Advancing Higher Education Equity Speaker Series

The Campaign for College Opportunity is proud to announce our five-part Advancing Higher Education Equity Speaker Series.

Join us in conversation with California’s higher education change makers and equity champions to discuss the most pressing issues in California higher education today against the backdrop of a global health pandemic, economic recession, and urgent calls to address racial inequity.

Celebrating Sixteen Years of Advancing Racial Equity in College Opportunity:

A Fireside Chat and Celebration

December 9, 2020
5:00 – 6:30 PM PST

Join the Campaign for College Opportunity for a fireside chat with Governor Gavin Newsom, California’s higher education system leaders, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and College Futures President/CEO Monica Lozano for a historic discussion on the economic and social imperative of closing racial equity gaps in college access and success. Stay for a virtual celebration and toast to honor sixteen years of higher education advocacy by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

Past Events in the Series

A Conversation with California’s Lieutenant Governor

Earlier this month, we had the honor of partnering with the California State Student Association to host California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis to kick-off our Advancing Higher Education Equity Speaker Series. Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis discussed highlights of her work on the University of California (UC) Board of Regents and California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees, as well as her vision for protecting and expanding college opportunity during this critical time when a college degree is the most powerful guard against unemployment. The Lieutenant Governor was also honored for being an ardent higher education champion committed to racial equity and to protecting and expanding access at the CSU and UC. You can watch the recording here or below.

Thank you to the Cal State Student Association for partnering with us for this event!

Women in Higher Education Leadership

In October, we had the honor of hosting trailblazing woomen leaders serving on California public higher education governing boards to discuss their critical roles in advancing policies that eliminate racial inequity at the UC, CSU and California Community Colleges, and why racial/ethnic and gender diverse appointments are key to change. Read the panelists’ bios here.

Racial Equity on the Ballot

On October 19th, we discussed Propositions 15 and 16, ballot initiatives that reinvest in our schools and end a legacy of legal discrimination in contracting, hiring and university admissions that has left too many talented Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Californians behind. Thank you to Alliance for A Better Community and the UC Student Association for partnering with us for this event!

Committing to Transfer as a Key Racial Equity Strategy

November 19, 2020
10:30 am – 12 pm PST

In the last ten years, the California Community Colleges have awarded students over 200,000 Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) – a degree that provides a streamlined pathway between the state’s community colleges and the CSU system. With a focus on transfer as a racial equity strategy for degree completion, even more students can earn an ADT, reducing time and cost to reach their college goals. Join us in conversation with policymakers ready to prioritize transfer via the ADT and to honor campuses excelling in awarding ADTs.