About the Network

Professional Learning to
Close Equity Gaps

The CSU Student Success Network (Network) creates spaces and provides resources for middle leaders within the CSU system in support of equity-based inquiry and action aimed at closing critical opportunity and outcome gaps.

A Collaborative Cross-Campus Community

We are a systemwide network developed by CSU middle leaders for CSU students and middle leaders leaders with initial funding from College Futures Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and The James Irvine Foundation and ongoing financial support from the State of California.

The obstacles to success in higher education are more pronounced for students from marginalized groups—including, but not limited to, students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA2S+ students, students with disabilities, and students who are the first in their family to attend college—who together represent a large proportion of CSU students and the state’s population.

There are student success efforts underway at every level in the CSU to support educational opportunities and close opportunity and outcome gaps. Complementing ongoing efforts, the Network offers forums for sustained, cross-campus, cross-role, evidence-based, professional learning opportunities. Through collaboration, experimentation, and the sharing of evidence, the Network strives to support meaningful connections across and within campuses that bridge professional roles and responsibilities.

The Network is facilitated by the Education Insights Center (EdInsights) at Sacramento State. EdInsights is a research and professional learning center devoted to student success and the public benefits of education; its purpose is to conduct research, provide evaluation services, and create collaborative professional learning spaces that inform and advance anti-racist approaches to policymaking and practice so that marginalized student populations have equitable opportunities and outcomes in their public education and career journeys.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

Breaking Down Barriers to Equitable Student Success

The Network’s purpose is to support CSU students, staff, administrators, and faculty as they embrace their power to imagine, plan for, and implement systems and practices that center equitable student learning, engagement, progression, and completion.

The Network’s vision is to transform the lives of Californians by unleashing the full potential of the CSU as a broad-access, public university whose middle leaders work together to provide students with outstanding and equitable opportunities and outcomes for postsecondary learning and success.

The Network produces knowledge about, raises funding for, and builds capacity for institutional change that is centered on equity, grounded in evidence, directed toward structural change, and focused on supporting students. The Network advances narratives that highlight student voices and strengths and identifies and works to break down barriers to their success in the CSU. These barriers often disproportionately affect students from marginalized groups and intersectionalities.

Prioritizing Equity

The Network provides time, space, and resources for middle leaders to define and operationalize equity in ways that make sense for each campus. Achieving equity means:

  • Students who require the most support no longer disproportionately struggle to meet learning goals and graduation requirements.
  • Campuses benefit from the inclusion of perspectives that these students bring to their classrooms and peers.
  • California benefits when these students graduate at the same rates as their peers, through increased educational attainment and improved workforce, career, regional, and civic opportunities.

Supporting Middle Leaders

The Network was created by, is directed by, and works primarily with staff, administrators, and faculty from across the CSU and refers to these constituents as middle leaders; education research identifies these, or parallel positions, as central to change management opportunities in both K-12 and postsecondary settings. At the CSU, these positions can include student services staff, faculty, department chairs, deans and associate deans, directors and assistant directors, and institutional researchers, among others.

Many middle leaders do not have formal leadership duties but tend to:

  • Have long tenures on campus;
  • Work closely with students and understand their needs;
  • Serve on policy, budget, and hiring committees;
  • Be well versed in the intricacies of their institutions; and
  • Advance during their careers to increasing levels of authority.

However, middle leaders who are not part of engaging in change efforts can pose substantial resistance over time. Conversely, those who are well informed about and engaged in a change process can be pivotal in (1) shaping systems and programs to focus on students and serve them equitably, and (2) encouraging colleagues to join efforts to improve equitable student learning and success.

TESTIMONIALS

The experience was the boost our team needed to continue advancing first-gen student success. Investing in middle leaders is crucial as we continue addressing equity issues on campus.

Middle Leadership Participant

I have thoroughly enjoyed and felt my own professional identity as a leader grow in this program. Sincere thank you from the Humboldt Team and MLA!

Middle Leadership Participant

Our People

For the CSU by the CSU

While the Network is facilitated by the Education Insights Center EdInsights at Sacramento State, it operates under a distributed leadership model composed of EdInsights staff and CSU staff and faculty.

Meet our team

ADVISORY BOARD

Sharing a Commitment
to Student Success

The Network is guided by an Advisory Board composed of representatives from CSU campuses who serve in a variety of roles. The Board meets throughout the year to provide oversight and direction for all Network activities and to help identify topics for Applied Research, Convenings, and the Middle Leadership Academy. All 23 campuses have had at least one Advisory Board member serve as a Network liaison at some point.

Meet the board

ANNUAL REPORTS

The Network complements student success efforts underway in the CSU by offering forums for sustained, cross-campus, cross-role, professional learning opportunities for campus middle leaders. Student participation is welcomed and encouraged.

To view our annual reports, please select any year from the dropdown below:

PAST NETWORK NEWSLETTERS

Stay connected with access to previous newsletters.

To view our past newsletters, please select any year from the dropdown below: