she took breaks from picking and packing grapes to pull out her laptop at the…

Read more

3
May

Pursuing the Last Mile: Broadband in the Central Valley

Three Central Valley college students share their experience during the pandemic in a CVHEC-commissioned video highlighting broadband disparity. Broadband Disparity: equity issue in California’s Central Valley - adequate access is essential to increasing degree attainment rates  Benjamin T. Duran, Ed.D. CVHEC Executive Director Greetings Colleagues and Friends of CVHEC, We are delighted to share with you a video project the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium undertook to highlight the state of broadband in the Central…

Read more